Controversy Over Ole Miss Chant

During "From Dixie With Love" song, some people chant "The South will rise again" Chancellor worries perception of university will be damaged University has worked hard to cover up past and emerge with a new identity Oxford, MS 11/3/2009) Some Ole Miss fans have changed the last few words of the popular song "From Dixie With Love" and inserted "The ...

[bob ruff]

there's more important issues to deal with , than the lyrics of a song. people wake up and quit your belly ache'n.

[The Spy]

Really, You have a couple of minority alumni bitching when those same alumni minorities were defending rap lyrics from "Cop Killa" and Soulja Boy". I say screw em' and if you don't like it, The South will rise again and be really pissed next time....

[Rebel Hog]

Swapping the words, "The South will rise again" for "Go to HELL LSU" is a great improvement. The South shall rise again really does not fire anyone up but Go to HEll LSU will fire up Rebel fans of all ages and races. That is a positive move!

[DCinMissippi]

In case the bleeding hearts have not noticed, the South IS rising again. It is rising as an economic and industrial force in this nation. I think it is something to be proud of. Quite frankly, I disliked it when they took the Battle Flag away from us, I got mad as heck when they took Col. Reb away from us, and if they go through with this restriction on Freedom of Speech, I WILL from that point forward be a diehard MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOG FAN.
After all, like it or not, Confederate history IS AMERICAN history, and we are in a former Confederate state, and we are proud of who we are and where we came from.

[Brandon]

I am a two-time graduate of Ole Miss and while there, I never saw anyone denegrated or marginalized, espcially by a song. Revisionist history helps no one. Let's all bury our heads in the sand and forget what happened and we will surely be doomed to repeat it. No one really thinks the "South will rise again" and no one signing that song wants to see segregation return. But hey, while we're at it, let's do away with the Blues as a musical genre because after all, poor African Americans created it in response to their disenfranchised social position in the Mississippi Delta and we shouldn't glorify that ...

Political correctness is anathema to freedom of speech. America is supposed to be a market place of ideas but it's rapidly becoming
like the giant GUM department store in the Soviet era Moscow, Russia - not too much shop from and everything is preselected for you by someone else.

Hey, maybe we should change the song to "America will Rise Again"!

[Brandon]

By the way, I have no idea why the message board says I'm from San Jose, CA. I am from Mississippi and work in Memphis.

Looks like the message board is in to revisionism as well...

[Lady M]

I find it very unlikely that the South will rise again. Like it or not, Confederate Nationalism has gone the way of the Dodo and all that's left is nostalgia over what could have been...

That being said this is the South and the confederacy is an intricate part of its history. Taking away the Rebel flag, banning Col. Reb, and changing the lyrics of the fight song isn't going to alter the past. Might as well leave it be and let a bunch of slightly inebriate college students have their fun.

[jay]

Listen, I was raised in, and live in South, I'm proud to be called a Southerner. This is my heritage that my family fought and died for. This is real history that should be protected. If anyone disagrees with any of our heritage, read a history book, or leave the south. This is not RACIST, black people on there on will, fought for this to. So black people, we bend over backwards so you can have your history month, kwanzza, etc. Find something else to gripe about, and leave it alone!!!

[Lady M]

I really don't think anyone really "bends over backwards" for Kwanzaa and Black History month since participation is strickly voluntary...

[RETHA]

IF THE LYRICS GET TAKEN AWAY, ALL THE FANS SHOULD GET UP AND WALK OUT. I BET THERE WILL BE MORE LEAVING THAN STAYING.THIS MAY GET THE REBEL FLAG BACK PLUS THE COL. REB. FANS JOIN HANDS AND TAKE THE STAND

[RETHA]

jay wrote:

Listen, I was raised in, and live in South, I'm proud to be called a Southerner. This is my heritage that my family fought and died for. This is real history that should be protected. If anyone disagrees with any of our heritage, read a history book, or leave the south. This is not RACIST, black people on there on will, fought for this to. So black people, we bend over backwards so you can have your history month, kwanzza, etc. Find something else to gripe about, and leave it alone!!!

AMEN.WHAT ABOUT JET MAG.

[tommytune]

Sparky is a jerk, words do not make a university, its acomplishments and the acomplishments of its graduates in the outside world that should be the mark of who they are as a university. This politically correctness is screwing up the Country, I say let it stay If some people don't like the words then DON'T LISTEN!!!
Our rights are rapidly swirling down the toilet, Suppression is not the way of America, or is it now? Maybe in Obamica it is. Fight for your rights people!!

[Tony]

Louis Farrakhan, a real racist, comes to Memphis with his bow tied morons and speaks to a packed house. I think our former Mayor was even in attendance. No one bats an eye to that, but this nonsense gets attention from the media.

[justhangin]

People don't realize that being offended is a CHOICE. If they choose it, so be it.

[DCinMissippi]

I guess the Memorial to the "Univerity Grays" is next. If you do not know what that is, then I suggest you learn more about Mississippi history.

[North Mississippi]

So what if somebody is offended by a college fight song. I'm offended that others are offended. People have just gone too far with all their notions of being "politically correct." I'm sick of it. It seems to be ok for one segment of the population to celebrate their "African" heritage, but we can't let the other segment celebrate their heritage. Discrimination in reverse.

[jay]

Lady M, You must be black. Yes we do bend over backwards so the black people can have one less thing to complain about. This is true. We are on our on, black folks have the NAACP, who sue over bullshit everyday. We, WHITE PEOPLE, have had enough. Do you actually think white folks sit around thinking what we can do now to piss the blacks folks off. You are wrong. We want peace. We actually beleive what Dr.King wanted, but most blacks go the other way. What to do, what to do!!!

[Lady M]

jay wrote:

Lady M, You must be black. Yes we do bend over backwards so the black people can have one less thing to complain about. This is true. We are on our on, black folks have the NAACP, who sue over **** everyday. We, WHITE PEOPLE, have had enough. Do you actually think white folks sit around thinking what we can do now to **** the blacks folks off. You are wrong. We want peace. We actually beleive what Dr.King wanted, but most blacks go the other way. What to do, what to do!!!

Must I be black or do you simply disagree with me?

Frankly I get tired of being stuck in one category or another. As far as I am concerned I am a Christian first and an American second. Everything else is unimportant. I can't speak for the race as a whole but frankly I hold no ill-will towards anyone. I just don't like stupid people.

Let's also be realistic. White people are not "on their own" so to speak. When you make up the majority of the population you have power in numbers.

But anyway I still stand by what I said. No one makes anyone celebrate Kwanzaa. I don't even celebrate Kwanzaa. It's not compulsory. I don't even think it's a federally recognized holiday. I really can't say much on the topic of Black history month since it is taught in school but black history is a part of American history just as much as the history of the Confederate south. Although I feel it should be studied anyway but within the context of the rest of American history instead of it being blitzed to people in one month.

I want peace too but I wouldn't suggested you throw that in there if you're gonna start the sentence with "you must be black." It kind of destroys the sentiment. But there is no hope for peace as long as people keep up this useless habit of categorizing ourselves and others in neat little groups.

[jay]

Lady M, I'm not the one crying racism when I don't get my way. This what this whole controversy is about. The blacks are saying the song, the flag, and the mascot has a racist theme...

[rebelfan]

Do people not have nothing else to do but sit around and complain about stuff? This makes no sense.