Comments about ‘Lawmakers approve university status, name change for Dixie State’

Nothing like drawing attention to oneself, like the six SL County legislators, by casting a vote against the university status for Dixie State College. That just says, "Hey, look at me. I am totally irrelevant and proud of it."

@Whoa Nellie
right because we should only stand up for what we think is right if we in the majority.

An interesting comment re: relevance. Standing up for principle against the majority is what true leaders do -- John Brown, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Ghandi come to mind.

And one might well ponder the issue of "relevance" with regard to retaining the name Dixie in the 21st Century.

Oh for heck sake. Not voting for the bill because Dixie is still in the name. So what if a few are offended? They can get over themselves and quit choosing to be offended. But most of the time they won't because their victim status is engrained in their DNA. Heaven help us if someone might be offended. Society might not be able to function. Being offended is a choice. One that does not have to be made.

I wish I still lived in Murray. I'd run against Wheatley in a heart beat.

"Someone" might be offended? Pretty much everyone sensitive to our country's difficult past in regard to race relations. Hardly a minor issue.

I have a cousin whose name is "Dixie." Perhaps she should change her name so a few thin skins won't be offended!

I don't think the name Dixie is racist or demeaning, but I do think the reason put forth why this name should be kept is wrong. The reason was to honor the early founders of that part of southern Utah. From what I have read, those early founders were slave holders and as such really don't deserve to be honored.

I think naming it Dixie is a mistake. The area has no actual ties with the South. While the name is not actually racist, it just doesn't make a lot of sense. People who hear it will never associate it with Utah. They will always asume it is somewhere in the south. It was good that they got rid of the rebel name and especially the statue. I'd like to know what on earth that statue was doing there in the first place. I was pretty shocked when I found out it even existed. St. George has NO ties with the south or the confederacy and the name should have been changed to St. George University.

Yes it is amazing how a few hundred years of slavery and official and unofficial discrimination will produce a few "thin skins" here and there.

While we are describing the terrible and racist issues of Dixie, we should be also demanding the end of using Ute for anything in the U of U. Because the Ute tribes were active in the slave trade business.

When Ricks College was renamed Brigham Young University-Idaho, there was some local opposition. Those opposed to dropping "Ricks" used the same emotional but illogical arguments as those who now still prefer "Dixie". I know a man, a graduate of BYU-I, who applied for admission to graduate school at a prestigious, high ranking university. The competition for acceptance was high. He was accepted not only because he had an excellent academic record, but because his degree came from "Brigham Young University-Idaho." He never would have been accepted if his degree had come from "Ricks University." I fear that emotions and sentiment have outweighed good sense and concern for the future graduates of "Dixie State University."