Emotional forum debates 'Dixie' in UT college name

Updated: 11/30/2012 10:56 am | Published: 11/30/2012 10:55 am

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Dixie State (dixie.edu)

ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) - Some say keeping the word "Dixie" in a southern Utah college's name would promote racism and hold the school back as it seeks to become a university.

The Spectrum of St. George reports more than 100 people attended an emotional community forum Thursday to explore a potential name change.

Community member Richard Hutchins said he was "flabbergasted" Dixie was still in the name and asked whether the school wanted to be perceived as defiant by outsiders.

Former faculty member Connie Corbett Keate says southern Utah is widely known as Dixie and says changing the name would affect school songs and an iconic "D'' on a nearby hillside.

About 20 protesters gathered around the campus' statue of two Confederate soldiers before the forum, holding candles and covering a Confederate flag.

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Information from: The Spectrum

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onelove627 - 11/30/2012 2:18 PM

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When we first moved to Utah we couldn't believe that the news people called the entire southern part of the state "Dixie". This term is closely tied to slavery in history and would agree that implies a very close minded set of principles. I've also been on the other side of the fence with friends from the southern US who use derogatory terms to refer to people who live north of the mason dixon line. Believe it or not but people in the real Dixie still have a problem with 'northerners' or 'yankees'. The term dixie is offensive and racist. Don't promote any more separation in this state. There is already enough of that when you're not of the faith.

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