The hypocrisy of Utah Republican legislators who have this week voted in support of HJR13 to declare racism a public health crisis and have simultaneously, so far, blocked consideration of HB 278 allowing a name change to Dixie State must be called out.
Arguments that the name Dixie magically means something different in Utah than it does in the South fails a test of credibility. The school has a history of celebrating southern culture that includes blackface balls, slave auctions and called their athletic teams “Rebels.”
Using the name Dixie is racist. Keeping it as the name of a state-operated university is the epitome of systemic racism.
While it is fair to say that the 19th century founders of the school should not be measured by the woke standards of the 21st, it is we Utahns of the present who are responsible to end all racism in our state.
Gail Gray Thorpe, Salt Lake City