Bad sports, good sports: the Ku Klux Klan wants Ole Miss fans to keep singing song

Posted on November 23rd, 2009 by Alan Spoll

For many years, the University of Mississippi band has played “From Dixie With Love” at the school’s football games. The song includes the lyric “the South will rise again.” In October of this year, the Ole Miss Associated Student Body voted to discontinue this chant and replace it with a taunt at LSU, one of their rivals. The change was meant to avoid the negative connotation of the chant, with regard to slavery and segregation. Sounds like a good choice to me.

As might have been expected, the students paid little attention to the resolution, continuing the chant whenever the song was played. At that point, University Chancellor Dan Jones banned the song from being played at the Rebels’ games. As if to prove Jones’ point, the Mississippi White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan announced an intention to stage a rally on campus in protest of the song’s removal.

I am very curious to know how many of the students who continued the chants after the initial attempt to change the tradition showed up to march in support of the Klan. Probably at least a few, right? Most, however, stayed away, I have to imagine. I am guessing here, but I have to think that the involvement of the Klan made the entire issue take on a whole new tone. It’s one thing to act oblivious and spew hatred in the guise of having fun and showing school spirit. It’s another thing entirely when that guise involves a white robe and a pointed hood. If the question was put to them, most would say the song doesn’t mean what it sounds like it means. It’s just fun. The Klan puts the lie to that naive answer.

Now there is certainly a freedom-of-speech question here. I am not suggesting that the song itself should be banned from public use, nor am I saying that there should be some kind of punishment for anyone singing the song at the games. It is certainly the school’s right, though, to choose what songs the band plays. If school officials have decided that the idea that the school supports the ideas espoused in this chant is one that they would prefer to dismiss, good for them.

I am curious to know whether or not they have considered the fact that their teams have the nickname of “Rebels.” Political correctness only goes so far, huh?

Bad sports, continued:

2) France qualified for soccer’s World Cup this week, eliminating Ireland in a 1-1 draw that was enough to get them through. The tying goal, however, was scored immediately after Thierry Henry, a striker for France, illegally used his hand to keep control of the ball, which was headed out-of-bounds. Henry himself has admitted to his infraction, but the governing body has refused to overturn the call. If you know anything about soccer outside of the U.S., you know that there is a whole lot of anguish in Ireland right now.

3) In more soccer-related news, there were riots in Egypt this week after some government-sponsored propaganda was issued against Algeria, the country that beat them this week in a World Cup qualifying match. Ugly.

Bonus: Jets head coach Rex Ryan cries after loss to Jacksonville.

Good sports:

1) NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson became the first driver in NASCAR history to win four consecutive championships on Sunday, and only the fourth driver to ever win four titles, joining Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Gordon. Pretty good company. What Johnson and Chad Knaus, his crew chief, have accomplished is simply amazing, considering the number of very competitive teams in the Sprint Cup series, and the fact that the Chase format adopted earlier this decade does so much to level the playing field with only ten races to go in the season.

2) Taking a big step to ease the pain of a difficult season that included the shooting death of one of its players, the University of Connecticut football team beat Notre Dame on Saturday, conquering the Irish in double overtime, 33-30. OK, this is also “Good Sports” because Notre Dame lost, and Charlie Weis looks all but fired. Made my day.

3) Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were inducted together into the College Basketball Hall of Fame this week. Although I grew up rooting against both of these guys (I’m a Sixers fan), there is no denying the impact they had on both college and professional basketball.

Bad Sports, Good Sports appears every Monday

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Alan Spoll

Alan Spoll is a software quality assurance director from the suburbs of Philadelphia where he lives with his wonderful wife and children. He has spent his entire life as a passionate fan of the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers, Flyers, and Penn State. Recent Phillies success aside, you will understand his natural negativity. Follow me on Twitter - @DocAlan02