A group of students and faculty at the University of Alabama is calling for removing the word "Dixie" from the Crimson Tide fight song 'Yea Alabama.'The campus coalition called Delete Dixie Initiative recently launched a new website and started a petition to replace "Dixie" with "more tactful and inclusive language" such as "Bama." The change.org petition had 122 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.The group said "Dixie" is deeply associated with slavery and racism."It is because of these ties-to the Confederacy, to racial subjugation, to a time of slavery and racial violence-that we must make a change," the group stated on its website. "The University of Alabama considers itself the place where legends are made. We must now decide the kind of legend we hope to leave behind. We are not the pride of “dixie”, or of the “Old South”, but instead, the pride of the state of Alabama."The Delete Dixie Initiative said it is not seeking a ban of "Dixieland Delight," the song that fans traditionally sing (watch the video above) during Alabama football games at Bryant-Denny Stadium. "That song is not officially associated with The University of Alabama, unlike the use of 'dixie' in our fight song," DDI stated.UA's student-run newspaper, The Crimson White, was the first to report.—YEA ALABAMA LYRICSYea, Alabama! Drown ’em Tide!Every ‘Bama man’s behind you,Hit your stride.Go teach the Bulldogs to behave,Send the Yellow Jackets to a watery grave.And if a man starts to weaken,That’s a shame!For Bama’s pluck and grit haveWrit her name in Crimson flame.Fight on, fight on, fight on men!Remember the Rose Bowl, we’ll win then.Go, roll to victory,Hit your stride,You’re Dixie’s football pride,Crimson Tide, Roll Tide, Roll Tide!!—PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0icVFCYkl5IHNHRDcyTiBtRVN5T2MiIGRhdGEtcGxheWFibGUtaG9vaz0ic2NyZWVuLWJsb2NrIiBkYXRhLXBsYXlhYmxlLWNvbXBvbmVudD0iIj4gPGNhbnZhcyBjbGFzcz0iZk5NaDJHIiBkYXRhLXBsYXlhYmxlLWhvb2s9ImJhY2tncm91bmQtY2FudmFzIiB3aWR0aD0iOTgwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjU1MSI+PC9jYW52YXM+PHZpZGVvIHByZWxvYWQ9Im5vbmUiIHNyYz0iYmxvYjpodHRwczovL2RlbGV0ZWRpeGllLndpeHNpdGUuY29tL2E2NDJiMDg5LWIxYTEtNGY2Yi1hNGRjLWNmNmI4ZDgwOGM5NiI+PC92aWRlbz48L2Rpdj4=
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A group of students and faculty at the University of Alabama is calling for removing the word "Dixie" from the Crimson Tide fight song 'Yea Alabama.'
The campus coalition called Delete Dixie Initiative recently launched a new website and started a petition to replace "Dixie" with "more tactful and inclusive language" such as "Bama." The change.org petition had 122 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.
The group said "Dixie" is deeply associated with slavery and racism.
"It is because of these ties-to the Confederacy, to racial subjugation, to a time of slavery and racial violence-that we must make a change," the group stated on its website. "The University of Alabama considers itself the place where legends are made. We must now decide the kind of legend we hope to leave behind. We are not the pride of “dixie”, or of the “Old South”, but instead, the pride of the state of Alabama."
The Delete Dixie Initiative said it is not seeking a ban of "Dixieland Delight," the song that fans traditionally sing (watch the video above) during Alabama football games at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
"That song is not officially associated with The University of Alabama, unlike the use of 'dixie' in our fight song," DDI stated.
UA's student-run newspaper, The Crimson White, was the first to report.
—
YEA ALABAMA LYRICS
Yea, Alabama! Drown ’em Tide!
Every ‘Bama man’s behind you,
Hit your stride.
Go teach the Bulldogs to behave,
Send the Yellow Jackets to a watery grave.
And if a man starts to weaken,
That’s a shame!
For Bama’s pluck and grit have
Writ her name in Crimson flame.
Fight on, fight on, fight on men!
Remember the Rose Bowl, we’ll win then.
Go, roll to victory,
Hit your stride,
You’re Dixie’s football pride,
Crimson Tide, Roll Tide, Roll Tide!!
—
