Posted on 03/01/2005 1:11:01 PM PST by stainlessbanner
Vanderbilt's ongoing litigation with the United Daughters of the Confederacy over the changing of the name of Confederate Memorial Hall to Memorial Hall is an example of a trend that is taking place in schools across the South.
As a Feb. 12 article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution pointed out, in addition to Vanderbilt, schools in the Southeast such as Sewanee: The University of the South; the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and the University of Texas at Austin are all choosing to remove Confederate symbols and Southern traditions to better compete in attracting the nation's best and most diverse students, some of whom may look negatively on references to the Old South.
While many see these universities' attempts to rid their schools of Confederate ties as a step in the right direction, many others see it as an effort to rid the universities of their southern heritage and identity.
At Vanderbilt, students remain polarized on whether renaming Confederate Memorial Hall erased a part of Vanderbilt's culture and heritage or whether it was a positive action that erased an offensive reference.
Junior Andrew Richard said that he felt the name was simply a reference to the southern heritage of Vanderbilt.
"I feel it is in no way a reference to any racism, but to the history of the South, marred as it might be. Erasing the name is like trying to erase history instead of remembering and learning from it," Richard said.
Sophomore Kim Riggins, however, said that getting rid of the Confederate reference will create a more positive environment at Vanderbilt.
"I see the word 'Confederate' as offensive, because to me it stands for segregation and racism," Riggins said.
Riggins also believes that a Southern mindset pervades the Vanderbilt campus, due to the large number of Vanderbilt students who call the South home. She feels that renaming Confederate Memorial Hall will help change the mindset because it will show that Vanderbilt is making efforts to diversify the campus.
In a Feb. 27, 2003 issue of Black Issues in Higher Education, vice chancellor for public affairs Michael Schoenfeld said that while the history of Vanderbilt is very much tied to the history of the South, he believes that Vanderbilt's purpose has been clear from the start.
"We recognize our unique history as an institution that was created to heal the rift between the North and the South, at a time when the wounds of war were still fresh," Schoenfeld said.
Schoenfeld said that the decision to change the name of Confederate Memorial Hall was an example of Vanderbilt striving to remain committed to its original purpose.
"The change is intended to help create a more positive, inclusive environment at Vanderbilt," Schoenfeld said. He added that the change would help "ensure that our facilities and symbols do not inadvertently reflect values that are inconsistent with the University's mission."
At some point, erasing all the "unpleasantries" in history is going to be harmful.
Sacco & Vanzetti Memorial Hall would be completely acceptible.
The US Supreme Court did it's fair share to uphold the institution of slavery. Should we consider removing that symbol from our history?
For some of these folks, the Karl Marx Memorial Hall would also be acceptable.
Schools outlast the students. Wonder if these same students that want to rid the universities of the southern pride and tradition are out of state students?
Once these types are done wiping out anything realted to the civil war, they will attack anything having to do with those who are or were white.
Y'all are just the first victims in this racial cleansing.
At post 18 of that thread, I commented about situations at my two alma maters, Vanderbilt (and the issue of Confederate Memorial Hall) and UNC (and the issue of "Silent Sam," a statue of a CSA soldier).
Political correctness continues to run amok.
Yes, I read your post on the other thread.
It is just heartbreaking that the spineless weenie crowd is in charge at Vanderbilt. As for UNC, when I worked for the Helms' campaign, we referred to Chapel Hill as "Little Moscow". Only today Moscow has fewer communists.
When they come to try and remove the southern legacy from Washington and Lee University, that'll be quite a struggle. Robert E. Lee's tomb is square in the middle of the campus.
"PC? We doan need no steenkin PC."
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