Don't whistle "Dixie"

[kaytieeldr]

Yes really. It may be catchy but far from popular with the average person. When was the last time you heard it on the radio?

I live in Baltimore and if during the playoffs I wore a Patriots shirt I know darn well that I would be wearing it expecting to get a rise out of someone. Now imagine it means more than just a sports rivalry. Imagine if that tune was often used to symbolize a return to the days of slavery. I'd be courteous enough not to just go around whistling it.

I don't listen to folk music radio. I would think it's not played because it's about a hundred years old with no recent releases.

 

[sam_gordon]

But certainly you're aware that other people do think of slavery and oppression and the "Bad South" when they hear that song. And certainly you're aware that they've thought so for decades.

If the people who sign paychecks want to address it, or even ban it in their workplace, I have no problem with that. Whistle it to your heart's content elsewhere.

Is there a point where you (general) can tell someone "feel free to be offended by this, but it's not changing because of YOUR feelings"?

 

[Jennasis]

Does he whistle it in German?

Gracious no! He wouldnt want to offend anyone.

 

[smiths02]

Why is this a news story?

 

[manning]

Political correctness gone to extreme.

When I worked on something sometimes I would hum whatever popped into my head. Would post more but I have to go talk to someone as I don't like s/he is walking.

 

[rwdavis2]

The person should be canned for whistling anything at work. It's really annoying.

 

[IndyRnRfan]

If you want to get real technical, your employer can't tell you what to whistle, if that is what they were trying to do.

 

[cabanafrau]

Whistling has no words, merely a tune, a tune which may well predate the lyrics some would associate with the tune. Plenty of old tunes have had multiple lyrics associated with them over time. Greensleeves is one example.

My guess is if they want to make an issue of it they'll have to ban all whistling, humming, etc. To do otherwise leaves them open to an interpretation of condoning offense to one, but not others because it's impossible to keep track of which tunes may have had lyrics associated with them that are offensive to some people. Yep, entirely too much time listening to lawyers.

 

[Flight]

With the end to the Civil War, which had lasted four years, seemingly in sight, President Lincoln gave his Second Inaugural Address on March 4, 1865. He proclaimed, "With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds." With that idea in mind, on April 8, 1865, the day before Confederate commander Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General-in-Chief Ulysses S. Grant, Lincoln requested that a military band on board the River Queen play Dixie's Land , the song to which nearly all of the Southern attacks had been conducted. According to a French writer who accompanied him, Lincoln said, "That tune is now Federal property and it is good to show the rebels that, with us in power, they will be free to hear it again."

Pulled this from the American Heritage Music site. If it is good enought for President Abraham Lincoln ....

 

[Micca]

The person should be canned for whistling anything at work. It's really annoying.

Sir, consider your surroundings. This is a Disney board, whistling while you work is not only encouraged, it is required.

 

[cabanafrau]

Sir, consider your surroundings. This is a Disney board, whistling while you work is not only encouraged, it is required.

I believe factoring the Seven Dwarves into consideration triggers the threshold for a class action suit.

 

[DizBelle]

Good point Bill! It has often been referred to as the "Confederate Anthem." It reflects a desire to go back to the way things were in the antebellum south. In the 50s and 60s, Segregationists sang it when they were trying to drown out a civil rights speech or while attacking or otherwise attempting to intimidate civil rights activists. It's hardly a benign little ditty . . .

The ditty itself is benign. Perhaps how some used it is not.

 

[luvsJack]

Good point Bill! It has often been referred to as the "Confederate Anthem." It reflects a desire to go back to the way things were in the antebellum south. In the 50s and 60s, Segregationists sang it when they were trying to drown out a civil rights speech or while attacking or otherwise attempting to intimidate civil rights activists. It's hardly a benign little ditty . . .

And if they had been singing "Amazing Grace" or "The Star-Spangled Banner" to drown out the speeches, would you then think those should not be hummed or whistled?

It is a song. That's it, a song. Wanting to go home does not mean go back to owning slaves. It means going home. It reflects what the singer means for it and for most southerners slavery has nothing to do with it.

And besides, you know what? A lot of things were done before, after and during the Civil War. And a lot of things were done during the Civil Rights Movement. How about we stop being offended by everything that someone may or may have not done either before any of us were alive or when many of us were at the oldest, small children?

I mean, good grief, if we are going to go to all the trouble of being offended, how about we do it about something that is a bit more relevant to now?

I am so very tired of not being able to do, or see or own anything that reminds anyone of the old south (NOT slavery) because someone that has never been a slave may be offended because someone who has never owned a slave does or sees or own it. There was a LOT more to the history of the south than slavery. When oh, when are we going to admit that?

 

[CPT Tripss]

The segregationists chose to use the Confederate Anthem, not some other song. That wasn't a coincidence. They were doing that to send a message, a message that they backed up with violence.

Too bad there aren't less baggage laden expressions of "Southern Pride" other than the Battle Flag and Anthem of the Confederacy.

 

[LBIJim]

Who does? And why do they? It wasn't written by a slave owner. It doesn't mention slavery. It only mentions cotton. I don't remember anyone jumping up and down about it when Elvis sang it in concert. I don't remember any one getting in a tizzy when Alabama used part of it in their song. I don't remember anyone suing or having meetings or any of that when the Dukes of Hazzard used it for their car horn. And as much as I hear the tune, I have never in all my life heard one person say that they have an issue with that song.

If an employer wants to ban everything that someone can find offensive, I really don't care but they need to be prepared to hire someone full time to do nothing but find out what's offensive because there are many that make it a full time job to be the offended party.

And if they had been singing "Amazing Grace" or "The Star-Spangled Banner" to drown out the speeches, would you then think those should not be hummed or whistled?

It is a song. That's it, a song. Wanting to go home does not mean go back to owning slaves. It means going home. It reflects what the singer means for it and for most southerners slavery has nothing to do with it.

And besides, you know what? A lot of things were done before, after and during the Civil War. And a lot of things were done during the Civil Rights Movement. How about we stop being offended by everything that someone may or may have not done either before any of us were alive or when many of us were at the oldest, small children?

I mean, good grief, if we are going to go to all the trouble of being offended, how about we do it about something that is a bit more relevant to now?

I am so very tired of not being able to do, or see or own anything that reminds anyone of the old south (NOT slavery) because someone that has never been a slave may be offended because someone who has never owned a slave does or sees or own it. There was a LOT more to the history of the south than slavery. When oh, when are we going to admit that?

Seems some people spend an awful lot of time being offended at what other people may find offensive.

 

[luvsJack]

Seems some people spend an awful lot of time being offended at what other people may find offensive.

No darlin' not offened just tired of it all.

You know, we just came back from a very long bus trip. And one morning we went into the lobby of the hotel and sat down. The bus driver was there watching the news. We were busy talking about whichever park we were going in that day when he suddenly said "I am so tired of this!" Looked up thinking he meant tired of carting us around. He was watching the news and it was talking about the history of the march in Selma and the bridge. He explained that they were talking about the name of the bridge and that its offensive. "When are they going to stop telling me what I am offended by?"

He went on to say that all these things like the confederate flag and such aren't what anyone needs to be worried about. Its the today and now. He said "wave the flag, its part of our history. Keep the name on the bridge, its the history of the area. I don't want to forget where we came from. But stop pulling my kid over because he's a black kid in a white neighborhood. Stop ducking away from me because you are afraid because I am a large black man. That's what offends me, not what happened before I was born"

Now I didn't ask about Dixie because all this had not come up yet but maybe he would have felt the same way about that. Smart man.

I have witnessed racism and its a horrible thing. My son is white but his best friend is black. As teens they experienced a lot due to the color of their skin from blacks and whites. I have stood up for them many times to law officers who pulled them over for no other reason than the color of their skin. When we owned a child care center we would have parents visit and make comment about the black children in our care. I was astounded and sent them on their way.

Are there racist waving the flag and singing Dixie? Well sure but there are just as many waving the American flag and singing Amazing Grace.
And even more dangerous are the ones that wave neither flag or sing any song but have the power to act on their hate. Those are ones to be offended by not some guy whistling Dixie.

 

[luvsJack]

The segregationists chose to use the Confederate Anthem, not some other song. That wasn't a coincidence. They were doing that to send a message, a message that they backed up with violence.

Too bad there aren't less baggage laden expressions of "Southern Pride" other than the Battle Flag and Anthem of the Confederacy.

Our southern pride isn't about a flag or a song. But how about we stop forgetting the racism that goes on under the American flag? The racism that goes on every day and has nothing to do with the old south? How about we make changes in whats happening today rather than trying to wipe out a history that we cannot change.

BTW, the vast majority of southerners have never known Dixie as the Anthem of the Confederacy. More know it from Elvis than from the civil war. Believe it or not we really don't sit down here and think about that war much after we are through taking history classes.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

The segregationists chose to use the Confederate Anthem, not some other song. That wasn't a coincidence. They were doing that to send a message, a message that they backed up with violence.

Too bad there aren't less baggage laden expressions of "Southern Pride" other than the Battle Flag and Anthem of the Confederacy.

Meh, Ronald Reagan used "Born In The USA" in his re-election campaign. That didn't make Bruce Springsteen a Republican.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Our southern pride isn't about a flag or a song. But how about we stop forgetting the racism that goes on under the American flag? The racism that goes on every day and has nothing to do with the old south? How about we make changes in whats happening today rather than trying to wipe out a history that we cannot change.

BTW, the vast majority of southerners have never known Dixie as the Anthem of the Confederacy. More know it from Elvis than from the civil war. Believe it or not we really don't sit down here and think about that war much after we are through taking history classes.

So much for the pride in the heritage

Who is forgetting about the on going racism? It seems to be those here who complain about the "race card" being played the incidents of racism are brought up.

Meh, Ronald Reagan used "Born In The USA" in his re-election campaign. That didn't make Bruce Springsteen a Republican.

Yep! and Bruce had to ask him to stop using the music . . . that was before the musicians going for cease and decist orders. Good Old Ronnie's followers only knew those words in that ditty. They were completely ignorant of the rest of the lyrics.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Wait a sec... Dixie was the Confederate Anthem? Ewwwwww...

At least that does have extra meaning to it besides that, unlike the Battle Flag.