The crux of the defendant’s arguments in Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that legalized gay marriage in the United States, was that marriage was by definition between a man and a woman. Same-sex marriage was not marriage, per se; the same-sex qualifier was necessary to separate it from traditional marriage.
The Supreme Court ruled otherwise, stating that marriage had previously been thought of by many other definitions. For centuries, mixed-race marriages, for example, were not acknowledged as legitimate marriages. The court ruled that these had been definitions of marriage in the past but that none of them were intrinsic to the definition of marriage.
Such was the case with same-sex marriage, as well. And just as with mixed-race marriage, rejected in the South for so long, same-sex marriage has not caused any great harm to society or traditional marriage.
The slaveholding South believed fervently that slavery was an intrinsic part of not just the South, but of civilization. John C. Calhoun stated that the United States was founded “upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man.” In seceding from the United States, Mississippi declared the attempt to extinguish slavery as “a blow at commerce and civilization.”
Yet they were wrong. The South and all of civilization survived without slavery and “the great truth” of John C. Calhoun was proved to be a terrific lie. Slavery was not intrinsic to the definition of the South.
Yet this idea of a single, definitive South rears its head again and again in the face of overwhelming evidence that it is more of a crutch to defend bad ideas than a real rational thought.
The idea of purity and righteousness of heritage has been used to enslave, segregate and rob the rights of blacks for centuries. Homosexuals have faced similar discrimination since the mid-20th century. In the search for a romanticized Southern heritage, thousands have been left lynched, beaten and excluded from society.
Arguments continue to arise that rely on this thinking. Removing the state flag will somehow divorce Ole Miss from its roots in Mississippi.
Getting rid of Dixie will rob us of our Southern identity. Students won’t want to attend a school that so willingly rids itself of its character. Yet none of these arguments have any foundation in reality.
Calling for a new flag that better represents all of Mississippi is not rejecting our state – it is hoping for an improvement. Removing Dixie is aimed at improving the inclusivity of football games, not making this a school that ignores its past.
Ole Miss’ character and identity remain intact. This is still a deeply Southern school in its atmosphere and values. None of the changes have been intrinsic or definitional aspects of the school. And the statistics demonstrate that intelligent, capable students are still coming here. In fact, our freshman classes improve each year in the face of these changes. Apparently, the harm to the university is so minor that no applicants have even noticed it.
The fact is, that’s the only evidence we have. As Ole Miss continues to evolve as a Southern institution, the metric of success for the university must always be the success of its students. And Ole Miss students are more successful than ever in terms of academic achievement. Indeed, the university is breaking records in academic, athletic and fundraising efforts.
The sentiment that a true Southern school never changes flies in the face of the innumerable positive impact of these changes. Perhaps it isn’t causation, but at the very least it proves that change will not hinder our progress.
This university will survive as a great Southern institution, even without the symbols that some view as intrinsic to its Southern label. This is because these are no more Southern than single-race, opposite-gender marriages or the belief that blacks are subordinate to whites by natural law.
The South will endure for symbols and values above and beyond these and to believe otherwise is to discount the resilience of this place and its people’s identity.
Fraser Wright is a sophomore history major from Tiburon, California.
