Headlines
Controversial Proposal Looks to Amend Mississippi Constitution
A Mississippi fringe group is fighting once again to get Colonel Reb back on the Ole Miss sidelines as well as add a number of other amendments to the state constitution.
Initiative 46 is backed by the Magnolia State Heritage Campaign and was approved by secretary of state Delbert Hosemann this month. The Magnolia State Heritage Campaign, led by Arthur Randallson, fought years ago in 2011 for similar changes but failed to get enough signatures to have the measure on the ballot.
Political experts in Mississippi and around the nation agree that the adoption of this initiative would severely harm the state’s national standing and ability to secure critical federal funding for many programs including education and infrastructures support.
This year, the group needs 107,216 Mississippians to sign the petition to have Initiative 46 added to the 2016 ballot between now and October 2015. Some of the most controversial elements of the initiative include: recognizing April as Confederate History Month, adding the Confederate battle flag to fly at the capitol in Jackson and all public buildings, making English the state’s official language, confirming Dixie as the state song and acknowledging Christianity as the state’s principal religion.
For the other state universities, the initiative also looks to protect their mascots, including Bully at Mississippi State and the Golden Eagle at Southern Miss. A provision in the initiative that says Alcorn State, Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State and MUW would not have to consolidate or merge.
Amelia Camurati is managing editor of HottyToddy.com and can be reached at amelia.camurati@hottytoddy.com.
| Sat, Aug 31 |  | vs Furman | W, 76-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Kentucky | L, 20-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs LSU | L, 29-26 (2 OT) |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs Oklahoma | W, 26-14 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Arkansas | W, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Georgia | W, 28-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | @ Florida | 11:00 AM ABC or ESPN |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | 2:30 PM ESPN or ABC |
J. W. Egbert
October 29, 2014 at 1:07 pm
yawn
Justin
October 29, 2014 at 2:30 pm
That would be great if this would pass. But political correctness may win out and keep it from passing.
JD Turner
October 29, 2014 at 3:33 pm
I’m sorry but this is just wrong. I am a die-hard Ole Miss Rebel. I am also a Mississippian with tons of Confederate history. I also grew up in a very religious family and am an active Christian and I even know this is not good….come on guys, use common sense – this will be horrible for the State of MS.
Rev. M. A. Farrell
October 29, 2014 at 3:35 pm
I do hope they have done their home work on the difference between the Confederate Battle Flag and the Confederate States of America Flag. The flag everyone is use to seeing with the stars and bars on a red field is the CSA flag, the battle flag has the stars and bars on a butternut gray field. A fine example of the Confederate Battle Flag is on display at the Old Capital Museum in Jackson. I believe the CSA Flag would be more appropriate flown next bit a bit lower than our State Flag.
James D Harwell
October 29, 2014 at 4:10 pm
No! You don’t put the flag of the Confederacy along side the present state flag. Nor make Dixie the state song! It’s heritage and history and should not to be politicized by government
.
JD Turner
October 29, 2014 at 4:10 pm
lol actually MAFarrell, if you are calling the confederate (Rebel) flag that is the “X” flag, the “Stars & Bars” – you need to go do your own homework before trying to call people out. The “Stars & Bars” flag (which is made of 3 stripes & 7 stars in a circle) is the First National Flag of the Confederacy. Good & better luck next time. Hotty Toddy 🙂
Arno
October 30, 2014 at 8:05 am
If you say you love Ole Miss and the state of Mississippi, then you need to ask yourself, do I love the symbols, flags, mascot and songs of the past more than I love Ole Miss today. If you love the past more than you love what Ole Miss is today then I suggest that you do not love Ole Miss at all and maybe you never did. Your heart can long for the good old days but please do not bring that negativity to Oxford. Better things than ever are happening now at Ole Miss and we can not step back. Even better things are yet to come. If you love Ole Miss then you will not fight to go back but you will stand proud in what Ole Miss is becoming.
Ole Miss Fan
October 30, 2014 at 8:34 am
Dan Jones should allow Ole Miss People a real honest vote on Colone Reb, Dixie, and Confederate Drive being renamed. What happens to our traditions should be decided by the people not liberal administrators or outsiders.
Arno
October 30, 2014 at 8:52 am
Please let them go. Be more than just a fan of Ole Miss. Be someone who truly cares about The University of Mississippi. To bring back even one on your list would be a devastating blow to Ole Miss.
Larry
October 30, 2014 at 10:03 am
Might as well go all out and put a burning cross on the state seal if we do this.
Tiger Gold
October 30, 2014 at 10:11 am
Why do you people in Mississippi do stupid things like this? Talk about a self-inflicted gunshot wound! You are going to be an economic leper and hurt your recruiting, but what do I care.
Send those five star recruits to Baton Rouge! GEAUX TIGERS!
lamar burdine
October 30, 2014 at 11:49 am
larry sound good about the burning cross.
Brian
October 30, 2014 at 11:54 am
Perhaps funding would be hurt in the Obama Administration. But what made Ole Miss great were the traditions. Mississippians are NOT ashamed of their Confederate ancestors. Many in the media have directed Nazism to the Confederacy. Hog Wash! The confederate flag is an American flag. Call us fridge or Neo-Confederates but we love our country and we can not rewrite history. Our great grand pappys as all Southern relatives should owe a lot to their sacrifices. Dixie, Rebel flags. Confederate Drive removal, and Colonel Rebel have all been stripped by Chancellors Khayat and Jones. Enough is enough. I blame the Ole Miss alum sitting back and watching the heritage being attacked and Ole Miss being made a generic Southern college. There hasn’t been any racial tension since the 1960’s why keep rehashing the same old rhetoric?
Arno
October 30, 2014 at 12:41 pm
The traditions of the past are not what made Ole Miss great. The people that have come through the university and those that love the university have made Ole Miss what it is. The symbols of the past no longer have a place on campus or any association with Ole Miss. I do not believe that alumni are sitting back watching the heritage being attacked. I believe we are trying to make Ole Miss the best possible Southern University for those that come after us. We still have Hotty Toddy, the best southern hospitality of any school in the south, the walk of champions, the Grove, the best tailgate, the best football uniforms, most beautiful campus shall I go on? And oh yes. One hell of a football team! We are far from generic. We Are Ole Miss.
Elizabeth Del Greco
October 30, 2014 at 12:41 pm
“Political experts in Mississippi and around the nation agree that the adoption of this initiative would severely harm the state’s national standing and ability to secure critical federal funding for many programs including education and infrastructures support.” = the old blackmail game where the Federal Government threatens to withhold the tax money that came from the people’s pockets in the first place, unless they are willing to shut up and follow the government agenda.
Bum Alum
October 30, 2014 at 12:46 pm
Gerald Turner created the future for Ole Miss. Khayat and his thugs killed it and Jones is simply lost. Jones accepted recomendation that are pure academic fraud and needs to go. Without the special social life at OM you are looking at Arkansas State.
Charles
October 30, 2014 at 12:56 pm
Same old line and threat….
“Political experts in Mississippi and around the nation agree that the adoption of this initiative would severely harm the state’s national standing and ability to secure critical federal funding for many programs including education and infrastructures support.”
Ole Miss Fan
October 30, 2014 at 1:22 pm
If Jones gets his way the university will become just another PC university! Just a place for liberals to push their agenda. Should Ole Miss people not decide the future of our traditions! Should we not decide about our own university. Dan Jones shopuld go!
Amber
October 30, 2014 at 1:29 pm
These stories attract bigots and nuts like crap draws flies.
Arno
October 30, 2014 at 1:53 pm
Ole Miss people are deciding the future of the traditions. Look around campus, feel the excitement and experience what is great about Ole Miss. You can hold on to a flag, a song and a mascot. But Ole Miss is still Ole Miss without them. Hotty Toddy!!!!!
Larry
October 30, 2014 at 2:08 pm
Arno, you are correct!
HOTTY TODDY!
Jeff
October 30, 2014 at 5:13 pm
I’d love to see Col. Reb back but all that other stuff is plain dumb and backwoods. I don’t want to see a CSA flag anywhere but in a museum, Dixie in a song book and as a christian, that is personal and doesn’t need to be attached to anything associated with government. I mean why tarnish Christ with a bunch of liars and thieves in the Government?
rebels
October 30, 2014 at 8:07 pm
Ole Miss fans have not had the opportunity to decide their traditions, it has been driven by Jones and Khayat, and usually with lies and misinformation!
Arno
October 30, 2014 at 8:39 pm
Back to my original question. What means more to you; The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) or a flag, a song and a mascot?
Amanda
October 30, 2014 at 9:43 pm
The Heritage Initiative would only be a positive measure for the Magnolia State. These are values that nation was established upon, & also the majority of Southerners still espouse all of these beliefs. God is alive & well, even though liberal DC does not like to acknowledge that HE is still in control. Most Southerners revere their heritage & want to see it preserved, not destroyed. As far as Col. Reb being the official mascot of Ole Miss once more–toughen up it so offends you. Also, Dixie was always played across every football field in the South for more years than many of us have been alive. Saying YES to heritage, traditions & an a official language are all superb ways to take MS in the right direction!
Karen
October 31, 2014 at 10:23 am
I’m guessing Mississippi has no aspirations of recruiting the best and the brightest from around the country to help its pitiful economy. I mean, there are already plenty of Christians there who hang the Confederate Flag and speak English. Are they lacking rednecks? Not sure why they need to codify their reputation as a bunch of yahoos?
Larry
October 31, 2014 at 11:07 am
Karen wins the Internet!
Awesome post!
K.T.W
October 31, 2014 at 3:36 pm
I wish these idiot groups would go the Hell away and leave Ole Miss alone! They are going to hurt our recruiting just when things are turning up for the Rebels! Anyone who supports these fools is no friend of the university!
Jason
October 31, 2014 at 3:57 pm
The more I see of these outside “heritage” groups, the more I think replacing Col. Reb was a good idea. I used to be all for bringing back the colonel. Now I have changed my mind. These groups have tainted the colonel in my eyes. Lets just replace the bear with a Shark.
Fins UP!
Bark
October 31, 2014 at 8:29 pm
Have these fools ever heard of the Establishment clause?
Logan
October 31, 2014 at 11:03 pm
It was stupid tacking all those things onto the Bill. Now people won’t vote in favour of it, because they don’t like this part or that. That’s how Bills fail, you add something to it that no one would vote for. Most of the stuff in the proposition are separate issues, that should be proposed separately.
Brian
November 2, 2014 at 4:05 pm
Arno apparently you only care about winning games. Ole Miss has lost so much identity and is in a crisis. And YES Dixie and flags are part of Ole Miss. The Grove was saved by many Greeks and alum so you have a beautiful garden to cheer in but what is the Grove without “From Dixie with Love” being played. Why was it banned in the first place? Second, Colonel Rebel was THE most beloved mascot in the SEC. Gone. Yes Arno Ole Miss has Hotty Toddy a cheer, without the great traditions and mascot.
Murphy
November 2, 2014 at 6:03 pm
Brian sounds like a neo confederate jack hole.
Jason
November 3, 2014 at 8:10 am
Arthur Randallson is a sad, selfish, little man who is doing nothing but harm to Ole Miss. The Ole Miss community should shun him.
Shannon Fontaine
November 3, 2014 at 5:30 pm
The core values as stated on Ole Miss’ own website state they have respect for all individuals and groups. This is a lie . They do not respect anyone who wishes to keep tradition, The battle flag, Col Reb, or Confederate Drive. It is the cultural genocide of the South, Diversity should include all. Labeling supporters as bigots etc. doesn’t help the situation .WAR EAGLE win for Auburn, POWER OF DIXIE LAND!
Robert Greenwood
November 3, 2014 at 8:42 pm
Shannon Fontaine is a freaking redneck Auburn fan!
Robert Greenwood
November 4, 2014 at 7:08 am
Shannon, go wave a confederate flag at Auburn games. Just stay out of Oxford!
CC
November 4, 2014 at 12:46 pm
I did not think it was possible for Mississippi to be any more backwards… Guess I was wrong.
Jason
November 4, 2014 at 2:25 pm
CC, it’s not Mississippi, it’s Arthur Randallson and his pin-headed bunch.
Jason
November 4, 2014 at 2:27 pm
If you see the fat, little, man on the left side of the photo, please ignore him.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Arthur+Randallson+&go=Submit+Query&qs=bs&form=QBIR#view=detail&id=C9C8ACAA9245C814E5B8291E3C6B5F3FC1DAA7E2&selectedIndex=0
Bill
November 11, 2014 at 1:38 pm
Mississippi is the worst state in the country. A bunch of racist idiots! I am from Tennessee and love the south but you people make me ashamed to stick up for the south. Every step we take forward some BS that happens down in your god forsaken state sets us back two. You people should just take your “grand pappys” shotgun down off the wall and eat a slug from it. Then the world would be a better place.
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Mark Middleton
August 31, 2015 at 12:48 am
Col. reb should return as the Ole Miss Mascot and get rid of that STUPID BEAR!