Letters to the Editor: Readers debate whether to keep Rupp’s name on arena
Change arena name
Herald-Leader columnist John Clay thinks Adolph Rupp’s name should remain on Rupp Arena. He cites a personal act of grace by Rupp toward a Black player in the late 1940s. The University of Kentucky didn’t integrate its undergraduate program until 1956. Perhaps all Rupp could do at the time was be “kind.”
But there’s that 13 years between 1956 and 1969 when Rupp had the institutional and cultural power to effect change. Rupp resisted until he had to integrate in 1969 or face humiliation. His resistance fueled resistance to racial acceptance by his millions of admirers.
Clay admits Rupp was known to use the N-word privately. But it’s in his racist abuse of his power that Rupp should be held accountable. Clay says Rupp’s being honored for his winning record; his racism is beside the point. But Rupp’s name over the arena and indeed over the whole game reminds many of us, people of color especially, of UK’s racist history. His name on the arena continues to say that racism isn’t important, or not important enough to diminish his win/loss record, the only record that seems to count.
Rupp’s record will still be there. Clay can still cite him. But Rupp’s racism, deeply hurtful in the past, doesn’t need to continue to hover over town and game, doesn’t need to continue to hurt us in the present. Rename Rupp Arena.
Joseph G. Anthony, Lexington
Don’t ‘cancel’ Rupp
The recent demand to take Adolph Rupp’s name off the arena should be rejected, for many good reasons. For one, Jon Scott has already made a solid case that Rupp wasn’t a racist on his Big Blue History website. Second, even though he was a man of his times, Rupp was clearly trending in the right direction. Judge a man by where he’s going, not just where he came from. Third, this demand is a manifestation of the blight of “cancel culture”, which must be stopped. Fourth, Rupp was no Confederate. The Confederate statues were moved because the Confederacy stood for evil. Rupp didn’t “stand” for racism, he “stood” for excellent collegiate basketball. If we erase everyone who wasn’t perfect, then we must erase everyone, including black leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, which we should not do.
Jack Brooks, Georgetown
Past worth preserving
I am sorry that some faculty members at the University of Kentucky have nothing better to do than attack the names of famous people who served the university.
I knew Coach Adolph Rupp personally and he was a great coach and a gentleman.
It’s disturbing to me as a graduate of UK that some faculty members aren’t trying to advance the university, instead of trying to destroy everything of the past.
I wonder if they realize that they are playing into the hands of anarchists trying to destroy our country. We are living in a dangerous time right now. A lot of bad people are spending a lot of money to destroy our government and replace it with their perceived better option.
Don’t change the names of everything and don’t cower to those who use racism as a wedge to divide Americans.
We can still solve problems with racism and move ahead without destroying the past. People need to know the past in order to move ahead in the future.
Jim Hogan, Mineral, Virginia
New statues
I have a modest proposal for Gov. Andy Beshear, the Kentucky General Assembly and the people of Kentucky.
The marble statue of Jefferson Davis was removed from the Kentucky State Capitol. Our Capitol building is public space. Statues within the rotunda should reflect the values of Kentuckians and inspire Kentucky citizens. I propose that the state commission a new statue to replace the Davis statue. I further propose that the people of this great state play a major role in selecting the individual who should be honored by the statue and that we broaden our vision as we seek to fill this place of honor.
I have listed below a number of individuals who I believe are worthy of this honor. This list is far from comprehensive and I urge others to add their voices to this process. They are: William Henry Sheppard; Alfred Russell and William David Coleman; Black Hoof; Georgia Powers; Sophonisba Breckinridge, and Fred Vinson.
Thomas D. Matijasic, Hagerhill