Dolly Parton Explains Why She Dropped 'Dixie' From Dollywood Attraction
In 2018, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede attraction at Dollywood theme park was renamed The [...]
In 2018, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede attraction at Dollywood theme park was renamed The Stampede, a decision made after Parton became more aware of the term's associations with the Confederacy and its implications. Two years before The Chicks dropped the word from their own name, Parton explained that she did the same at Dollywood simply because she didn't want to offend anyone.
"There's such a thing as innocent ignorance, and so many of us are guilty of that," she told Billboard. "When they said 'Dixie' was an offensive word, I thought, 'Well, I don't want to offend anybody. This is a business. We'll just call it The Stampede.' As soon as you realize that [something] is a problem, you should fix it. Don't be a dumba—. That's where my heart is. I would never dream of hurting anybody on purpose."
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Dollywood was originally scheduled to open in March this year, but opening was ultimately delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The majority of workers were put on furlough until the park's limited reopening in June, which has since expanded as state laws have allowed.
"We certainly are not going to have a great year this year," Parton admitted. "Hopefully by coming back, we'll pick up some stuff that we've lost. All of the things that I'm involved in are on hold, even my production companies and the movies — everything [took] a big hit. But I still believe, still trust God, and I'm still hoping for the best."
During the interview, Parton also shared her thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement and the recent protests in America, agreeing that Black lives do matter. "I understand people having to make themselves known and felt and seen," she said. "And of course Black lives matter. Do we think our little white a—es are the only ones that matter? No!"
"First of all, I'm not a judgmental person. I do believe we all have a right to be exactly who we are, and it is not my place to judge," the 74-year-old pointed out. "All these good Christian people that are supposed to be such good Christian people, the last thing we're supposed to do is to judge one another. God is the judge, not us. I just try to be myself. I try to let everybody else be themselves."
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