Taking Calls on the New Southern Icon

For our latest Redesign challenge,we’ve asked a design firm to come up with a new icon for the South. This week, our host Kurt Andersen made a guest appearance on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Showalong with the head designer of the firm 70kft, Gus Granger. Kurtand Gustalked with Lehrer about the genesis of the project and took calls from listeners — including a caller from Tennessee. One listener cautions that projects like this are more about Northerners “applauding ourselves.” And another caller points out that “any symbol of unity has to be predicated on getting past the history of unspeakable brutality,” pointing out thatmany Americans could use a primer on thehistory of the Civil War.

Listen to the interview above, and let us know what you think in the comments below.