wealthy UTA alumni supporting "Eyes of Texas", minstrel era song, threatened to pull donations

[Demovictory9]

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/01/ut-eyes-of-texas-donors-emails/

The Texas Longhorns had just lost to rival Oklahoma for the third time in a row — this time after a quadruple overtime.

The bruising loss was quickly overshadowed when then-Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger stood alone on the field for the playing of the university’s alma mater song "The Eyes of Texas," a postgame tradition. The rest of the team, who typically stay to sing the song with fans at the end of games, had retreated from the field.

For many University of Texas at Austin students who had spent months protesting and petitioning the school to get rid of "The Eyes of Texas," it was gutting to see the student leader seemingly taking a stand. (Ehlinger later said he was only lingering alone on the field to talk with coaches.) The song — played to the tune of "I’ve been working on the railroad" — was historically performed at campus minstrel shows, and the title is linked to a saying from Confederate Army Commander Robert E. Lee.

But hundreds of alumni and donors were more concerned about why Ehlinger was alone. They blasted off emails to UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell, calling the image of the abandoned quarterback "disgusting," "embarrassing" and "disturbing." They demanded that the school stand up to "cancel culture" and firmly get behind the song — or else donors were going to walk away.

An illustration of an email sent to UT-Austin obtained in a public records request.

https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/r-oQX1BAtUc8rb5gBHxUWiHGX_A=/640x398/smart/filters:format(webp):quality(70)/https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/0et4_vP67zkPig6qqQP7uvJdpxU=/filters:quality(70)/

From June to late October, over 70% of the nearly 300 people who emailed Hartzell’s office about "The Eyes" demanded the school keep playing it. Around 75 people in emails explicitly threatened to stop supporting the school financially, calling on the university to take a heavier hand with students and athletes they believed were disrespecting university tradition by protesting it.

"The Eyes of Texas is non-negotiable," wrote another graduate who said they’ve had season tickets since 1990 and whose name was redacted by the university. "If it is not kept and fully embraced, I will not be donating any additional money to athletics or the university or attending any events."

[jpak]

1. Did they flee to Mexico during the freeze?

Or did Abbott keep the power, gas and water on for the Widdle Snowflakes?

[walkingman]

2. They gave it the ole college try....ya win some and ya lose some.

[SoonerPride]

3. The student athletes have more power than the donors

And as soon as they flex their muscle the Eyes will be history.

[TheRealNorth]

4. So they are complaining about "cancel culture"....

While at the same time threatening to cancel their season tickets.

[Deacon Blue]

5. UT is not 'UTA', It is Simply 'The Unversity'

Or ‘UT’ if you must.

The University of Texas is understood to be the flagship and original campus, Col. Littlefield’s 40 Acres. The ‘A’ is unnecessary, even misleading, since UTA is universally (ahem) understood to be the University of Texas at Arlington, home of the Mavericks, not the Longhorns. Nothing that happens there is controversial, and even if it was, yawns would be the result...

Just sayin’. People do get all up in arms about the University. If you really want to antagonize the Burnt (never ‘burned’) Orange Nation, refer to the University as ‘tu’, the lame Aggie perjorative.

Hook ‘em Horns: me, BBA ‘85, wife, BA ‘87, daughters graduated in 2019 and 2021. I can see the Tower from my backyard (truly!).

[Demovictory9]

6. ok... it's like that "THE Ohio State" thing

[ChubbyStar]

7. "our glorious institution"

Holy fuck the 7th graders are emailing now.

[Demovictory9]

9. Lol..i know

[msfiddlestix]

8. I'm completely in the dark about this issue.

I don't understand the meaning or the significance of "eyes of texa" other than I understand it's long standing tradition. I just don't get this is about. why is it important for some to remove the word "eyes" ?