University Of Texas Alumni Fight Back Against Cancel Culture Gunning For Their School Song

Alumni of the University of Texas Austin are fighting back this week to try to save their historic school song from cancellation after it was found to have Confederate origins. 

University Of Texas Austin School Song On Chopping Block

UT Austin has a longstanding tradition that the school’s spirit song “The Eyes of Texas” is played after football games.

Performed to the tune of “I’ve been working on the railroad,” the song was was historically performed at minstrel shows on campus.

According to The Texas Tribune, the title has been linked to a saying by Confederate Army Commander Robert E. Lee.

Here are the lyrics:

The Eyes of Texas are upon you,
All the livelong day.
The Eyes of Texas are upon you,
You cannot get away.
Do not think you can escape them
At night or early in the morn —
The Eyes of Texas are upon you
Til Gabriel blows his horn.

UT Austin alumni were furious in the fall when a photo went viral in which it appeared that Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger was the only member of the team to show pride in the school and remain on the field for the postgame tradition.

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While Fox News reported that subsequent photos showed that a few other players stayed on the field for the tradition as well, a clear message was sent that this Texas tradition is close to becoming cancel culture’s latest victim.

Texas Alumni Fight Back

However, Longhorn alumni are not about to let it go down without a fight.

This week, The Texas Tribune obtained public records in which donors complained to University of Texas Austin president Jay Hartzell, saying that they would stop giving money to the school if this tradition is ended.

“My wife and I have given an endowment in excess of $1 million to athletics. This could very easily be rescinded if things don’t drastically change around here,” wrote one donor. “Has everyone become oblivious of who supports athletics??”

Others specifically said how sickened they were to see Ehlinger seemingly be the only player on the team showing any pride in this school tradition.

“It is disgraceful to see the lack of unity and our fiercest competitor Sam Ehlinger standing nearly alone,” another fuming donor wrote to Hartzell. “It is symbolic of the disarray of this football program which you inherited. The critical race theory garbage that has been embraced by the football program and the University is doing massive irreparable damage to our glorious institution and the country. It has got to stop.”

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Other donors said they were considering giving up season tickets and boycott games if the song is cancelled.

“[Alumni] are pulling planned gifts, canceling donations, walking away from causes and programs that have been their passion for years, even decades and turning away in disgust. Last night one texted me at 1:00 am, trying to find a way to revoke a 7-figure donation,” President of the Longhorn Alumni Band Charitable Fund Board of Trustees Kent Kostka wrote to school officials, including Hartzell.

“This is not hyperbole or exaggeration,” he added. “Real damage is being done every day by the ongoing silence.”

UT Head Coach Stands By ‘The Eyes Of Texas’

When new head coach Steve Sarkisian was hired by the university in January, he had said that “The Eyes Of Texas” would still be played under his leadership. 

“I know this much, ‘The Eyes of Texas’ is our school song,” he said at the time. “We’re going to sing that song. We’re going to sing that proudly.”

The unfortunate thing about cancel culture mobs is that they never give up until their target is gone.

What’s fascinating about this situation, however, is that money talks.

If enough wealthy donors involved with the University of Texas Austin continue to stand behind “The Eyes Of Texas,” this beloved school tradition may end up being saved after all.