A Return to Dixie! (UT)
A lawmaker wants Utah Tech University to return to its old ‘Dixie’ name.
A lawmaker wants Utah Tech University to return to its old ‘Dixie’ name.
Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, says the southern Utah school’s name “should have never been changed in the first place.” His push echoes President Donald Trump’s similar demand to pro sports teams.
A Utah lawmaker known for courting controversy has made it his latest push to reignite the debate over Utah Tech University’s name change — suggesting the St. George school should restore its previous “Dixie” title.
In a social media post late Monday night, Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, pointed to the Utah university in response to a national effort from President Donald Trump to force two professional sports teams to revert back to old names that refer to Native Americans.
Trump specifically threatened to block a stadium deal for the Washington Commanders if the NFL team doesn’t return to its old name, the “Redskins,” which many Indigenous groups view as racist. The president also later mentioned Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians, which dropped its “Indians” moniker in 2021.
Lee quoted a post on X about Trump’s efforts and argued that Utah should follow suit. He asked: “What are Utahns thoughts on changing @utahtechu back to Dixie?”
The name of the university, he added, “should have never been changed in the first place.”
By Wednesday afternoon, more than 180 people had commented on his post, many in support of his position.
“I hated when they bowed to the mob and…