utt the nut

The guys who oversaw initial development of the Saddleback Community College
District were right-wing loons. They named the campus' first major building—
the Library—after "Utt the Nut," a Congressman residing in Tustin who promoted
crazy conspiracy theories about "barefoot Africans" and one-world government.

     The Saddleback library is named after Congressman James B. Utt (1899 - 1970). [After it was remodeled 8 or so years ago, the library got a new name. Here at DtB, we'd been hammering away at Utt's knuckle-dragging politics and reputation for years. We'll take some credit.]
     They say he was a real gentleman. But he was also a real nut. Shared the thinking of the John Birch Society, an organization he often defended. He seemed to have loony ideas about "Africans," some of whom he imagined were "barefooted." He was down on the civil rights thing. Voting rights too.
     Still, a really sweet guy. They say.

• Utt the Nut gets Patch job - January 22, 2012
• Academic Senate sends "resolution" to BOT recommending that the Utt Library be renamed - January 21, 2012
• More on Utt the Nut: "Extensive experiments in hypnotism and rhythm" - January 16, 2012
• James B. Utt: conspiracy theorist, whack job - January 15, 2012
 James B. Utt on the radio, 1969: in his own seriously wacky words - January 14, 2012
• Congressman Utt’s racist remark - January 13, 2002
• Utt the Nut helped put "under God" in the Pledge - December 29, 2011
• James B. Utt remembered - February 10, 2010
• Saddleback College's "Nutt" Memorial Library - December 30, 2009

1 comment:

John MacMurray said...

Good ol' Jimmy also had a feature role in a 1962 NBC White Paper program where he helped kill a U.S. Army training exercise by claiming it was a front for a Red Chinese Army invasion through Mexico.

Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

  This ran in the Sunday December 24, 2023 edition of the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register : July 14, 1955 - November 20, 2...