I remember when this was kind of a big deal on the UT campus. We gathered on the West Mall and drank a tea toast to the great State of Texas and had cake also. So are we not allowed to even mention it now that political correctness has run amuck? The formation of the Republic of Texas and the brave men of all heritages that fought and died to create it will always have special meaning to me as I would hope it would all Texans.
TEXAS INDEPENDENCE DAY THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS! 1845 Remember the Alamo, remember Goliad, remember San Jacinto!
The Link The Link These are the historical ties between Texas Independence and The University of Texas and the way it was celebrated throughout the years on campus. As you can see it has a storied history on the 40 Acres. As you can read at the end of the second link the on campus celebration is now limited to only an Independence Day breakfast for invited guests. That's because it can't be promoted by a UT department in any way. Only non sponsored organizations can do it. It's been over 20 years since Texas Independence Day was celebrated campus wide. That picture above is from 1981 and yes I was in that crowd that day. That is because of the protests against the all inclusive annual campus celebration that was indeed done away with due to these protests by Latino organizations which included students and nonstudents. The Link Note the first sentence in the linked article. Then the City of Austin cancelled the long held Texas Independence Day Parade for what was bogus reasons as the article shows. The parade was fun and historical and the MC was usually local broadcast personalites like Cactus Pryor or Bob Cole. I used to ride on the "Broken Spoke" float in that parade and know first hand that is was a fun event that many local High School bands, the UT band, floats by local business establishments, and Texas historical groups all took part in. People would line Congress Avenue as the parade went from the bridge over the Colorado River to the steps of the capitol building. Of course the celebration of other countries holidays or historic dates can be and are still to this day celebrated on campus and the streets of Austin without any such protests.
And lighting the entire tower burnt orange after Matthew M won his Oscar last night. I was glad to see him win, don't know if it deserved the tower. Didn't see if they lit it up for March 2.
Mesohorny, They lit the Tower for Texas Independence Day. It is coincidental that Matthew won his Oscar on the same day.
It's considered a Meanie day now, because Mexicans and leftist see the color of Santa Anna's skin and wish he'd won. The fact that he was a dictator, who shreded their constitution means nothing - he's the same color (except he was probably whiter than I am, being a ruling class Mexican, but don't tell them that). Struggle and Power to the People!!!!
Texas busted that *** like always. Texas, Our Texas! all hail the mighty State! Texas, Our Texas! so wonderful so great! Boldest and grandest, withstanding ev'ry test O Empire wide and glorious, you stand supremely blest.
"It has failed to establish any public system of education, although possessed of almost boundless resources" Wonder what Rick Perry thinks of that line.
In a manner of speaking, I believe Golden Steer is somewhat correct. March 2 used to be celebrated on the UT campus with the giant flag and cake and tea being served on the main plaza. This was still going on through 1988 when I graduated. However, I read that sometime in the 1990's, I believe, that a Hispanic group protested saying it was offensive to those of Mexican heritage or somesuch. The president of the university cancelled the celebrations and they have been much more muted ever since. Highly unfortunate that THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, established because of Texas independence, cannot celebrate Texas Independence Day.
I'm a liberal, and I don't wish Santa Anna had won. Painting with such a broad brush is a dangerous thing.
Santa Anna has a worse reputation in Mexico than he does here. I don't think the supposedly offended hispanics were so much rooting for Santa Anna as expressing disgust with what happened as a result of independence. They got treated like second class citizens or worse for over a century. Ask any hispanic over 50 about what it was like in the 50s and 60s and even later and get ready for an earful. I grew up in a divided town in rural south Texas in the 50s and I don't get too upset over browns whining about how they have been treated as a result of the American southerners piling in and winning independence for whites here. What followed was pretty disgraceful. For a prime example go to the Handbook of Texas online and read the entry for Juan Seguin, a hero of the revolt and a victim afterwards. I am happy the yoke of the Mexican army, a pack of criminals, was thrown off but a lot of disgusting treatment resulted.
Chango, Are you wanting proof that I can read? Proof that I can recall what I read? Just relaying what I read in a published article some time ago as to why campus celebrations were halted. You can choose to believe what you want.
Well, why isn't it celebrated at UT anymore? Too many other events to celebrate on 2 March? Meteors descending from the sky that day every years so it's not safe? It was a big event, now it's pretty much banned. Why? You can post all the stupid little smiley faces you want to, but the fact is that the event was run off campus, due to protest from Mexican groups. When I went to Texas in the 90's student groups still handed out birthday cake, then Mexicans protested and there were scuffles when they tried to spit on the cake, and so the UT administration did the easiest and most politically correct thing and banned it from campus. And I do blame liberals for this. They empower the radicals they like, and reward them for their actions. Radicals protested the celebration of Texas Independence Day, and were rewarded by having the event ended. Think a protest of MLK day would be as successful? The most UT does now to celebrate is to turn on some lights around a building, with such little fanfare that knowledgeable UT fans think it was for movie awards. It’s sad what the left, and the racist groups they empower, have been able to destroy, though it is certainly an easier environment on campus run by cowardly leftist administrators, who will eliminate any event the left deems “divisive”, which means any event they don’t like. It’s a far harder sell in the rest of the State, one of many reasons why the Democrat party holds exactly zero state offices. The general public recognizes the hatred of the history and culture of this great state by the left, and correctly rejects it. Anyone around the Houston area who is interested in Texas history can watch a reenactment of the final battle of the war, at the San Jacinto Monument. It's on 26 April this year, is free, and is always an enjoyable day, with period correct uniforms, equipment, and a live action battle in the afternoon.
