Ban the Eyes of Texas??

Longhorns push for elimination of 'Eyes of Texas'

 

Yeah, we heard about that already.

 

As in NADA, NO WAY, NOT NOW, NOT EVER

 

I saw the statement and accusation that our school song "The Eyes of Texas" is a racist song and hurtful to minorities and demanding it be abolished. As we know, it was first sung in 1903, mainly as a poke at the then president of the University, Prather, since he always finished his speeches to the students with "Remember, the eyes of Texas are upon you."

In that year, some cowboys did a skit during a minstrel show, which were usually performed by white actors in blackface. Therein lies the controversy, assuming the cowboys were actually performing in blackface. At this point, I found nothing that confirms they were and nothing to confirm they weren't. Regardless, the song became very popular with the students and was adopted as the school song.

Over the last 117 years since it was first sung, the meaning of song has morphed into a much different connotation to students, alums and others affiliated with the University. It has become a charge to current and incoming students, and to our alumni to be the best you can be, whether in the classroom, or working on the job. This charge applies to all who come to UT, regardless of gender, race or religion. A person comes to UT because they want to be challenged to be the best, and Texas offers that challenge and opportunity for a person to be just that, the best, provided they work hard on the academics. The eyes of Texas are upon you, so, be the best, honor the University including all those who came before you, and set the expectation for those that come after you. Therefore, I see no reason to ban the song.

 

Old man in me longs for the days when athletes came to the school because they wanted to come to and play for, the school. The scholarship was an honor.

 

I am 66 years old and have been a Longhorn fan for all of them. The singing of "The Eyes" at the end of a game gives me goosebumps. In all my years, I have never, not even once, thought of it as being anything but a tribute to UT. Racist? That has never even thought of crossing my mind.

 

I've experienced the song as a reminder of the deep connection to the University. And the University's connection to students, alums, even every Texan, no matter the time or space that may be between them and the school when the song is sung. No matter where you are when you hear it, no matter how long it has been since you set foot in Texas (Austin).

 

Brennan Eagles made an all-or-nothing type ultimatum in a public forum. The university has a protocol for such student grievances to be made and provided a defined number of students sign a petition, the issue may be taken up by the Board of Regents during a previously scheduled meeting. As such, Eagles' demand, broke protocol by ignoring the established process and procedures for grievances, was made publically, and was in the form of "do it now or I won't play." Since his demand provided only a short period of time for action by the BoR to act, which most likely can not or at least should not be instantly granted, then perhaps the best solution for both him and the football program, is, (after discussions with and advice of the University's legal counsel) to rescind his scholarship (he said he would refuse to play if the changes he lined out were not immediately met; therefore, he has indicated his intent to disregard the terms of the scholarship contract), encourage him to enter the transfer portal, wish him the best of luck in the future and send him home. No one person is bigger than the University. He needs to learn that as it applies to coaches, athletes, professors, alumni, and all others. Hopefully, he may be picked up by another program, but then again, maybe not, since he has indicated a propensity to ignore established protocol and demand to have his personal grievances addressed immediately via disruption of the established due process and regardless of any other pressing issues before the Board. I wish him well in the future, but he needs to be shown the exit.

 

BevoJoe, this is the single best post I have ever read ... ever. I have been here since the beginning. Congrats for making me still believe in hornfans, Your next beer is on me.

 

A simple change should suffice:

the eyes of Texas are upon you, all the live long day,

the eyes of Texas are upon you, be careful what you say.
If you don’t bow down to PC and offer up more cash, we will call you racist and put you to the lash.

 

Excuse me but I was once lashed and I find this deeply offensive to persons of the lash you insensitive tyrant

 

BevoJoe for President...

 

This is not limited to Eagles. I believe I read there were 20+ football players that also tweeted the exact same message. I have no problem administering the same solution as outlined by BevoJoe to all of them as well.

 

Those that participate in demanding the University immediately make the changes set forth by Eagles, after given the opportunity to recant and make a public apology to the University, the Coaches, the AD, UT Administration, student body and the alumni for their ridiculous all or nothing demands, then and only then, they may resume their studies and resume their place on the football or other sports teams. These young guys need to learn that all actions have consequences, which may be good or bad depending on the facts and circumstances. Also, no one person or group of persons is bigger than the University.

If the individuals do not recant, rescind all of their scholarships, wish them luck then show them the door. We may suffer a bad season, perhaps several in a row, but the University will survive and prosper.

 

Quoting Joe And my first thought ...
#no one person or group ofpersons is bigger than the University#

 

Nonsense. If UT takes a hard line against the players then UT will lose out on 80% of all black athletes recruited in the future, not just next year but EVERY YEAR from here on out. The only thing that will repair that is a massive mea culpa and apologies from every administrator in the program. And even that probably won't be enough to completely get back to "whole" again.

Personally I'd rather us not handicap ourselves against the Big 12 by having 80% of recruits automatically taken off the list.

 

We who are voicing contradictory views are more than willing to endure losses on the football field in order to protect the tradition and integrity of our University. What you recommend is the epitome of being a complicit sellout.

 

It was more than Eagles or even just football players. It was also a "request" that UT address these issues, not an "ultimatum."

If you think a current black student athlete who is not happy with institutionalized racism is who you want to be recruiting potential black recruits, you need to evaluate how well that will work. Either UT changes or there will be black athletic flight kind of like the 70s in my Austin neighborhood when my white neighbors learned their protected white privileged kids were going to be in the same schools as black and Mexican American kids.

Oh, the horror and unfairness!

 

No, what you recommend is the continuation systemic minority discrimination.

Change your perspective or get run over by change itself.

 

I think 80% is too generous an estimation. I would bet 95% would be more accurate. Which black persons would want to attend an University which failed to address institutionalized racial discrimination effectively? UT cannot form a Committee and soft pedal this. The BoR needs to wake-up now and promulgate an effect plan on examining the issue and how to move forward expeditiously.

 

I'd much rather be run over than run with the lemmings.

 

So, in your mind, if UT does not cater to extortionist demands, it has failed to address institutionalized racial discrimination? Typical leftist hyperbole.

 

But his is a part of the University that has been subjected to Institutionalized discrimination. Herman understands. A very disappointing majority of the white "fans" do not. They think because they do not have white-sheeted robes with red crosses on them in the closet proves they are not racists. Just having the attitude that a minority may be treated differently and has to conform to their expectations is racism manifest.

It is basically the same argument as "separate but equal" and just as flawed. There is no more "separate" as these student athletes were invited to be part of this University. Now the University must keep its side of the bargain and destroy the barriers pertaining to race once and forever.

 

You are already dead and do not even know it. You lost in 1865.

Just jarring that you adopt a Japanese avatar yet persist in your belief you may discriminate against races and cultures you deem inappropriate. You are seriously mentally flawed.

 

More typical leftist hyperbole. When you can't clearly state your position and support it with facts, resort to emotional mud slinging. Exposed.

 

AustinHorn24 "The whole “shut up and play” trope is tired. Too damn close to “just keep shucking and jiving to appease the white folk”.

Also AustinHorn24 "Nonsense. If UT takes a hard line against the players then UT will lose out on 80% of all black athletes recruited in the future, not just next year but EVERY YEAR from here on out. The only thing that will repair that is a massive mea culpa and apologies from every administrator in the program. And even that probably won't be enough to completely get back to "whole" again.

Personally I'd rather us not handicap ourselves against the Big 12 by having 80% of recruits automatically taken off the list."

Most of us are upset about any player, black or white, coming out against the University of Texas and its own fans and traditions, and misguidedly declaring things racist to be racist. We'd rather have people who do not hate us, our school and our traditions on our team, and those that hate them can go to A&M or OU or Arkansas or anywhere else.

@AustinHorn24 is the only poster here that seems worried about "black athletes" entertaining him. The rest of us are saying we would rather watch a team of Armenians and Cambodians lose as Longhorns, than watch whites, blacks or anyone else win hating their school, fan and traditions, which they wrongly accuse of being racist.

Also @AustinHorn24, you do not seem to get that just because someone says something is racist, does not mean that it is. If a black person says "the sky is racist", the sky does not become racist just because a black person said it. People of all races have wrong opinions. Just because someone feels something does not make it the truth. If I decided I felt I was the Prince of Wales, that would not make it so (unless maybe I was a pauper and look-a-like to the Prince of Wales in 1547 AD and he wanted to switch places with me so hijinks would ensue).

A good chunk of people are tired of "racism" being falsely used, by both white and black and other people as an excuse to attack things that are not racist or achieve political goals. Americans, of all races, have figured out that people are scared of being labeled "racist" and now use that as threat to attack anything they do not like or offends their feeling if they can find any argument, no matter how outlandish, to declare something racist. "White privilege" is a horribly misguided racist philosophy that takes this to an extreme much like the numerous horribly misguided racist philosophies of the 19th and 20th centuries. In this case, it is wrongly and misguidedly being used to attack the Eyes of Texas.

You need to learn in life to judge what someone says on its own merits, not based on what the speaker looks like.

There is a great book called "To Kill a Mockingbird" that details why it is wrong to take someone for their word based on their skin color and not look at the truth of the situation or the merits of what is being said themselves.

 

The problem is, you are way too sure you are correct. You assume if people disagree with you, then they must be evil and racist. In reality, we do not hate anyone and want equal opportunity for all. We just think you are full poop, these athletes are full of poop and none of what they are worried about is keeping anyone down or limiting their opportunities as students, athletes, citizens or human beings. We do not call you evil or these athletes evil for their misguided beliefs. We believe in freedom. The fact that you call other people evil for disagreeing with you is where tyranny begins and freedom ends.

 

When they can't win an argument leftists go with the old tired cliche, "You're a racist".

 

Now why do we think these demands are misguided?

Please explain to me how banning the Eyes of Texas would have saved George Floyd's life in Minnesota. The two are completely unrelated and the connection trying to be made is ABSURD.

 

Considering the overwhelming liberal bent of the University of Texas administrations over the past decades, including admission policies, I am getting lost in all this "racism" rhetoric. As someone that has stood up against the administration for several decades and dared to be volunteered to be part of (and the only TexasEX) a very small (as in five people) group to try to defend The University from the greatest threat it may have ever faced, it is hard to find any support for what seems to be a group being manipulated by people/terrorist that could give a **** less about the school as long as the check clears the bank.

24, I admire your passion, but know I shall never change your mind, nor shall you ever change mine. The difference is that I have lived in the real world of threats and attempts, while I imagine yours are second hand information, which may or may not be factual. (FWIW, my involvement was not APD or UTPD or even the local alphabet boys.)

Again, it is MY OPINION that these young people are being used as pawns to further the agenda of people that don't give a damn about them or my beloved University. With that, I shall bid you a "fond" farewell.