Texas athletes petitioning University to replace "The Eyes of Texas" and to no longer require athletes to sing it

[Saint Austin 776]

15 minutes ago, JMFP said:

From wiki:

 

 

 

Pretty similar but no one seems to notice.

It helps that the above, the actual "Stars and Bars," was never really adopted by the Klan or other hate groups, as opposed to the battle flag.

[Mileslong 4793]

Username checks out

[Neonmoon 38130]

Also, the Confederate battle flag was actually the battle flag of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia ("ANV"). The actual confederate battle flag was the Stainless Banner for most of the war (which included the ANV battle flag in the corner). Only later through the Lost Cause and other organizations did the ANV battle flag become "the Confederate Battle Flag"

Quote

 Historian Gary Gallagher has written persuasively that it was Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, not the Confederate government, that best embodied Confederate nationalism. Lee’s stunning victories in 1862–63 made his army’s battle flag the popular choice as the new national flag. On May 1, 1863, the Confederacy adopted a flag—known colloquially as the Stainless Banner—featuring the ANV battle flag emblazoned on a white field. For the remainder of the Confederacy’s life, the soldiers’ flag was also, in effect, the national flag.

Far from being suppressed, the Confederate version of history and Confederate symbols became mainstream in the postwar South. The Confederate national flags were part of that mainstream, but the battle flag was clearly preeminent. The United Confederate Veterans (UCV) issued a report in 1904 defining the square ANV pattern flag as the Confederate battle flag, effectively writing out of the historical record the wide variety of battle flags under which Confederate soldiers had served. The efforts of the UCV and the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) to promote that “correct” battle flag pattern over the “incorrect” rectangular pattern (the Army of Tennessee’s or the naval jack) were frustrated by the public’s demand for rectangular versions that could serve as the Confederate equivalent of the Stars and Stripes. What is remarkable looking back from the 21st century is that, from the 1870s and into the 1940s, Confederate heritage organizations used the flag widely in their rituals memorializing and celebrating the Confederacy and its heroes, yet managed to maintain effective ownership of the flag and its meaning. The flag was a familiar part of the South’s symbolic landscape, but how and where it was used was controlled. Hints of change were evident by the early 20th century. The battle flag had emerged not only as the most popular symbol of the Confederacy, but also of the South more generally. By the 1940s, as Southern men mingled more frequently with non-Southerners in the U.S. Armed Forces and met them on the gridiron, they expressed their identity as Southerners with Confederate battle flags.

The flag’s appearance in conjunction with Southern collegiate football was auspicious. College campuses are often incubators of cultural change, and they apparently were for the battle flag. This probably is owed to the Kappa Alpha Order, a Southern fraternity founded at Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) in 1865, when R.E. Lee was its president. A Confederate memorial organization in its own right, Kappa Alpha was also a fraternity and introduced Confederate symbols into collegiate life. It was in the hands of students that the flag burst onto the political scene in 1948. Student delegates from Southern colleges and universities waved battle flags on the floor of the Southern States Rights Party convention in July 1948.

Stainless Banner

 

 

[LTtxfan 49909]

Siap...

 

[Alien Octopus 629]

On 7/6/2020 at 6:48 PM, TwiceHorn said:

The way The Millionaire Next Door works is that basically millionaire doesn't mean much anymore.

It's probably still a fairly rarefied percentage of the American population because Americans are lousy savers.  Looks like its about 3% of the US population. It means they'll probably have a comfortable retirement if health doesn't get in the way.

But a millionaire is middle or upper middle class that saved and invested and probably made good home choices and did not live an extravagant lifestyle.  Not much more.  Relative to the "moneyed elite" that wield power and have fuck you money, there are probably 100x more millionaires, maybe even 1000x.  A millionaire is not fuck you money.  Neither is a multi-millionaire.  Multiple 10s or 100s of millions is getting there.

Tell that to the guys in the hood trading stock on robinhood 

[Brothahorn 10096]

6 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

Siap...

 

And both together will not give combined what 2 of the old white BMD's will give. Jay and CDC will have to make a business decision at some point. It's not about feelings, it's about which side will bring in the most money. 

[Armybrat 41319]

That’s the way it works in DC with the political system,unfortunately.

But donthe newer generations of BMDs think the same way as their elders? Maybe, maybe not. 
 

[Valmy77 13567]

On 7/8/2020 at 11:29 AM, Neonmoon said:

 

 

 

I prefer this variation on this Confederate Flag seen here at Fort Donelson in 1862. I hear it was also used at such heroic Confederate battles as Port Hudson, Vicksburg, Appomattox and Bennett Place. It is the real Confederate Flag.

 

Edited July 9, 2020 by Valmy77

[Cajun 11771]

So, they stole it from the French?

Edited July 9, 2020 by Cajun

[maninblack 7975]

17 hours ago, Brothahorn said:

And both together will not give combined what 2 of the old white BMD's will give. Jay and CDC will have to make a business decision at some point. It's not about feelings, it's about which side will bring in the most money. 

In this case the money side at least has the truth on their side.

[Valmy77 13567]

On 7/9/2020 at 3:16 PM, Cajun said:

So, they stole it from the French?

The French didn't use it that much before 1870 so you might say the French stole it from them.

[Cajun 11771]

On 7/9/2020 at 1:58 AM, Brothahorn said:

And both together will not give combined what 2 of the old white BMD's will give. Jay and CDC will have to make a business decision at some point. It's not about feelings, it's about which side will bring in the most money. 

Yup, only one color counts in the end when it comes to UT and we all know what that color is.  

When cancel culture get's a load of what real "cancel" looks like when the BMDs start to put on their own little power-fade, they're gonna learn where they are on the food chain, 40 Acres-wise.

Edited July 11, 2020 by Cajun

[Cajun 11771]

2 hours ago, Valmy77 said:

The French didn't use it that much before 1870 so you might say the French stole it from them.

Touche.

See what I did there?

[Armybrat 41319]

You touched yourself?

[mdmost 43849]

 

[mdmost 43849]

 

[NeverMarryAStripper 22241]

So DKRTMSJJF becomes DKRTMSECRWF

[The Earl of Texas 3211]

That would be a solid compromise, if accepted. Players and the school giving way somewhat, and in life, that’s usually the reality of things.

[David Dennison 19441]

Clock is ticking on the Eyes of Texas.

[Armybrat 41319]

Seems a good  move. 
I especially like the name change for the field.
They can put Jamail’s name on the bar/club in the new South endzone.

[GHOSTUSER 361]

Nice compromise and thanks to the Jamail family for agreeing to change the name of the field. The Eyes are too important to ditch. Hook 'em

[mdmost 43849]

Lots more:

Quote

A More Diverse and Welcoming Campus

July 13, 2020

Dear UT Community,

During the past month, I have listened to — and spoken with — scores of students about how The University of Texas at Austin can promote diversity, inclusion and equity and fully support our Black students.

These and similar conversations with alumni, faculty, staff and community members have been challenging, fulfilling and eye-opening all at the same time. I went into them understanding that UT has worked hard in recent decades to become a more diverse and welcoming campus. I came out of them realizing there is still more work to do — and that this work starts and ends by creating an environment in which students, faculty and staff are fully supported before, during and after their time at UT.

This goal is shared by many, including the Chairman of our Board of Regents, Kevin Eltife. The Chairman and I have worked closely during the past few weeks, and I’ve been grateful for his ideas and inspiration. I am excited by the next steps and future conversations that are emerging from this process, and I know that Chairman Eltife, our university leadership and I share a common goal of making UT the best it can be for all of our students, faculty, staff and alumni for many years to come.

The number of Black undergraduate students on campus has risen by nearly 9% during the past five years, and we are also optimistic about enrollment in this fall’s entering class. With support from the Board of Regents, we have launched the $160 million Texas Advance Commitment and programs such as UT for Me, which are providing many eligible Black students, among many others, with millions of dollars of additional financial support and resources to ease the financial burden for them to attend UT. 

Even so, our Black students still comprise only 5.1% of the student body. And during the past five years, more than 1,900 Black students who were automatically accepted here given their outstanding performance in high school instead chose to go elsewhere. Obviously, these talented students had many college options and made choices for a variety of reasons. Equally obvious to me is that many of those talented students do not believe our campus will be a welcoming home to them, and that we have not provided enough resources to ensure they will get all that is possible out of a UT education. I have heard this from current and former students, from faculty members, and from staff members. It is clear from these conversations and from the data I’ve reviewed that we can do better. So, together with the support of other members of university leadership, I am announcing a series of initiatives today to change that. 

These efforts fall into two categories. First: doing more to recruit, attract, retain and support even more talented and diverse students, staff members and faculty members who can change the world. And second: reconsidering how to best reflect our values, both in the symbols and names on our campus, and the openness with which we tell our history.

Every action we take must support the people who make UT such a special place and must fulfill our mission to teach, learn and discover.

To recruit, attract, retain and support talented and diverse students, faculty and staff, we will:

• Work with a group of students, faculty, staff and alumni to allocate a multimillion-dollar investment from Athletics’ revenue to worthy university programs — whether on or off campus – that work to recruit, attract, retain and support Black students. We expect that our investments will include at a minimum:

• Expanding our presence and outreach in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and elsewhere to better recruit outstanding high school students from underrepresented groups. We will raise additional funds to establish more private scholarships specifically dedicated to recruiting students such as those 1,900 Black students who were accepted here and chose to go elsewhere. 

• Providing significant new resources to expand programs that provide transformative opportunities for future Black leaders, including some of the outstanding work already being done within the university. 

• In conjunction with the Texas Exes and using a new program within Texas Athletics as a pilot project, launch an effort to improve our students’ ability to position themselves for post-graduation success. This will maximize the impact of our vast alumni network and corporate relationships. 

• Adopt a university-wide plan to recruit, develop and retain world-class facultymembers who bring more diversity to our research and teaching missions. This plan has been in the works for more than a year under the leadership of Vice Provost for Diversity Ted Gordon and includes new funding for research and scholarship.

• Refocus and sharpen the implementation of our Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (UDIAP), which was released in 2017. We will regularly signal our priorities, commitment and progress toward measurable goals through a refreshed and better-communicated plan, overseen by Vice President Leonard Moore.

• Expand the UT Austin Police Oversight Committee to include more community members and a broader range of students, have it meet more frequently, and broaden its mission to oversee student and community engagement, communications and the exploration of creative approaches to community policing, on-campus safety and wellness issues. 

The second set of actions addresses issues related to our campus and its symbols. After listening to many constituents, I’ve based these decisions on our role as an institution of higher education that is designed to teach and enable discovery. In doing so, I’ve relied upon the input I’ve received from our students, faculty, staff and alumni, and the work to date of our Campus Contextualization Committee, chaired by Vice President Leonard Moore.

I have weighed the effects that specific individuals or symbols have made on our university; how they fit with our values today; and the opportunities we have to use the stories surrounding these individuals and symbols to educate, to learn, and ultimately, to move us closer together as a community.

To ensure that we recognize and learn from our history and reflect our values through our campus symbols, we will: 

• Rename the Robert L. Moore Building as the Physics, Math and Astronomy Building and provide historical explanations within the building about why past university leaders chose to name the space for Professor Moore.

• Honor Heman M. Sweatt in additional ways: by creating the Heman M. Sweatt Entrance to T.S. Painter Hall as the main entrance on 24^th Street; placing a statue of Mr. Sweatt near the entrance; and then reimagining, redesigning and rededicating a major space in the building as an exhibit and gathering place where we will tell the story of the U.S. Supreme Court case of Sweatt v. Painter. This will recognize Mr. Sweatt’s courage and leadership in changing the world through the 1950 case that he won, allowing him and other Black students to attend UT. This will also place Painter Hall within the context of our university’s resistance to integration under T.S. Painter’s presidency, and ultimately to the Sweatt decision’s crucial role in integrating public education. 

• Honor the Precursors, the first Black undergraduates to attend The University of Texas at Austin, by commissioning a new monument on the East Mall. This will be the central feature of a larger space dedicated to the pioneering students and faculty members who helped move the university toward becoming more inclusive. 

• Erect a statue for Julius Whittier, the Longhorns’ first Black football letterman, at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium.

• At the suggestion of the Jamail family, rename Joe Jamail Field at the stadium in honor of Texas’ two great Heisman Trophy winners, Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams, two Longhorn legends with a record of commitment to the university. 

• Educate our community and visitors about the history and context of many of the names that remain, such as the Littlefield Fountain, the statue of Gov. Jim Hogg, the Belo Center and the pedestals on which a series of statues stood until 2017. Building on the work done by the Campus Contextualization Committee, this education may take the form of plaques and a website that our community and visitors can easily access from their phones.

• Own, acknowledge and teach about all aspects of the origins of “The Eyes of Texas” as we continue to sing it moving forward with a redefined vision that unites our community. 

“The Eyes of Texas,” in its current form, will continue to be our alma mater. Aspects of its origin, whether previously widely known or unknown, have created a rift in how the song is understood and celebrated, and that must be fixed. It is my belief that we can effectively reclaim and redefine what this song stands for by first owning and acknowledging its history in a way that is open and transparent.

Together, we have the power to define what the Eyes of Texas expect of us, what they demand of us, and what standard they hold us to now. "The Eyes of Texas" should not only unite us, but hold all of us accountable to our institution’s core values. But we first must own the history. Only then can we reimagine its future, and I look forward to partnering with our campus community to do just that.

These are the actions we will take together. They represent the continued evolution of our university, which has been taking place for 137 years and will carry forward for generations to come. 

As we develop the details for these plans, I will share them publicly.

To all who have been so candid with me about your frustrations, your concerns, your experiences and your beliefs — thank you. It has been a humbling experience to hear and learn from you. 

Respectfully yours,

Jay Hartzell
Interim President

 

[Dijon Robinson 1511]

2 minutes ago, mdmost said:

Lots more:

 

Proud to be a Longhorn today

[texifornia 58786]

Feels like they got a good compromise here. Way to go, UT.

[MonkeyDoughnut 10762]

5 minutes ago, Iconoclast Texan said:

Nice compromise and thanks to the Jamail family for agreeing to change the name of the field. The Eyes are too important to ditch. Hook 'em

yes, props to the Jamail family for making the request

[MonkeyDoughnut 10762]

 

[Armybrat 41319]

1 minute ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

 

Sounds like a positive response. 🤘

[BrazilHorn 6792]

This seems to be a very reasonable response to the requests made.

In terms of the "The Eyes" I think educating people as to its possible provenance while at the same time recognizing the spirit in which it is sung today is a smart move.

Also letting the players opt out of staying to sing is a good move as well.

Lots of good changes here. Nice job by UT here.

[LonghornSean 4072]

https://www.hookem.com/story/ut-making-sweeping-changes-response-athlete-requests-keeps-eyes-texas/?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Austin%2520American-Statesman%2520austin-breaking-news%25202020-07-1316:38:42&utm_content=GCOX_AUS&utm_term=071320&utm_source=SND&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_campaign=bevobeat

 

Quote

In response to requests from Texas football players, university officials announced sweeping changes Monday to address UT’s racial landscape but the school is not changing “The Eyes of Texas” school song.

The school addressed almost every request laid out by members of the UT football team, such as changing the name of Robert Lee Moore Hall. UT will permanently honor Heman M. Sweatt as UT’s first Black student and allocate a “multi-million dollar” investment from UT athletics to programs “that work to recruit, attract, retain and support Black students.”

The school will erect a statue of Julius Whittier, UT’s first Black football letterman, at Royal-Memorial Stadium and change the name of Joe Jamail Field to honor UT’s Heisman Trophy winners Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams. Jamail, a loquacious Texas lawyer, was one of UT’s biggest benefactors until his death in 2015. His family made the request, UT officials said.

The school will also honor the Precursors, the first Black undergraduates at UT, with a new monument on the East Mall. That’s in addition to expanding UT’s outreach presence in major Texas cities “to better recruit outstanding high school students from underrepresented groups.”

But changing the century-old school song was a flashpoint with thousands of UT students, alums and garnered nationwide headlines in June.

The university announced it will “own, acknowledge and teach all aspects of the origins of ‘The Eyes of Texas’ as we continue to sing it moving forward with a redefined vision that unites our community.”

Texas officials have never tried to hide that “The Eyes” originated in the early 1900s and was performed at minstrel shows by white performers in blackface. The school’s version of history has always been buffed over as best as possible. The full teaching of the song’s history is taught in the school’s African-American studies programs.

“The Eyes of Texas” is traditionally sung before and after every athletic event and at most school functions. The tune, set to the historic Black work song “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” is one of the most recognized school songs in college sports.

Texas players have never been formally required to stand on the field and sing the lyrics, school officials have said. Going forward, players who do not wish to stay on the field will be allowed to head to the locker room before the post-game song.

Various student groups have been pushing for changes to UT’s racial landscape for years. Once the UT football team marched to the State Capitol in June and posted a series of “requests,” the movement went into hyperdrive.

Interim Texas President Jay Hartzell went on what he called a “listening tour” with various constituencies around campus. Hartzell and athletic director Chris Del Conte both met with the UT football team in the practice bubble to hear from them directly.

Last week, Hartzell met with presidents of Black student groups on campus and Black faculty members.

“During the past month, I have listened to scores of students,” Hartzell said in a statement. “I went into these conversations understanding that UT has worked hard to become a more diverse and welcoming place.

“I came out of them realizing there is still more work to do — and this starts and ends by creating an environment in which students are fully supported before, during and after their time at UT,” he added.

Hartzell said the goal of change is shared by the UT System Board of Regents and chancellor Kevin Eltife.

As for “The Eyes,” Hartzell wrote in a letter to campus that it will remain UT’s alma mater. “Aspects of its origin, whether previously widely known or unknown, have created a rift in how the song is understood and celebrated, and that must be fixed,” Hartzell said. “It is my belief that we can effectively reclaim and redefine what this song stands for by first owning and acknowledging its history in a way that is open and transparent.

“Together, we have the power to define what the Eyes of Texas expect of us, what they demand of us, and what standard they hold us to now,” Hartzell added. “‘The Eyes of Texas’ should not only unite us, but hold all of us accountable to our institution’s core values. But we first must own the history. Only then can we reimagine its future, and I look forward to partnering with our campus community to do just that.”

On the campus side, many have called for the change to RLM Hall, home to UT’s math, physics and astronomy departments. Moore, who died in 1974, was a UT math professor who once refused to teach Black students and favored segregation.

Sweatt, who grew up in Houston, was denied admission to the UT law school due to segregation laws. Sweatt filed a lawsuit in 1946 that ultimately reached the Supreme Court, which said UT would have to admit Black students. He registered for classes in September 1950.

The Heman M. Sweatt Entrance will be established at T.S. Painter Hall. A major space within the building will be dedicated to telling Sweatt’s story.

But the university isn’t changing everything. UT plans on “educating” visitors to campus about the context of current buildings like the Littlefield Fountain, the statue of Gov. Jim Hogg, the Belo Center and the pedestals on which a series of controversial statues were placed until 2017.

UT also plans to expand the campus police department’s oversight committee and refocus the university’s Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan that was released in 2017.

 

[AUS-97HORN 11991]

only issue I can see about the eyes...  if by natural action (not sinister or wrong), the players that migrate towards singing the eyes skew to a specific demographic.  

then it could become divisive to the team

[taybo20 3008]

Seems great to me. Talking about the history and educating And putting it in context is very powerful.

also earl and Ricky having the field named after them is pretty cool. Also the Whittier statue. Long overdue recognition

[LonghornSean 4072]

Well done everybody.  Glad we'll be able to enjoy college football season as usu.... oh wait.

Edited July 13, 2020 by LonghornSean

[mdmost 43849]

This is a really great compromise and the players should be applauded for helping engineer these changes. They stood for their beliefs and the University responded in a way that doesn't erase history but points it out and acknowledges the past so people can learn. 

Edited July 13, 2020 by mdmost

[texifornia 58786]

 

[Saint Austin 776]

I've always been in the pro-"Eyes" camp, so while I'm glad it's being retained, I also feel like the University could have given in to more of the players' requests. Getting rid of RLM was a no-brainer, but I don't see why Painter, Hogg, or even Littlefield are so sacred. I'll be interested to hear the players' replies to this.

[n64ra 1149]

Will be interesting to see how many athletes chose to sing vs leave.

[David Dennison 19441]

Just now, n64ra said:

Will be interesting to see how many athletes chose to sing vs leave.

Especially if the players who choose to leave get criticized by fans for doing so. 

[Dnaguy 12572]

What about the buildings and statues?

[Pancho 46054]

Excellent moves all around.  Just put the Whittier statue somewhere visible in the stadium (if possible) and the players can sing The Eyes to that—start a new tradition. 

 

I’m happy.  Leggo.

 

[UTEX_ME 4257]

Agree 100% with everything they are doing. Honoring Sweatt vs. Painter and putting the context of the time is a really cool idea and a great teachable moment. 

[C-Man 27685]

20 minutes ago, ChampionshipLevelPiss said:

Proud to be a Longhorn today

Me too

[MirrOlure 15185]

Hartzell for President! 

[USMCHorn 1369]

Great leadership shown by UT here. 

[Js1 86938]

9 minutes ago, mdmost said:

This is a really great compromise and the players should be applauded for helping engineer these changes. They stood for their beliefs and the University responded in a way that doesn't erase history but points it out and acknowledges the past so people can learn. 

Yep, they did a great job engineering these changes, followed by the University and the athletes together compromising.  

Proud of them and my school. 

[HtownHorn 15243]

3 minutes ago, Pancho said:

Excellent moves all around.  Just put the Whittier statue somewhere visible in the stadium (if possible) and the players can sing The Eyes to that—start a new tradition. 

 

I’m happy.  Leggo.

 

Do you put it next to the Ricky and Earl statues?

[Saint Austin 776]

1 minute ago, MirrOlure said:

Hartzell for President! 

He's already proven himself superior to his predecessor. 

[GabrielsHorn 2242]

I really like the emphasis on the Sweatt v. Painter court case. It's something that I did not really have a background to prior to this, and it's a good way to recognize our history. Same with honoring the Precursors.

Glad that we were able to have discussions about it and move forward in a positive step. 

[MirrOlure 15185]

7 minutes ago, Dnaguy said:

What about the buildings and statues?

Renaming RLM with a generic name (not after any person);

Associating Heman Sweatt's name prominently at Painter Hall (ode to Sweatt vs. Painter)

"Educate....about history and context" as to the rest.

And I'm pretty sure they've previously removed all random Confederate-related statues of people that had no association with UT or Texas.

 

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by MirrOlure

[SubliminalHorn 6995]

Definitely proud to be a Longhorn 🤘

[Dr Fear 1286]

2 minutes ago, MirrOlure said:

Renaming RLM with a generic name (not after any person);

Associating Heman Sweatt's name prominently at Painter Hall (ode to Sweatt vs. Painter)

"Educate....about history and context" as to the rest.

And I'm pretty sure they've previously removed all Confederate-related statues.

 

 

I have the occasional nightmare where I am in Painter and can't get out when I am supposed to be in Welch for an exam.