The Eyes of Texas Problem

 The Eyes of Texas Problem

by Andy Graham

“Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth will set you free”.

This is the statement written on The Tower I walked by almost every time I stepped onto the campus at The University of Texas as a student. I believed it then and I believe it now. In fact, I believe it now more than ever.

What Starts Here, Changes The World. This is the slogan I’ve heard time and time again. And I believe it now more than ever. What starts with the University of Texas, changes the world.

I recently heard that ‘The Eyes of Texas’ song was a problem. When I heard that, my initial reaction was to think about whether that’s true or not. It was being said that ‘the eyes of texas’ was somehow a racist song and that was something I didn’t want to believe was true. The lyrics don’t seem to indicate this in any way. I didn’t want to believe it was a racist song because I abhor racism. But my belief, when in the face of Truth because of my education.. can be shaken. My belief IS shaken.

The word was getting around that Texas Longhorn football players were saying the song had racist overtones. Maybe they were undertones, it matters not but somehow racism and the song were linked. I still wanted that to be false because of how proudly I sang the song so many times in so many places I found myself. I no longer feel proud of this song and I no longer feel proud singing it. In fact, I plan on never singing the song ever again, the song that brought me so much joy. Why? Because it brings up deep sadness for my black brothers and black sisters who have dug deep and found out an answer of where it came from. No one should be forced to be reminded by a crowd of people that this was their ancestor’s Truth. Slavery and a history of Racism.

Over the years the players discovered that the eyes of texas is sung to the tune of ‘I’ve Been Working on the Railroad’ and they informed one another. They all know it now. I’ve always known that was the case. It wasn’t a secret. What I didn’t know was that ‘i’ve been working on the railroad’ was a song originally inspired by Robert E. Lee’s existence, the general of the Confederate Army. The students researched this. This is the general that fought in an attempt to continue the practice of Slavery. I abhor the idea of Slavery and I imagine you do too. Committing our fellow human to such an act as Slavery is and was inhumane and we’re all in a place where we know this to be a fundamental Truth of life. Nothing will ever change that. Slavery was wrong. Humanity will forever know that Slavery is wrong and no song, image or tradition is above that.

The students of The University of Texas have done their research. These kids aren’t stupid. They got into Texas just like we did, through hard work and being the top thinkers of this country and world. They did their research and they know that this tune was played by minstrel shows that traveled the country after Slavery ended and by doing this traveling show, they preached a white superiority to our fellow black citizens through song and show. They were doing this minstrel show in black-face. It’s the same tune that has been sung in Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium for decades.

The foundation of The University of Texas is the students. It’s not rich alumni that try to tell them how the world is with the sway of their money. The students at Texas are bigger than the money that goes into the University. The students are bigger than the buildings or the education. Each student that goes through and graduates knows this in their heart. They know that they'll become bigger than their education they've worked for. The students are the school, the school is and will always be the students.

The time to listen to the school is now. The school is the students. The players now are not staying on the field to listen to ‘the eyes of texas’ that pains their hearts, the students in the band refuse to play that song that causes pain. They, the students and student players, are speaking and they know that: What Starts Here, Changes the World. They know that: Ye Shall KNOW the Truth and the Truth Will Set You Free. Those fundamentals are bigger than alumni who want to keep tradition. We alumni are not as important as the students and they have spoken. Listen to them. Listen not just to the simple idea, but the Truths that surround those ideas. This is what makes Texas the best University in the country: the voice of the students. If you believe in who Texas is, back them. It’s just a song and it won’t hurt you to stop singing it. In fact, it very well might make you a better person.

Hook’em. Texas Fight. Texas Fight the good fight.

Follow the student’s lead.