Kicking around Houston 1836: Soccer team sends the wrong message to Latinos
By naming the team Houston 1836, the newly arrived Major League Soccer franchise has chosen to identify with a year that may divide the city rather than unite it. While the team intends to highlight Houston’s founding along the banks of Buffalo Bayou, the year also commemorates the defeat of the Mexican Army by a largely Anglo Texan militia at the Battle of San Jacinto. Whether by ignorance or design, choosing 1836 has the potential to alienate Houstonians of Mexican origin, a group that is surely a large part of the team’s fan base.
Man, of all the things to get your panties in a wad over. Houston’s new Major League Soccer franchise, now newly christened “Houston 1836” should be a reason for celebration, and yet Raul Ramos seems determined to pee in our collective sandbox. Yes, I am sensitive to the concerns and feelings o Hispanics. The problem here, though, is that history is seldom clean or pretty, populated as it is with winners or losers. Team officials have stated that the name “Houston 1836” is designed to commemorate the year Houston was founded. Yes, it took defeating the Mexican Army to make this happen. How, though, does that historical reality translate into Houston 1836 being a slap at Hispanics, who promise to be the largest fan base for the team?
[C]hoosing 1836 sends the wrong message at the wrong time. Texans of Mexican decent constantly struggle to identify with a place that was created out of Mexican defeat.
Houston stands perched to take its place among the economic centers of the Americas, thanks in great part to its sizable Latino population. This is not the time to exclude us.
This team name comes at a time of increased awareness of how mascots and names can stereotype or offend Americans. Last year, the National Collegiate Athletic Association scrutinized the use of Native Americans in team names such as the Florida State Seminoles and the Carthage College Redmen (now Red Men). Team names such as the Atlanta Braves and Washington Redskins sound anachronistic to modern ears. Not long ago the Washington Bullets changed their name to Wizards for similar reasons.
There comes a time when one really has to wonder where the political correctness comes to an end? How much is enough when one is doing all one reasonably can not to offend? Does Ramos really believe that Houston’s MLS franchise is going to deliberately alienate a Hispanic fan base that could be the difference between the team succeeding or failing?
Team officials state that 1836 was primarily chosen to represent the city’s founding. A team name doesn’t have the luxury of explaining itself. The link to Texas secession from Mexico during the Texas Revolution is inescapable.
The team logo compounds the connection by depicting Sam Houston on horseback, leading the charge against Mexican troops. What other conclusion can we draw?
While the year represents Texas independence, it also raises the complicated and sometimes shameful history that came along with it. Initially seen as economic boosters, Anglo American immigrants brought slavery and failed to keep contracts made with state officials. For Mexicans, Texas secession started the process of American conquest culminating in the invasion of Mexico in 1846 and the loss of almost half its territory. Few would disagree that Texas independence was an important chapter in the imperial story of American Manifest Destiny.
Houston has undergone many transformations and reinventions since 1836. Digging the Ship Channel, the Galveston hurricane of 1900, discovering oil and sending a man to the moon all took place since then and all changed the face of the city. Naming the team 1836 smacks of nostalgia for a time when Mexican people were absent or at least knew their place.
Look, I don’t doubt that the perspective of some members of the Hispanic community may be a wee bit different that myself, being about as Anglo as they come. Even so, it is difficult for me to believe that the name of a soccer team is a legitimate issue. If the team had been named “Wetbacks”, “Grease Monkey”, “Kikes”, “Hebes”, or even “Niggers”, I’d be leading the parade. While I’m trying to be sensitive here, part of me can’t help but think that if this is the biggest problem plaguing the Hispanic community, life must be pretty damn good.
There are no doubt legitimate issues that continue to plague Hispanics- lack of economic opportunities, inadequate political access, poor educational opportunities, inadequate health care. That’s merely a partial list, but it’s enough to keep most activists fairly busy. Where they can find the time and energy to worry about the name of Houston’s new MLS team is beyond me.
