In Texas, the slogan “Come and Take It” is not merely some defiant refrain. It is a statement steeped in racist ideology and racist history.
 
Referencing the infamous flag from the Battle of Gonzales, this is a slogan that embodies both anti-Mexican and pro-slavery sentiments. It has carried those white supremacist beliefs from 1835 to today, and in that time has also been widely adopted by anti-government, pro-gun extremists, such as at the January 6th insurrection at the US Capital. Like the Alamo, the Gonzales flag is an open wound for many Mexican Americans, especially Mexican American Texans.
 
Though UTSA is officially a Hispanic-serving institution, it has been criticized on multiple occasions for its failures to truly serve the Mexican American majority population in which it is located. Calls from UTSA’s own Mexican American faculty members to become a “Hispanic-thriving” institution have barely been acknowledged. While generalized declarations to commit to diversity and equity have been made, this month’s unveiling of a $40 million dollar sports facility adorned with an oversized take on the Gonzales Flag with the cannon replaced with UTSA’s roadrunner mascot and dubbed the Roadrunner Athletics Center for Excellence, or “RACE” Center, clearly reveals that UTSA’s leadership continues to be ignorant of the community it serves, and blind to its gross shortcomings in educating residents of South Texas and beyond. 
 
We call for a public apology from UTSA President Taylor Eighmy and UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lisa Campos, as well as the immediate removal of the “Come and Take It” sign.