Nomar Mazara, #30, Delino DeShields, #3, Asdrubal Cabrera, #14, Texas Rangers, (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)
An editorial at The Washington Post points out the bigoted history associated with “Texas Rangers.”
A national opinion piece outlines reasons as to why the MLB’s Texas Rangers franchise should consider changing their name.
In the wake of the NFL’s Washington Redskins organization finally agreeing to retire its nickname on Monday, due to its offensive slur to Native Americans, an editorial at The Washington Post calls out another offensive team name that is being used in professional sports. Karen Attiah, global opinions editor, suggests the MLB’s Texas Rangers should change their name. Like the Redskins, their franchise too has a nickname that holds an offensive connotation towards nonwhites.
”To know the full history of the Texas Ranges is to understand that the team’s name is not so far off from being called the Texas Klansmen,” Attiah said in her article that published Monday.
The myth that Texas Rangers “protected innocent settlers from violent Indians” is a cover for what their actual mission was, Attiah explained. When Texas declared their independence from Mexico in 1835 the Texas Rangers oppressed nonwhites in the state. They were known for clearing their land of Indians for white settlers as well as capturing runaway slaves who tried to cross the border.
In the 20th century, the Texas Rangers continued their string of violence.
“Mexicans were run out of their homes and subject to mass lynchings and shootings,” Attiah said in the article. “Rangers would be called on to protect white supremacy into the 1960’s, deployed to prevent school integration.”
The Texas Rangers baseball franchise’s ownership revealed in a statement in June that they are not inclined to change their team’s name.
“While we may have originally taken our name from the law enforcement agency, since 1971 the Texas Rangers Baseball Club has forged its own, independent identity,” the franchise said in a statement. “The Texas Rangers Baseball Club stands for equality. We condemn racism, bigotry and discrimination in all forms.
“To help bring about meaningful change, we are committed to listening to and supporting our communities of color.”
Perhaps after seeing the NFL’s Washington football franchise finally agree to change its team’s name, the Texas Rangers will think twice about shutting the door on change. After all, Washington’s owner Dan Snyder once said “we will never change the name of the team.” On Monday, Washington’s football squad announced their team’s new name will be released soon.