Luis Villalobos

Special to El Paso Times

President Donald Trump is the cause of UTEP’s dismal football record

O.K. hear me out on this one. I know that statement sounds just a tiny bit ludicrous and has no basis in fact but, if you see my position, you just might see my argument…as far fetched as it may seem.

I mean no disrespect to those involved in the Miner’s football program. On the contrary, I think they are courageous, dedicated, and inspirational people who are a credit to the University that I not only graduated from but a University that is a beacon of academic and intellectual pursuits of the highest quality in the country.

So, how did Trump meddle his way into the misfortunes that befall our football team?

Simple. His rhetoric of racial bigotry has made our beautiful bilingual community, lush with culture, language, warm people, vibrant businesses, and a bevy of scenic wonder, into THEM.

We are the THEM. We are the THEM because our city is what Trump considers the spout pouring a river of “illegal migrants," criminals and rapists. That's how he describes THEM.

Hear me out then.

So here’s the second part of my argument when it comes to Trump being the cause of our football woes.

Yes, I know UTEP is a world class academic institution. The football program is but a part of that world class academic reputation. A signature institution has to have those “calling cards” of success and in Texas a successful football program is a “calling card." It’s like being in a business meeting and everyone is handing out business cards on the finest card stock and you’re handing out Post-it notes as yours.

Hear me out.

I have one more bridge for you to cross to see my point.

Put yourself in the place of a blue chip high school athlete in Texas or even a good player in Texas or one of our neighboring states. You are being courted by major universities touting their programs, their city, their culture. You make your decision with the help of your high school coach, your family and your parents.

UTEP knocks on your door. As a 18-19 year-old you may not have heard of the ’66 National Championship. You may not have heard of players who have made the NFL or of the Olympic achievements of UTEP track athletes.

But I know you’ve heard of the wall.

I know you heard of the chants at Trump's rallies. And I know you’ve heard the divisiveness aimed at DACA kids, sanctuary cities, travel bans against people who look and come from a different culture than us. And for sure you’ve heard BUILD THE WALL. But if you haven’t, I know your parents and coaches have. And I know your parents pulled out a map to see where El Paso is.

That’s when the culture of what Trump has created and promotes starts to sow its toxic seeds of racial prejudice into coming to UTEP. That, sadly, is where those words THEM, THE WALL, enter the decision.

UTEP is a beacon, an intellectual jewel that is a pathway to a vibrant, colorful, bilingual, bicultural, binational city unique among cities in the world. If you’re an 18-19 year-old football star who wants to be a part of that beacon, then come to the most unique university and city in the USA, in Texas and in the world.

Luis C. Villalobos is a school administrator and former El Paso journalist.