deep in the heart
Texas.
Texas is one of those states where one cannot help but have preconceived notions. It's hot. It's southern. It has a funny accent. People say, "Minnesota," and nothing. I don't care one way or another. "I'm from Nevada." Don't really know what to say, "Texas," and there's no getting around it.
Not too many years ago, when I was still attempting to make friends out here in Massachusetts, I drove a guy named Justin home from class one night and we (and here I really mean he) got in a heated argument with me over whether Texas was a part of the South.
I think, technically, it is. I even think that it was involved in the civil war in one way or another, but for the most part, I can at least see Justin's point. Texas isn't really like the rest of the south. There are no plantations, for instance. But regardless, the things one normally associates with the south, funny accents and racism, are indeed part of what I would say makes up the Texas of my mind, but then...
I think it's safe to say that Texas is itself a bit of a mystery. Despite King of the Hill, one determines that there are few reliable sources as to what Texas is all about. Consider, for instance, the phrase, "Remember the Alamo"; true, this is Texan, but since that phrase was uttered, Texas has been colonized by Germany. There are more Spanish names in Northern California than all of Texas. Towns are named Luckenstuck, Zumbeispiel, und Lufkin. The people who fought and died at the Alamo? Their descendents live in Scottesdale Arizona. The entire population of Texas is composed of people who came over after the defeat of Santa Anna, which makes things a bit weird. It's like if the Puerta Ricans in New York went around speaking Dutch.
The real problem with Texas is that it is, of course, the birth place of George Satan Bush, and one can't help but see the state in that reflection. When you go to Luffentrappen to go antiquing for instance, in the back of your mind you're wondering, is this what the dark corners of Georgie Porgie's mind look like. People wave to you and you realize, 'they voted for Bush,' and you try to push that out of your head because they're nice people and they shouldn't suffer from your stereotypes.
On the other hand, you can't get rid of the stereotype because every where you look is the phrase, "Don't Mess With Texas." It's on shirts, bumper stickers, and coffee mugs, and when you see it in such profusion, you're apt to wonder, "do these people think someone's trying to fuck with them?" And then there it is, because this motto, a hold over from an anti littering campaign, seems to be the exact mentality of our president.
Texas is one of those states where one cannot help but have preconceived notions. It's hot. It's southern. It has a funny accent. People say, "Minnesota," and nothing. I don't care one way or another. "I'm from Nevada." Don't really know what to say, "Texas," and there's no getting around it.
Not too many years ago, when I was still attempting to make friends out here in Massachusetts, I drove a guy named Justin home from class one night and we (and here I really mean he) got in a heated argument with me over whether Texas was a part of the South.
I think, technically, it is. I even think that it was involved in the civil war in one way or another, but for the most part, I can at least see Justin's point. Texas isn't really like the rest of the south. There are no plantations, for instance. But regardless, the things one normally associates with the south, funny accents and racism, are indeed part of what I would say makes up the Texas of my mind, but then...
I think it's safe to say that Texas is itself a bit of a mystery. Despite King of the Hill, one determines that there are few reliable sources as to what Texas is all about. Consider, for instance, the phrase, "Remember the Alamo"; true, this is Texan, but since that phrase was uttered, Texas has been colonized by Germany. There are more Spanish names in Northern California than all of Texas. Towns are named Luckenstuck, Zumbeispiel, und Lufkin. The people who fought and died at the Alamo? Their descendents live in Scottesdale Arizona. The entire population of Texas is composed of people who came over after the defeat of Santa Anna, which makes things a bit weird. It's like if the Puerta Ricans in New York went around speaking Dutch.
The real problem with Texas is that it is, of course, the birth place of George Satan Bush, and one can't help but see the state in that reflection. When you go to Luffentrappen to go antiquing for instance, in the back of your mind you're wondering, is this what the dark corners of Georgie Porgie's mind look like. People wave to you and you realize, 'they voted for Bush,' and you try to push that out of your head because they're nice people and they shouldn't suffer from your stereotypes.
On the other hand, you can't get rid of the stereotype because every where you look is the phrase, "Don't Mess With Texas." It's on shirts, bumper stickers, and coffee mugs, and when you see it in such profusion, you're apt to wonder, "do these people think someone's trying to fuck with them?" And then there it is, because this motto, a hold over from an anti littering campaign, seems to be the exact mentality of our president.
posted by Monstro D. Whale at
8:55 AM
3 Comments:
Being a native Texan I can tell you that there is somewhat of a 'Texas is like it's own country' mindset taught to you at an early age. Texans have a sense of state pride that many other states do not. Movies about this state have been some of the grandest ever made, example: 'Giant'.
Not all Texans voted for Bush though, I can tell you that for sure. In fact in many parts of the state are very Liberal.
I received a call from a rancher in Texas the other day (my job is customer service, inbound calls). Apparently, the ranch is so far removed from society that he can only get am/fm telephone service out there. They couldn't even give him satellite phone service, because it didn't work for some reason.
The guy was a pleasure to speak with, being intelligent and humorous, which are two characteristics I don't usually associate with Texans.
The other surprise, for me, was that there were still areas in Texas that are this rural. Too far from a town to get a phone line installed for a multi-million dollar rancher? Not likely. And yet, this was the case.
I actually thought of looking you up, Q, while I was there, but you know, Texas is a BIG state. Mopfog believe me when I say big. You can drive through a lot of scrub with not much nearby.
Here's the thing--I really like Texas. Really. It's just...different. And it isn't the different that people think, it's different from that too. Like, I think people in Texas are going to be crazy conservative, but it's been my experience that people there are rather easy going. That doesn't mean that they aren't conservative. They may well be, but EVERYWHERE else, easy going people are liberal.
So, you think to yourself, maybe these people are liberal as well, but then they've got bumper stickers on their cars that read "Don't Mess With Texas," which doesn't really sound liberal--it's more like...crazy xenophobia.
But then, I could make the same kinds of observations about Massachusetts (and have). The truth is, I think, the U.S. is a gigantic country, and what we call "American culture" is alien to itself if you go more than a thousand miles in any direction.
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