Honest question from a Californian: Why so much Texas pride?

I've always wondered why this is: you can take the most educated, progressive Texan and criticize anything you want except Texas. In fact, most Progressive Texans deny Bush has anything to do with the state.

So why is it Texas is always off the table when talking with Texans? The Alamo is always considered an act of supreme bravery, warranting a moment of silence every time it is mentioned?

I've been to Texas, and it is a great state. Good BBQ, Beautiful denizens (both men and women) and character abounds. But North Carolina is a great state too. So is Oregon. And personally, I love it here best - but feel free to insult my state!

Yes we have some crazy ass motherfuckers from here. Reagan - and I do consider him a Californian - was one dumb ass son of a bitch. Nixon - even crazier. And he was born here.

And although California is home to the GG Bridge, the Redwoods and Medical Marijuana, it is also host to Bakersfield, Fresno and Michael Wiener (aka Savage).

But insult Texas, and you get your ass kicked.

What's up with that?

Ultra-patriotism runs all through the former Confederacy. I frankly think there is a tradition of overcompensation following the rebellion. For some reason in TX it takes the form of patriotism not only for the nation, but also for their gigantic home state which could almost be its own country.

And that history and Texan pride still carries on.

It's not really ultra-patriotism so much as it is just a profound love for the home state (going back to the republic of Texas days). As obnoxious as some DUers apparently find that, just keep in mind that mingled in with that pride is a deeply generous spirit, the cliched (but very real) "can-do attitude," and an endless desire to please and be liked by non-Texans.

Says this Texan now living in California. ;-)

I do. We are taught TX history before we can read and write. In 7th grade we spend an entire year on it. People that come from out of state for college have to take it for a semester.
But I will say, that I know more than most about where I live-cultures, wars, etc that helped make up (yes, I will say it because it's true) the great state of TX.
I was suprised when I met a friend from Jersey who said they never took NJ history before. I just assumed that every state had thier ownhistory class.

I never knew about it until I met my friend from Texas. I asked her about it because I was never taught about Ohio as much as Texans are taught about Texas. She said it starts when you are young and then doesn't really stop.

also it's just a historic thing... texans insisted on being able to fly the texas flag at the same height as the US flag, also something about the texas constitution... it goes back to how hard they fought to retain as much independence as possible.

so couple that with indoctrination starting in preschool / kindergarten... hey presto - jingoism at the state level

Pretty damn boring class.

The history of Washington state is not a particularly riveting one.

Used to be in 8th grade. Note this is before any American History or civics class that you get in high school.

And I was raised here! K-12!

We used to be our own country too (for about a week) and I've always thought that TX and CA represent the US on steroids, TX being the "can-do" independent house on the prairie side, California being the "push our hedonistic freedoms to the edge" side. Both states have had Kennedy's killed in them. Both have big NASA campuses. Both have given rise to some amazing bands and music. Both have given us some pretty bad fucking Presidents (Johnson, Nixon, Reagan and Bush)

I've lived there (Houston) and have a lot of family there as well. There are things I liked about Texas and things I didn't. Texas represents all the things we could take out of the American land. First it was Cattle, then Oil, then undocumented workers. It represents the metamyth of Americans struggling to squeeze something out of the land. Of course, all that wealth from the natural resources found its way into relatively few hands, and today, Texas (and the USA) is better described by Enron than by Davy Crockett. But Texas is central to the American Myth, you dis Texas, you dis the USA.

That whole "Texans are intensely independent" thing is a great story, until you look at history and discover just how hard they were working for annexation by the U.S.

And as far as teaching Texas history, I can state from first-hand knowledge that in many school districts there, the Texas State history textbook is usually three times the size of the U.S. history text!

history and how hard his grandfather fought in the world war to save 'the republic of Texas' from the axis powers.

You know, I've met several Texans in that state who bear an uncanny resemblance to Hank Hill.

He is beyond stereotype - he's an archetype!

..to, possibly, being put down all the time. ;-)

Just that football team that thinks they're so cool ;)

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I agree with the above about the school system. I think it instills a bunch of mythos about the "Texas mystique" early on. And yes, we do study Texas history in 7th Grade, although I've never heard of out-of-state students needing to take it in college (I graduated from UT-Austin in 1997.)

Texas was its own country from 1836 to 1845 (after achieving independence from Mexico), so Texas has the right to fly its state's flag at the same height as the American flag. Yes it was an earned right, but one that you learn from an early age and you never forget.

Texans love to talk big. The Texan sense of space is as massive as its open land. As is its ego. For instance, read the words of the Texas State Song:

"TEXAS OUR TEXAS"

Texas, Our Texas! all hail the mighty State!
Texas, Our Texas! so wonderful so great!
Boldest and grandest, withstanding ev'ry test
O Empire wide and glorious, you stand supremely blest.

Texas, O Texas! your freeborn single star,
Sends out its radiance to nations near and far,
Emblem of Freedom! it set our hearts aglow,
With thoughts of San Jacinto and glorious Alamo.

Texas, dear Texas! from tyrant grip now free,
Shines forth in splendor, your star of destiny!
Mother of heroes, we come your children true,
Proclaiming our allegiance, our faith, our love for you.

God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.
God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.


If you sing this a few times as a kid (which I did) it's hard to shake the hyperbole and countless ! marks. Great! Indeed! Texas! Big State! Wah-hoo! :puke:

I now happily live in Colorado. :)


Writer.

Texas is a big state, north to south and east to west
Alaska doesn't really count; we're bigger than the rest
You can waltz across it, though, so grab your yellow rose
And sing another song of Texas — this is how it goes:

One more stupid song about Texas
For miles and miles it rambles on
Biggest egos, biggest hair, biggest liars anywhere
Let's sing another stupid Texas song (clap clap clap clap)

By God, we're so darn proud to be from Texas (Yahoo!)
Even of our pride we're proud, and we're proud of that pride, too
Our pride about our home state is the proudest pride indeed
And we're proud to be Americans, until we can secede

One more stupid song about Texas
You've heard it all before, so sing along
Biggest belt buckles and boasts, love that big old Texas toast
Let's sing another stupid Texas song (clap clap clap clap)

Our accents are the drawliest, our howdies are the y'alliest
Our Lone Star flag's the waviest, our fried steak's the cream-graviest
Our rattlesnakes the coiliest, our beaches are the oiliest
Our politicians most corrupt, our stop signs most abrupt

Our guitars are the twangiest, our guns are the keblangiest
Our cows are the long-horniest, our yodels the forlorniest
Our cookoffs are the chiliest, our Waylon is the Williest
Our sausage is the smokiest, our neighbors are the Okiest

From Texarkana to El Paso, Dalhart down to Orange
Every spot in Texas has got what you're looking for
Aren'cha glad that Texas put the stars up in the sky?
If heaven isn't Texas, pardner, I don't want to die

One more stupid song about Texas
Just 'cause we're braggin', that don't mean it's wrong
Biggest heads and biggest hearts, biggest various body parts
Let's sing another stupid Texas song (clap clap clap clap)

Toss your hats into the air — we're obnoxious (We don't care!)
Let's sing another stupid Texas song (clap clap clap clap)

One more blusterin', bumptious, bald-faced, brazen, high-flown, high-tone, dander-up, panderin', pompous, puffed-up, snotty, swaggerin', stupid Texas song!



—Austin Lounge Lizards

:P

:bounce:
:bounce:
:bounce:

http://www.austinlizards.com/songs/stupid_texas_song.mp3

Gotta check out "Hey, Little Minivan," too. :D

http://www.austinlizards.com/songs/hey_little_minivan.mp3

:rofl:

I recall seeing some bumper stickers on local vehicles that said "If Texas is so great, why don't you just stay there?" I thought it was kind of funny even though we love the money they spend here..

... in general. Why can Americans not take criticism?

Answer that and we'd be well on our way to that cool thing called progress.

:D

:P~

nope