dharmaseeker
Posts: 39
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What is a Texan? Who are we? What do we stand for?
After hearing about crazy radicals at the state capitol saying things like, "I hate the American flag and I hate the United States government," and hearing the man who said it claim to speak for Texas I am on a bit of a crusade. It totally irks me to hear such idiotic crap coming from a man claiming to be Texan. It irks me more to have the national media use him as an example of what we are like.
There are jerks and twits and radicals here like there are everywhere else. But having lived all over this state and traveled through most of this country I know Texans are not the evil right wing bigots the news media makes us out to be. There are liberals and conservatives, religious and atheistic, every kind in between. Our views are different and our politics sometimes divisive. We are not, however, nearly as hateful and down right stupid as the handful who shouted slogans and caught the attention of the nation August 30.
It's time we in Texas threw off the media image and acted like we should, no matter what we believe or how strongly we believe it. We can be our wild-west selves and still not come across as red-faced crazy bigots with bloodshot eyes. We can express our disgust at whatever is going on in Washington without being hateful and nasty. We can step up and honor our state with conviction without personal attacks that serve no useful purpose other than turn us into bullies.
I am Texan. This is, above all, what and who I am. I care about this state and its people more than any other. I've traveled this state from Brownsville to Amarillo, Beaumont to El Paso, and pretty much everywhere in between. I've lived in West, North Central, South and East Texas. We have our differences but we're all the same. We're Texans. Being Texan should mean something to us.
Though the other states look to 1776 as their great day of freedom ours came later, 1836, and at a great cost. Say what you will, our history is a proud one. In my book Sam Houston stands as an equal to Washington. I love this state and I cannot stand by and allow the likes of Alex Jones, Larry Kilgore, or radical bigots speak lies about Texas and claim to represent it. I'm not talking about people whose views are considered conservative or religious, only the nutcases who believe they have the exclusive right to tell everyone else what is true and how to live.
I have sent a letter to every newspaper in the state I could get an email address for. Within a few days or so, hopefully, Texans will find my personal call to act like Texans. It's time we did. Look for it in your local paper. If things keep going as they are it won't be the last. Anybody who wants my email list to send their own letter can just ask, I'll send it.
Here's a copy of that letter:
Texans have always been strong and independent. Though never perfect Texas always represented what is good. Texans used to be known world over for their kindness, generosity, and good humor. Lately, however, darkness has swept over this great state.
August 30, 2009 a group of so-called Texans rallied on the steps of our capitol calling for secession. Rather than representing freedom, honesty, and respect for people, ideals that make Texas the greatest, they spoke hatred. Candidate Larry Kilgore pointed to the American flag above the capitol and said, "I hate that flag up there.... I hate the U.S.!" The Texas Observer wrote, "The audience ...included bikers wearing Confederate memorabilia, Alex Jones conspiracy theorists carrying those Obama-as-Joker signs...." Do those people represent Texas? The world thinks they do.
When people claiming to represent Texas spout hatred against the U.S. and condemn the American flag our parents and grandparents died defending the issue is no longer right/left, liberal/conservative, or who sits in the Whitehouse. The issue is what is a Texan. Have we forgotten our heritage? Why do Texans let hate-mongering "foreigners" from the north and east destroy all that is good and right in this great state? Isn't it time Texans woke up? Do we really want the world to think this is the kind of people who live in Texas?
Isn't it time we stop destroying all that is good in Texas and stand up as a people who love liberty and respect our fellow Texans? Are we a good people or a hateful mob? I count my fellow Texans as brothers and sisters, too important to denigrate by hateful actions and speech, even though I often disagree with their politics. Let us remember our Texas heritage and stop tearing ourselves apart. Let's show the world that in Texas even though we make an art out of disagreeing at the end of the day we care deeply for our state, our flag, each other, and mankind more than any other group of people on earth. Texas is the greatest. Make it so!
Indeed.
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