Once upon a time, I was exiled to Texas much as the Children of Israel were exiled to Babylon. At least it felt that way.
Actually, I moved to Houston, Texas in the early 1970’s for my job, and have never regretted the move. While in Texas, I found opportunities you could not find in other states. I was an engineer turned salesman, and my wife was a certified teacher. Both of us found educational opportunities to be abundant in Texas, with very good universities both public and private. We both earned our masters degrees while in Texas while starting a family, and maturing as adults.
Most of all, I was impressed with attitudes in Texas. People that have not lived there simply don’t understand the attitudes and ways of life in the Lone Star state. Because of their history, Texans are passionate about their liberty, and look with jaundiced eye at those who talk about increasing taxes, making more laws, or to tell them how to live their lives.
When a business person in Texas wants to start a business, they just do it. Governmental interference is at a minimum. Some people think that Governor Greg Abbott is trying some sort of wild political maneuver by investigating the US Government’s military activities in his state. You have to understand that the US Government has almost deserted the Texas/Mexican border. The governor has had to supplement border defences to great cost to the state.
Governor Greg Abbott does not trust Barack Obama, because Obama has removed all trust and recognition of a state’s right to defend itself from interlopers. On most issues from climate change to health care, to guarding our borders, Washington has shown itself capable of doing the wrong thing, and shoving bad programs down the throats of Americans. Whatever is going on with the Federal Government should be taken with a big dose of skepticism.
Now, we read of a shooting in Garland, Texas (a Dallas suburb) at an event advertising a prize for the best cartoon of Muhammad. Islamists were in a rage over the event. but notice that the two attackers were killed by just one Texas policeman. The terrorists opened fire with assault rifles, but the cop was ready, He shot and killed both terrorists.
That’s the Texas I am talking about. Texans are fiercely independent and freedom loving. The only really liberal areas of Texas outside of a few Dallas ‘burbs is Austin, Texas. Austin is a bastion of liberal ignorance and arrogance. Remember that the Democrat Travis County Prosecutor tried for years to get Tom DeLay in jail for some trumped up charges, and spent millions of the county dollars trying the case. It was eventually overturned.
So, if you are looking for a state with deep traditions based on individual freedom, you are talking about Texas. Guns, and defending free speech, are not bad things in the Lone Star State.
