Texas Facts

While hitching through the U.S., I was amazed at how little Mid-Westerners (Nebraska, Wyoming, North Dakota) knew about Europe.

Well, I realized that we're probably just as bad over here. Here's the received image of Texas I have:

(Correct me if I'm wrong):


1. Texas was stolen from Mexico.
2. It's big, dry, hot, flat and boring.
3. Men wear big hats and boots.
4. The majority are Caucasians with black hair, like Elvis. They have sideburns (mainly the men).
5. They live on beef.
6. The whites are racist (against Mexicans, blacks).
7. They only listen to country music ( or Los Lobos -- yay!)
8. They hate New Yorkers, becasue they see New York as a decadent pinko fag kike spic kind of town.
9. Kinky Friedman is an embarrasment to them.

This European also believes that California, or at least large parts of it, was stoilen from Mexico. Please confirm.

#L

Here is one more:
- Texas owns about 99% of the countries weapons and fire arms

Snoopy

Texas produced Dubya.


Nuff' said.

Texas was once a republic unto itself, a fact they've never gotten over.

If I had to sum it up, I'd say that Texas is the United States' version of Germany.

---dr.M.

What?? You mean humourless and law-abiding? Surely not...

Sub Joe said:

What?? You mean humourless and law-abiding? Surely not...

Click to expand...

Naw. More like superior and pushy, resented and mistrusted by their neighbors.

On an entirely different note, one of the stranger things about Texas is that it has a large Czech-Bohemian (Bohemia-bohemian, not beatnik-bohemian) population down south, and you can hear their influence in Tex-Mex music, which is rich in polka/mazurka/march-type music and uses accordians and oom-pa tubas and other traditional Bohemian instruments and musical forms. A regular Prague on the Pecos.

---dr.M.

Man oh man. You're exactly right, Sub, except that you have MUCH less clue about Texas than I have about Europe. I've been to Europe...four times. You ever been to Texas? I hope so.

Here's my response to your list:

1. Texas was WON from Mexico. There was even a REAL war! Ever heard of the Alamo?

2. Right on! At least where I live, it's VERY big, dry, hot, flat, and boring. You got this one right!

3. The people that want to wear boots and big hats. Men and women alike. There's probably more of it here than wherever you hail from (heil? oh wait, that belongs on the Texas=Germany bit), but it's no different than any other clothing fashion style. I wear jeans, t-shirts, baseball caps, sandals, and anything else I damn well choose, but NOT "cowboy" apparel.

4. I'm not sure about exact numbers, but the majority of Texans as far as I know are hispanic. That's right...I'm pretty sure caucasions are in the minority. You got a problem with that? Because I live here, and I'm white, and I sure don't.

5. You got another one right. We love our beef!

6. Again, there may be an above-average number of racists in Texas, but "Texans" aren't racist. Judging by your #4, it sounds like you may be...

7. I despise country "music." Give me hard rock, or give me death! I'd say that around here (West Texas), it's probably an even split overall.

8. If by New Yorkers, you mean the stereotypical rude, obnoxious, uncaring, unsympathetic people that live there (like most of the ones I've met in my trips to NYC), then you're exactly right. In West Texas, people are kind, willing to lend a helping hand (yes, even to a stranger), and caring. People still hold doors open for people, they still help carry old ladies' groceries out to their car for them, they still mow the yard of the old guy next door. I don't suppose those from NYC would understand the concept of "carrying out groceries to the car" or "lawn."

9. Until I read some of your posts, I had never heard of Kinky Friedman. So I got on his site, read his bio, and I don't give a rat's ass. He just sounds like a creative guy that's got some publicity behind him. More power to him. He doesn't embarrass me, unlike your list.

In reference to Dr. Mabeuse's post, yes, Texas was once a republic. Texas fought for itself and won itself its freedom, just like the Colonies had 60 years earlier. I'm not sure what you mean by it being "a fact they've never gotten over." If the U.S. saw how great you were and begged you to join up with them, you'd tend to remember that too. Texas negotiated becoming a state on Texas' terms. Oh, and uh, last I checked, Texas hadn't tried to take over any continents or murder millions of people because we didn't like the way they looked.

And to Sven...right on! Texas did produce Dubya, and we're damn fuckin proud of him. I'm assuming that's not quite the sentiment you share, but that's alright, because when he's re-elected in November, us Texans will put on our cowboy hats (since EVERYBODY has one), shoot off our guns (all 99% of 'em), eat lots of beef, and piss our recycled beer on copies of the New York Times (right before we throw 'em in the fire).

Give me a little while, and I'll come up with my own list regarding Europeans. I'm assuming most all of you are Europeans, and I know you'll all just LOVE my list.

By the way, the reason Texas is so hot, flat, and dry is because this is where God started when he created the world. He started with the best (and his favorite); it just took him a little creating before he got the hang of things.

How's that for "superior?"

Okay, I've been eddycated. (hope you guessed I was doing a little chain yankin there).

I have tried to take a road trip from Florida to California (via Mississippi, Texas and New Mexico) for the last three years, but I always have either no time or no money. But I spent a couple of months on a 6,000 trip east/west over the Rockies, and by far my favorite state was the Wyoming -- and mainly because of the people. Like in Europe, the big cities and the countryside in the U.S. are two different nations.

Oh, and one last thing, Tex. Svenskaflica would be on the next flight out there to personally cut off your balls for just using the first four letters of her name, if it weren't for the fact that she's on her way to london to cut off mine for my doing the same thing about an hour ago in another thread. I'm not leaving the house...

Sub...thanks for the tip on Sven. I'll help her make her airline reservations to Texas if she'd like. Is she truly offended by cutting her name short? If so, I apologize and won't do it again. Does she just throw a fit to be bitchy? If so, I'd encourage her to "bring it on!" As is the retrosexual style, I think I can probably handle it.

By the way...LOVE London! I look forward to any chance I have to get back there!

Loving London doesn't give me much enthusiasm for your future take on Europeans Godbless.

By the way, didn't you kill the best president you've ever had? (I think that's what Dubbya was afraid of if he didn't start a war soonest.)

Anyway, this being a not political thread (Joe? Racist? the bastard) I'll invite all and sundry to take any shots you like about Europe, dun't really matter, because we come from Europe.

I think you'll actually find that the majority of thread posters are US citizens although maybe not recently.

Where's Sher when you need a poll?

Gauche

If I can calm down a bit I'll return. California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Arizona were Mexico once. Of course Mexico was concquered by Spain long before Texas became a republic.

Fuck the Alamo, and I can't believe they're making yet another movie about it. If it were not for the Mexicans in Texas it would be one of the most boring places in los estados not so unidos.

anon, perhaps,

Perdita

p.s. just look at the names of the states above, they happen to be in Spanish!

Edited: to say I won't be back. This is not worth my time or emotions. If anyone wants seriously to know more they can read some history, there's plenty out there from many pov's. (Jose: Los Lobos - ¡Sí, hombre!)

GodBlessTexas said:

Sub...thanks for the tip on Sven. I'll help her make her airline reservations to Texas if she'd like. Is she truly offended by cutting her name short? If so, I apologize and won't do it again. Does she just throw a fit to be bitchy? If so, I'd encourage her to "bring it on!" As is the retrosexual style, I think I can probably handle it.

Click to expand...

A Svenskaflicka hell-bent on separating you from your family jewels? No, you couldn't.

#L

Sub Joe said:

While hitching through the U.S., (for starters I believe this is the stem of your bases...lol) I was amazed at how little Mid-Westerners (Nebraska, Wyoming, North Dakota) knew about Europe. So we go from here to ...Texas????

Well, I realized that we're probably just as bad over here. Here's the received image of Texas I have:

(Correct me if I'm wrong):


1. Texas was stolen from Mexico.
(And the british just gave us America?)
2. It's big, dry, hot, flat and boring.
(East Texas to Georgia produces most of the lumber for the U.S...(pine...studs...Cypress and Oak) (The national forests combined in East Texas is as big as Montana)
and Boring is a state of mind among the millions doing the Two step Happily
3. Men wear big hats and boots.
(The tennis shoe sales shown for Nike~ Showed
the State of Texas as being there prime target for sales.
4. The majority are Caucasians with black hair, like Elvis. They have sideburns (mainly the men).(Must be a personal dislike)
5. They live on beef.
Deer, catfish, squirrel, shrimp, Crawfish, rabbit, dove, duck, geese, turkey and any thing else huntable
6. The whites are racist (against Mexicans, blacks).
This is a global issue I'm sure
7. They only listen to country music ( or Los Lobos -- yay!)
"Stevie Ray Vaughn...ZZ top...Emilio Estevan"
8. They hate New Yorkers, becasue they see New York as a decadent pinko fag kike spic kind of town.
And this is based on???LMAO the Picante commercial..
"New York City?"...lol
9. Kinky Friedman is an embarrasment to them.
Who is Kinky Friedman?

Click to expand...

(I understand that I should just let dogs bark because thats what they do...but gotta use a news paper every now and then when one hikes its leg in the wrong place)...he he he (~_*)

I agree, Perdita. That's why I said I don't have a problem being the minority here. I think the large Mexican population in Texas is a lot of where we get our uniqueness. This is a great place to live, and nobody can say that unless they embrace the cultural diversity that is Texas. However, I am totally offended that you don't revere the Alamo and the memory of those killed there. You might as well say "fuck Pearl Harbor" or "fuck September 11" or "fuck our veterans." I respectfully but totally disagree.

Gauche, I can only assume you are talking about JFK when saying we "killed the best president." I wish I thought you were joking, but sadly I know you're not. JFK was a charismatic man, an inspirational speaker, and a decent leader. But he wouldn't even make my top 5 "best presidents" list. He was murdered, so he has been immortalized by way too many people, regardless of the fact that he wasn't all that great of a president (my opinion, of course).

perdita said:

If I can calm down a bit I'll return. California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Arizona were Mexico once. Of course Mexico was concquered by Spain long before Texas became a republic.

Fuck the Alamo, and I can't believe they're making yet another movie about it. If it were not for the Mexicans in Texas it would be one of the most boring places in los estados not so unidos.

anon, perhaps,

Perdita

p.s. just look at the names of the states above, they happen to be in Spanish!

Click to expand...

I knew I could count on you, 'Dita. I started to reply to this thread with the same facts and sentiment earlier, but couldn't get the words to leave my fingertips properly and found myself thinking, 'Perdita would know what to say.'

Since I'm here, I'll also throw my two cents in regarding the concern about the misconceptions of Texas.

All countries, states, and geographic areas have misconceptions and stereotypes. The tourist bureau for my city has received calls asking what time the stagecoach leaves for Tucson and how much the tickets are for crying out loud. Get over it.

Re: Re: Texas Facts

LiteraryArt said:

(I understand that I should just let dogs bark because thats what they do...but gotta use a news paper every now and then when one hikes its leg in the wrong place)...he he he (~_*)

Click to expand...

So I take it you're a fellow Texan? Where from?

I found this thread very funny. Stereotypes exist everywhere. GodBlessTexas.. Chill out dude - SJ Said:

"While hitching through the U.S., I was amazed at how little Mid-Westerners (Nebraska, Wyoming, North Dakota) knew about Europe.

Well, I realized that we're probably just as bad over here. Here's the received image of Texas I have:"

He was making a joke. He put forward his list to show just how inaccurate his perceptions of Texas are, as a foil for how inaccurate the perceptions of Europe are from the midwesterners he found.

Throttle back some.

Just remember, all stereotypes have some basis in fact.

You're right, Raphy. Gettin a little too passionate over here. My response to the original post was in good humor. My fire was lit by subsequent posts. But hey, I'm not being very "well-rounded" here, so...no more antagonism

Trinity River~

I can only imagine that this gentleman (cough cough bullshit cough) Was hitch hiking through on the highways...for off in the "WOODS" Where I live on the banks of the Trinity River.
It's where heaven is. So obviously this gentleman visited the hellish side of the "MOUNTAIN"...And somebody stepped on his toe. I apologize for that...perhaps they had boots a hat and hair like Elvis and spoke with a mexican accent...LMAO Art (~_*)

Well, that's one stereotype that holds true - Texans are very passionate about being Texans. Don't apologize for it, bro If someone said the same thing about Wales, I'd reply in exactly the same way ...

I know you said you don't listen to country, but you must have heard the song 'God Bless Texas' by the country band Little Texas .. If you haven't, you oughta check it out.