'White trash' Texas town written off by a professor

Daily Telegraph ^ | February 22, 2004 | Julian Coman in Washington

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Over the years, Texans have been the butt of many cruel jokes. Opponents of President George W. Bush, who grew up in Midland, Texas, love to lampoon his folksy cowboy language.

But no one has been quite as insulting as Dr Larry Sechrest, a university professor in the Texan town of Alpine.

Last month, he published a 7,000-word essay entitled "A strange little town in Texas", in a small-circulation magazine based in Washington state. Unfortunately, a couple of subscribers who live in Alpine read his indictment of his 5,000 neighbours, two of whom have responded with death threats.

"The secret problem here," Dr Sechrest wrote in the introduction, "is that the students and more generally the long-term residents of the entire area are appallingly ignorant, irrational, anti-intellectual and well, just plain stupid."

The diatribe, which appeared in Liberty, an obscure libertarian journal, was apparently inspired by a letter from a student. On reading the words "Thank you for all your patients", an exasperated Dr Sechrest put pen to paper. "Here, one has poor white trash and poor Mexican trash socialising with each other," he wrote. "Here, the lowest common denominators get together to pro-create."

There was more. "Many of the kids are only a notch above retardation," he said. "The students here are among the worst... anywhere. I am prepared to defend to the death the proposition that this area of Texas generally is the proud home of some of the dumbest clods on the planet."

As an economics professor, Dr Sechrest had tried to interest the residents in theories of capital markets but most were interested only in "football, beer, sex and church".

Now he says: "The article was a Mark Twain sort of thing. I can't believe there's such anger."

[international american]

"Some tell Larry Sechrest that the Who' Who thing is marketing ploy. They stick your name in it and then try to get you to buy a copy. Its not the Nobel Prize."

We don't have to tell him, he knows damn well it is a marketing ploy. The irony is there are some scholars that are so worthy of merit that they get to stay in even if they don't buy the book. My mom and dad stayed in despite the fact they never bought the publication...........................ROTFLMAO!!
And good point:)

[international american]

What do you teach, DL??

[moyden2000]

After reading the article, I think he probably makes some good points. Sul Ross is a rodeo school for cowboys and girls who want to chase cowboys, many of whom could not hack it at a major university. Academics are not a priority.

We had a Sul Ross graduate where I work for a time. Nice guy, but his grammar was indeed atrocious. It was embarassing to read the e-mails that he sent to our customers.

Just for the record, I'm a graduate of Texas A&M. Sul Ross is part of the A&M system.

[international american]

I am a right wing Reagan Republican....and we have plenty more to say:)

[Tax-chick]

LOL! I've been to Alpine, too, on a trip to the Big Bend that turned into a hunt across West Texas for a Toyota alternator. "Don't y'all have A 'merican car?" (For the record, ONE Japanese alternator between El Paso and San Antonio.) Long story ...

Anyway, Alpine is a nice litte town. The people there were friendly and really wanted to help, and put us on the trail of the people who really had the mythic Japanese Alternator. And Sul Ross State, or whatever it's calling itself these days, is a well-landscaped school with pretty good petroleum engineering and geology programs, giving at least a start at higher education to folks on the back side of the Southwest.

It's interesting that the article tries to trash Midland and the President totally out of context, too.

[Rockpile]

I completely agree with your observations. Perhaps it's time for Sechrest to move on to more congenial climes where all the students will qualify to sit at the feet of a modern Colossus of Academe such as himself.

Actually, I speculate that he have been trying to Make his Mark in company of distracting fellow educators such as Professor James Beam and Professor John Daniels. But hey, what do I know? I'm a mere un-diplomaed, blue-collar rural hick who could have sent his kids to Sul Ross--it's in driving range--had they wanted to go there.

[Conspiracy Guy]

If one is too good for those around oneself. One should seek out one's own kind. He is probably much more embarassing to them than they are to him.

CG

[international american]

"If one is too good for those around oneself. One should seek out one's own kind. He is probably much more embarassing to them than they are to him."

I would take that to the bank!

Your wisdom never fails to impress me.

[archy]

Only two? I'd say that's pretty tolerant of them.

I don't recall ever having been in Alpine; I'd have to look at a couple of maps to jog my memory, but if I recall correctly, Alpine is up north in the Big Bend area. Down around Cleburne was more to my liking.

So I don't take the guy's comments about Alpine personally based on my having been a resident thereabouts. Still, it strikes me they must have a shortage of tall trees and short ropes for him not to be gone yet.

If I lived in Alpine, I'd gladly make it three.

Make that four.

[Tall_Texan]

(Concrete shoes, cyanide, TNT! Done dirt cheap! Neckties, contracts, high voltage...Done dirt cheap!)

Do you have a bulk rate, like perhaps for the entire DNC?

[archy]

Do you have a bulk rate, like perhaps for the entire DNC?

First off, we've got to get some little red caps for everyone in Texas not wearing a Stetson:

[I got the rope]

I wish I was a fly on the wall at Sul Ross State University when he tried to fill these students with his liberal bull$hit. Anytime a liberal calls anyone stupid or dumb you can guarantee that someone got the better of them in a debate.

[Conspiracy Guy]

In the wisdom account, I am close to getting overdrawn. I better get the deposits up before I bounce a check.

CG

[Rebelbase]

I wanted to go to UTEP/Alpine for my undergraduate geology field course. Looks like a great area for that kind of thing.

Ended up in the Shenandoah Valley looking at road cuts.

[Rebelbase]

....Think it was Sul Ross, not UTEP.

[Redbob]

"He is probably resentful that he has not been called upon by the common people to solve all their problems or direct their daily lives."

My guess would be that he has offered to do so, frequently, and been rebuffed.
Dumb as they are (?), they're not dumb enough to listen to this "professor."

[MississippiMan]

Quite a pair o' man-breasts he has going there.

MM