Uh-oh. I have mixed emotions about Texas. On the one hand, I love the independence of the people and their innate conservatism. On the other hand, I end up arguing a lot with the Odd Confederacy of Texas Seceshers. The damn fools are going to get themselves and a lot of other Texans killed. In case they haven’t noticed, the people with the bigger guns usually win. But say whatever you want, you just can’t get them to stop dreaming about the Glory of the Bloody Arm of Goliad.
Gandhi is one of the few politicians who got it more or less right. It isn’t enough to want to go your own way. You’ve got to convince the other side to be eager to be rid of you.
No, most of us don’t affiliate with those groups. The more level-headed ones we tolerate because most of them have good intentions and a good heart. The more radical, Koresh-level nutcases are out there, too, but we try to ignore them. Anyone with a mindset of “Seceed-or-Die!” and/or “Let-Me-Go-Or-I’ll-Kill-You!” should be shipped off to D.C. along with the Austinites. ;-)
Now, don’t be mistaken, though. The Bloody Field of Goliad and the honor of the Texicans who were slaughtered there (and at the Alamo) is sacred. Don’t be mixing that up in the same paragraph as the Overzealous Nutwings or we’ll be here all day bickering about it. Sometimes Texans passing through Goliad who aren’t even Catholic will do a sign-of-the-Cross gesture and mutter a butchered version of the Hail Mary, just out of respect and reverence. Me, included. :-)