Posted on 04/10/2002 5:49:46 AM PDT by serinde
When you're from Texas, people that you meet ask you questions like....
"Do you have any cows?" It's nice to be able to say yes.
They ask you, "Do you have horses?" Yup.
"Bet you got a bunch of guns, eh?" Of course.
They all want to know if you've been to Southfork. They watched "Dallas."
Have you ever looked at a map of the world? Heck, yes you have.
Look at Texas just for a second. That picture, with the Panhandle and the Gulf Coast, and the Red River and the Rio Grande is as much a part of you as anything ever will be.
As soon as anyone anywhere in the world looks at that they know what it is. It's TEXAS. Pick any kid off the street in Japan and draw him a picture of Texas in the dirt, and he'll know what it is.
What happens if I show you a picture of any other state? You'll get it sooner or later, but who else in the world would? Even if you do, does it ever stir any feelings in you?
In every man, woman and child on this little rock the Good Lord put us on, there is somewhere in them a person who wishes just once he could be a real live Texan and get up on a horse or ride in a pickup or dance at a dance hall. Did you ever hear anyone say, "Wow ... so you're from Kansas. Cool. Tell me about it."?
There is some bit of Texas in everyone. Do you know why? Because Texas is Texas.
Texas is the Alamo. Texas is 183 men standing in a church, facing thousands of Mexican nationals, fighting for freedom, who had the chance to walk out and save themselves, but stayed.
We send our kids to schools named William B. Travis and Bowie and do you know why? Because those men saw a line in the sand and they decided to be heroes. John Wayne paid to do the movie himself. That is Texas.
Texas is Sam Houston capturing Santa Anna at San Jacinto.
Texas is Juneteenth and Texas Independence Day. Texas is huge forests of Piney Woods like the Davy Crocket National Forest.
Texas is breathtaking mountains in Big Bend.
Texas is shiny skyscrapers in Houston and Dallas. Texas is the uniqueness of Austin.
Texas is a world record bass from places like Lake Fork.
Texas has the best colleges around; from Austin to Lubbock and everywhere in between.
Texas is Mexican food like nowhere in the world, even Mexico.
Texas is larger-than-life legends like Willie Nelson and Buddy Holly, Earl Campbell and Nolan Ryan, Denton Cooley and Michael DeBakey, Lyndon Johnson and two George Bushes.
Texas is great companies like Texas Instruments, Dell Computer and Compaq.
Texas is huge herds of cattle and miles of crops.
Texas is skies blackened with doves and fields full of deer.
Texas is the best barbecue anywhere. Period.
Texas is the nicest people you'll ever meet. Anywhere. Not to mention, the prettiest girls.
Texas is a place where the streets are deserted during church.
Texas is the best music, with the best musicians in the world.
Texas is beaches, deserts, lakes and rivers, mountains and prairies.
If it isn't in Texas, you don't need it. No one does anything bigger or better.
By federal law Texas is the only state in the U.S. that can fly its flag at the same height as the U.S. flag. Think about that for a second. You fly the Stars and Stripes at 20 feet in Maryland, or California, or Maine, and your state flag, whatever it is, flies at 17 feet. You fly the Stars and Stripes in front of Pine Tree High in Longview at 20 feet, and the Lone Star flies at 20 feet.
Do you know why? Our capitol is the only one in the country that is taller than the capitol building in D.C. We signed that and the flag height in as part of the deal when we came on.
That's the best part right there ... when we came on, Texas was its own country. The Republic of Texas.
Aren't you proud to be a Texan?
Don't forget the rattlesnakes. They're a part of Texas also.
BUMP!!
I remember as a kid, coming home the first day at the start of a new school year, with the biggest text book I had ever seen in my life. I was groaning about the fact that I would have to carry this thing around all year. My mom asked me what class it was for, I told her it was my Texas History textbook.
I'll always remember the smile of pride on her face when she explained to me how lucky I was. I was born and raised in a state as magnificent as Texas, with such a rich and interesting history, that the textbook had to be that big to do it any justice.
When I thought about it, I knew she was right. "Texan" is a birthright I carry as proudly with me as I do "American". My job currently has displaced me from my wonderful home state, but I look forward to the day when I can go back home to Texas.
That is funny, all MY hillbilly friends call me Texas too!
Is it any wonder that we've always had a strong "isolationalist" streak. We don't crave empire. We don't want other people's wealth. Just leave us alone to live and let live. But if you come over here to bust up our buildings and hurt our citizens, then we'll fight back--we've got a long memory, and courageous folks is all walks of life that will risk everything, including more terror, to maintain our way of life.
Also, when I was over seas, I told everyone I was from "Texas". They would look at me with big bug eyes and a huge smile, like I was from Mars or something. They would ask about South Fork, cowboy boots, horses, and on and on. It was really kinda sweet. When I lived in Turkey, I taught ESL. I took a country western cassette to class one day, and taught my students how to two-step. LOL I also made them some Mexican food. They loved it.
Texas has a great many admirable characteristics, BUT---Cajun food is better. Tex-mex isn't even in the running by comparison.
From London to York to Edinburgh, we performed and concluded each concert with a medley of Texas music...based on "Deep in the Heart" and ending with "The Eyes of Texas."
When we got to "The Eyes," we unfurled our State flag. Invariably, the UK audiences went to their feet in loud ovation!
What a great feeling, so far from home...
Greetings from Houston/ =bob=
I agree with you completely. I was in the army for a few years and stationed in Texas for all of it. I was born in CT but I still tell people I'm from TX...it's my adopted home now, I plan on moving back there when I'm done with college...but I fell in love with San Antonio. That town rocks!
Unimpressed, the other Texan says ,"that's nice, I only own four."
"Only four acres?"
"Yep, only four"
"In downtown Dallas."
But, I still have to go with Tex-Mex as my favorite........
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