2009 Bashing Texas Or Not

I started my Eyes on Texas website way back in early 2001. I was not yet 2 years into my Exile in Texas. At that time I was still adjusting to Texas, trying to understand things like Dry, Wet and Damp. Perplexed by being unable to use American currency to buy a hot dog at the State Fair of Texas or any random street fair. Little things like that. At that point in time I could still be shocked by areas of Third World-like poverty that one sees when one drives through some parts of Texas.

So, when I started my Eyes on Texas website I made a webpage on which I collected examples of Texas Bashing and solicited for more Texas Bashing, or Counter-Texas Bashing.

The intro to the Texas Bashing webpage---Texas Bashing is a national phenomenon to which Texans take extreme umbrage. Texans have no way of seeing themselves the way the rest of the country, or world sees them. To a Texan bragging about Texas seems a perfectly natural thing to do. From early grade school Texans are propagandized with a theme summarized by the phrase 'Texas Proud'. To a non-Texan, particularly a Yankee, and most particularly a West Coaster, Texas Pride can seem a bit delusional. Very few Texans seem to understand that it is their 'Texas Pride' which provokes most of the Texas Bashing.

It has been years since I've paid any attention to that webpage or received any Texas Bashing or Counter-Texas Bashing.

Til yesterday. I got a very heartfelt Counter-Texas Bashing from a Texan named Jason who is currently stationed outside his preferred location, that being Texas. Below is what Jason had to say....

"Firstly, I'm not sure why a website so thoroughly devoted to Texas, it's legends, history, culture, and lore can be created and maintained by an admitted transplant and still thought to be objective. It goes from defending the state to criticizing it so often I really can't tell what side of the proverbial fence the author is on, though I get the feeling they aren't Texas' biggest supporters, so I wonder what drives them to create and maintain this site. I roamed the different pages, especially those about my home town of Dallas. It was interesting, but at times a bit aggravating. I'm glad you made Texas your home, I'm one of the "Texas Proud" you mention, I suppose. Although I don't think I am such a braggart about it unless people ask or I am provoked.

As for the "bashing", there seems to be a lot of people saying that Texas is backwards, arrogant, red-neck, gun crazed, blah blah blah... we've heard all that nonsense before. People can say what they will about my fair state and the people that come from it. I was born and raised in Dallas for 23 years of my short life. Since leaving to go to graduate school I have lived in North Carolina (the mid-state and the mountains), Southern California, and Upstate New York. I spend significant amounts of time in Manhattan NY, Orange County CA, and all across the Midwest. Currently I live in Asheville, NC which is a beautiful mountain country about 1 hour east of the Tennessee boarder on I-40. All that is to say that in all the climates, with all the differences in culture, atmosphere, people, taxes, traffic etc., and with all the negative things these people want to say about the Lone Star State, having been all around the continent, Texas is still my first choice of places I would like to live. It's a job that keeps my in North Carolina, but after all my wanderings, my heart still belongs to Texas."

Jason