Bible belt and tollerance (Houston, Dallas: movies, tax, living)

[Philip T]

Aww, cmon, what are you all complaining about somebody from the outside being a little cautious about the religious nutcases, here?

We really do have some nutcases, and we sort of tend to put them on a pedestal before we figure out they actually belong in a freak show . . .

Recent ones that come to mind . . .

David Koresh
Jim Hagee
George Bush

but the list goes on and on. I used to blame the heat. But now everyone has air-conditioning, and even the crazy folks hang out in the cool public library -- so I do not know what causes it.

Here is how to handle the Bible Thumpers --

When anyone asks, tell them you are: (rotate through these and see what stories you hear back)

Jehovah's Witness
Atheist
Pagan
Vampire

and my favorite:

A zombie and (said as one word) nowareamongthewalkingundeadnotunlikeourrisensavior andlordjesuschristpraisehisholynameamen.

That usually cures and calms down most of the Bible Beater natives.

It is a joke. Treat it as such.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Philip T

Aww, cmon, what are you all complaining about somebody from the outside being a little cautious about the religious nutcases, here?

We really do have some nutcases, and we sort of tend to put them on a pedestal before we figure out they actually belong in a freak show . . .

Recent ones that come to mind . . .

David Koresh
Jim Hagee
George Bush

but the list goes on and on. I used to blame the heat. But now everyone has air-conditioning, and even the crazy folks hang out in the cool public library -- so I do not know what causes it.

Here is how to handle the Bible Thumpers --

When anyone asks, tell them you are: (rotate through these and see what stories you hear back)

Jehovah's Witness
Atheist
Pagan
Vampire

and my favorite:

A zombie and (said as one word) nowareamongthewalkingundeadnotunlikeourrisensavior andlordjesuschristpraisehisholynameamen.

That usually cures and calms down most of the Bible Beater natives.

It is a joke. Treat it as such.

*snickers* In other words, it is proof positive that a post can be clever, but not very wise...? As we say in Texas, if the shoe fits, wear it.

Who was it (some smart feller) that said something like, "the problem with those who believe in nothing is that they will believe in anything..."?

Oh well, I don't think the Bible Belt get too tarnished by the fact fools on both sides live amongst us....

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by wehotex

Good post. you definitely back up what you say i've pondered the same question as to why so many riots (what we think of as riots) happen more in the north than in the south/west coast. i was there in the 92 LA riots and think that it's b/c those areas are/have been more permissive. if similar events (riots, not demonstrations) had happened in the South, it would have meant hanging, vigilanteism in southern states. In other areas of the country, they have law enforcement. but they don't lose their lives from stealing a television, microwave oven. in texas and the south, they are more "open" about their prejudices like saying "hey mexican, hey n-word" if you upset them, not asking you to lunch, etc. in my fifteen years in calif, i never experienced anything like that. i would have to agree with you about northerners being prejudiced, but they're more subtle about it except if they're among their own. my texas experiences are from 20 years ago. maybe things have changed since then?

Thank you in turn for a courteous reply.

I can never quite explain it to a non-Southerner, but the fact that blacks and whites may "segregate" themselves from one another is, and has been for at least 30 years, a voluntary thing. Jim Crow laws are dead...and should be.

BUT...and I will swear this for sure, there is SOMETHING in the relationship of black and white Southerners that bonds the latter with the former, in many ways, culturally, more than could ever be the case with those from the northeast or west coast.

Maybe it is because we both know how to catfish together. And fry it and eat it. And say "y'all"....

[BobTex]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

Thank you in turn for a courteous reply.

I can never quite explain it to a non-Southerner, but the fact that blacks and whites may "segregate" themselves from one another is, and has been for at least 30 years, a voluntary thing. Jim Crow laws are dead...and should be.

BUT...and I will swear this for sure, there is SOMETHING in the relationship of black and white Southerners that bonds the latter with the former, in many ways, culturally, more than could ever be the case with those from the northeast or west coast.

Maybe it is because we both know how to catfish together. And fry it and eat it. And say "y'all"....

TR, I rarely visit this site anymore but I did drop in here and gravitated to this thread. I salute you for your every post in this thread, I couldn't have said it better (so obviously I won't try).

I fought a few typed battles here over similar topics a while back when the site was new and maybe more specifically in defense of East Texas and the way many other "Texans" will run her into the ground! "Progressives" ... since when did progress mean stomping underfoot the wisdoms and morals of our elders????????

Anyway, again, salute ... you mirrored my sentiments!

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by BobTex

TR, I rarely visit this site anymore but I did drop in here and gravitated to this thread. I salute you for your every post in this thread, I couldn't have said it better (so obviously I won't try).

I fought a few typed battles here over similar topics a while back when the site was new and maybe more specifically in defense of East Texas and the way many other "Texans" will run her into the ground! "Progressives" ... since when did progress mean stomping underfoot the wisdoms and morals of our elders????????

Anyway, again, salute ... you mirrored my sentiments!

Thank you in turn, sir, for your kind words!

[Hyun-Soo]

Obviously you are just going along with the stereotypes. You have probably not been here.

Texas is VERY tolerant for a Southern "Christian" state. The Mexicans and the "Anglos" here have always gotten along.... [Compared to what went on in California]

Texas is very liberal in the cities of course.
You won't have to worry about tolerance.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by Hyun-Soo

Obviously you are just going along with the stereotypes. You have probably not been here.

Texas is VERY tolerant for a Southern "Christian" state. The Mexicans and the "Anglos" here have always gotten along.... [Compared to what went on in California]

Texas is very liberal in the cities of course.
You won't have to worry about tolerance.

excuse me!, texas is VERY LIBERAL!? what are you smoking? my people have been here 5 generations. i think that i know very well of what i'm talking about. what exactly are you talking about that went on in calif between the anglos and mexicans? it surely does not top forced segregation in public places, housing, churches, etc. sure LA had its "zoot suit" riots but that was caused by drunken sailors from other parts of the country. i don't like to dwell on those things b/c it is not was going on now. but for someone fr macon, georgia to tell me that texas is liberal and has been a place where anglos and mexicans have always gotten along, i just have to represent. you need to read about what happened after to the "tejanos", texans of mex descent who fought for the republic and then thrown out to dry when the anglos took over everything. from that point on, most mex americans didn't have many opportunities until the 1960s

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by wehotex

excuse me!, texas is VERY LIBERAL!? what are you smoking? my people have been here 5 generations. i think that i know very well of what i'm talking about. what exactly are you talking about that went on in calif between the anglos and mexicans? it surely does not top forced segregation in public places, housing, churches, etc. sure LA had its "zoot suit" riots but that was caused by drunken sailors from other parts of the country. i don't like to dwell on those things b/c it is not was going on now. but for someone fr macon, georgia to tell me that texas is liberal and has been a place where anglos and mexicans have always gotten along, i just have to represent. you need to read about what happened after to the "tejanos", texans of mex descent who fought for the republic and then thrown out to dry when the anglos took over everything. from that point on, most mex americans didn't have many opportunities until the 1960s

Wehotex? Is there ANY place in the world that does not have its own form and history of "injustice" (as subjectively defined?). I might even agree that the Mexicans who fought on the side of the Texas Anglo's in the Texas Revolution later faced some harsh and unwarranted treatment. And that is was shameful that the United States did not live up to treaty obligations made with the Indians. And all of us remember the Jim Crow laws in the South...

BUT...why do those memories ALWAYS seem to be a one way street?

In certain parts of the SW, the Mexican Flag is given prominence over that of the U.S. And whites are discrimated against. Being told to "move east into "your" own country..." *sighs*

Africans sold their own into slavery and there were free black slaveholders in the day.

The American Indians? They regularly "stole and raided" each other, and committed atrocities that would make a medivial torturer/executioner throw up.

You seem like a very reasonable and intelligent person, WehoTex, so all I am saying is, identify the saints before you label the sinners....

[hamiltonpl]

Originally Posted by bresilhac

I would accept the conservative comments on here with a grain of salt if I were you. Remember, it was these wise conservatives that voted for George W. Bush not once but twice for governor. I come from a state that is not unlike Texas in many ways. One of which is that you'll find many more religiously, culturally tolerant people in the major cities than in the countryside. This is how it is in Virginia where the country folk seem a step behind people in Northern Virginia.

I guess the entire United States could be referred to in the same manner, since we voted for George W. Bush, not once but twice for President.

[Huckleberry3911948]

Originally Posted by mxj9797

Considering Texas is in the bible belt and the Jesus preached about loving thy neighboor why is so much of Texas so segregated and racist? Aside from Austin, SA and Houston it appears to be a lack of appreciation for other cultures and ideas ie interacial ralatinships, liberal ideas. Can someone give me there opinion on this topic. Im from Los Angeles and am thinking of moving to Texas but am a little nervous i may be in for a serious culture shock

is this one of those posts that start about texas (i love texas esp the sunsets) and then switches to race. and then i respond and i get a red dot?
stephen s
san deigo ca