Can you be a "true" Texan if you weren't born here? (Houston: taxes, to move)

[llmrkc07]

Originally Posted by L210

I was born in a foreign country because my father was in the military. Does that mean I'm not American? I don't even qualify for citizenship in my country of birth. Does that mean the people who are defending our country are having non-American babies overseas? No, it doesn't. The only qualification for being American is citizenship. Even if you aren't a citizen, if American culture is all you know, then you are American. The same logic can be applied to any location. I've been in Texas since I was a baby. That is the only state culture I know.

Your an exception..at least you were "raised" here...

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by mega man

mrfoe is trying to say that it put Texas on the "rap map".

But, yes, we've been on the actual map for centuries now.

Oh, ok.

I'm an old dude, so much of today's pop/rap scene in nowhere on my radar. I quit listening to pop music when the Beatles broke up.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by L210

I was born in a foreign country because my father was in the military. Does that mean I'm not American? I don't even qualify for citizenship in my country of birth. Does that mean the people who are defending our country are having non-American babies overseas? No, it doesn't. The only qualification for being American is citizenship. Even if you aren't a citizen, if American culture is all you know, then you are American. The same logic can be applied to any location. I've been in Texas since I was a baby. That is the only state culture I know.

Right.

The first time I lived in Texas I was six months old. My dad, like yours, was military. The second time was when I was 20. Then again when I was 25. My parents moved back to Texas in the 1980s and my husband (who was born and raised in Texas) who was also in the military and I moved back permanently in the early 1990s. I was 33.

For those unfamiliar with the US military, a huge chunk of military personnel are from Texas, so I have spent years and years - no, decades, surrounded by Texans and associating with them as neighbors and friends.

Yes, I'm a military brat and former military wife, so I've lived all over the world, but the majority of my life I have lived in Texas. I have lived in Texas off and on (mostly on) for over 27 years/

I've raised four Texans and now I have four grandchildren living in Texas. So even though I wasn't raised here, I have raised kids and grandkids here.

Um, yeah - I'm a Texan. I have zero doubt or insecurity about that fact.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by L210

I was born in a foreign country because my father was in the military. Does that mean I'm not American? I don't even qualify for citizenship in my country of birth. Does that mean the people who are defending our country are having non-American babies overseas? No, it doesn't. The only qualification for being American is citizenship. Even if you aren't a citizen, if American culture is all you know, then you are American. The same logic can be applied to any location. I've been in Texas since I was a baby. That is the only state culture I know.

Bingo.

Otherwise, is Sen. John McCain Panamanian?

I mean, that dude is just crackling with spicy Latin flavor.

[Tyryztoll]

My best friend was born in San Diego, but moved here when he was young, and there's no one I can think of that is more of a Texan than he is. He would die for this state.

[NickelsTX]

One thing I would like to add is to get the TRUE Texas experience you have to stay away from the big cities. Houston, Austin & DFW are completely different than the small to medium size cities across the state. I roll my eyes when a transplant moved to Houston 5 years ago and now thinks they are some sort of super Texan.

If you didn't do things like party in pastures or go backroading in your teenage years, you ain't Texan to me.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by NickelsTX

One thing I would like to add is to get the TRUE Texas experience you have to stay away from the big cities. Houston, Austin & DFW are completely different than the small to medium size cities across the state. I roll my eyes when a transplant moved to Houston 5 years ago and now thinks they are some sort of super Texan.

If you didn't do things like party in pastures or go backroading in your teenage years, you ain't Texan to me.

Ridiculous. So an inner city urban experience in Houston means you're not a Texan? The overly biased pro-rural crowd in the Texas forum can get quite silly.

[NickelsTX]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

Ridiculous. So an inner city urban experience in Houston means you're not a Texan? The overly biased pro-rural crowd in the Texas forum can get quite silly.

I currently live in Houston and there's not much distinctively Texan about it. It's not much different than Atlanta or any other large southern city. If you've spent most of your time within the loop, you dont know squat about this state. It's hilarious when I ask "Texan" transplants from the NE or west coast if they've floated the river this summer and they have no clue what I'm talking about.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by NickelsTX

I currently live in Houston and there's not much distinctively Texan about it. It's not much different than Atlanta or any other large southern city. If you've spent most of your time within the loop, you dont know squat about this state. It's hilarious when I ask "Texan" transplants from the NE or west coast if they've floated the river this summer and they have no clue what I'm talking about.

So does a person who spent their entire life in a small, far off West Texas town know more about Texas than the Houstonian?

[L210]

There is more than one Texas experience. Urban Texas is a part of Texas.