The nation's obsession with Texas? (Orange, Center: 2014, crimes, law)

[Sunderpig2]

The people most outspoken about Texas - i.e. against it - are usually those who have never been to the state, and are forming their opinions based on the media, news, and flat-out incorrect assumptions. They're also the type of folks who have nothing better to do with their time than bash anything and everything different from them.

Of course, if we pay attention to them, they they win and get the attention they seek. The best thing to do is ignore them, and not waste time picking through their garbage.

We need to look at ourselves too and see that many Texans get "obsessed" about things that other states are puzzled by.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by Sunderpig2

The people most outspoken about Texas - i.e. against it - are usually those who have never been to the state, and are forming their opinions based on the media, news, and flat-out incorrect assumptions. They're also the type of folks who have nothing better to do with their time than bash anything and everything different from them.

Of course, if we pay attention to them, they they win and get the attention they seek. The best thing to do is ignore them and not waste time picking through their garbage.

Actually there is sense in which I don't mind the bad publicity because it makes people less inclined to move to Texas. They think it's a bad state and for a lot of people the culture is too much for them. Texas will never be that popular and that's not a bad thing.

[Texas Ag 93]

Yesterday, I was dropping my kid off at an event in League City, and there was a big dualie pick up truck parked in front of me, and in the back of the truck, he had two oversized flags on poles- one was a Texas flag, and the other was a Confederate battle flag.

To me, that is the type of stereotypical braggadocio that makes people dislike Texas, and something that when seen by a non-Texan, seems to almost instantly negate the other 10 good things about Texas they may have seen that day.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by Texas Ag 93

Yesterday, I was dropping my kid off at an event in League City, and there was a big dualie pick up truck parked in front of me, and in the back of the truck, he had two oversized flags on poles- one was a Texas flag, and the other was a Confederate battle flag.

To me, that is the type of stereotypical braggadocio that makes people dislike Texas, and something that when seen by a non-Texan, seems to almost instantly negate the other 10 good things about Texas they may have seen that day.

Yes. They focus on that and forget the other liberal things they've seen throughout their stay in Texas cities that are similar to any other city on the coasts. I would say the fact that there is that kind of guy shows just how diverse the Texas political landscape is. He doesn't feel threatened to not engage in that bold display of right wing politics. I guess that's the independently live and let live ethos of Texas that people miss.

[Texas Ag 93]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

Yes. They focus on that and forget the other liberal things they've seen throughout their stay in Texas cities that are similar to any other city on the coasts. I would say the fact that there is that kind of guy shows just how diverse the Texas political landscape is. He doesn't feel threatened to not engage in that bold display of right wing politics. I guess that's the independently live and let live ethos of Texas that people miss.

True. Those are good points. And that "live and let live mindset" exists in a lot of the states in West, even though many of those states (Colorado, for instance), get erroneously painted as liberal across the board.

[katygirl68]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

Actually there is sense in which I don't mind the bad publicity because it makes people less inclined to move to Texas. They think it's a bad state and for a lot of people the culture is too much for them. Texas will never be that popular and that's not a bad thing.

That's what I would love to think too, but after reading nearly all the comments on that NYT article, I worry that my children will have a hard time being taken seriously for jobs in other parts of the country because there are so many people who call them uneducated rubes who didn't even learn evolution in school (they did) and believe all sorts of things about Texas that are not true. They are the ones who sound ignorant, but they have already prejudged all of us based on hate and don't even realize it. They are bigots of the worst sort who think WE are the bigots.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by katygirl68

That's what I would love to think too, but after reading nearly all the comments on that NYT article, I worry that my children will have a hard time being taken seriously for jobs in other parts of the country because there are so many people who call them uneducated rubes who didn't even learn evolution in school (they did) and believe all sorts of things about Texas that are not true. They are the ones who sound ignorant, but they have already prejudged all of us based on hate and don't even realize it. They are bigots of the worst sort who think WE are the bigots.

That is a big struggle for any southerner trying to make it on the coasts. There will always be a prejudgment by them until they hear you recant all the things they find deplorable about the south. Once you show them that you're actually like them (liberal, lax morals, less religious) then you will fit in. It's made worse for Texans because we take most of the brunt of any distaste of the South by being the loudest and proudest of the bunch.

Here in LA I've had the usual run ins with co-workers about Texas and the south in general. Their preconceived notions are all off and they only respect Austin. Only people that I've met that give any credence to the other cities in Texas (such as Dallas and Houston) are African Americans, who actually care little about visiting the hipster kingdom of Austin.

So yes, there is the initial cautious approach coastal folk have of southerners in general but Texans most of all. They think they have to feel you out, vet you to see you're not an Alex Jones type or a Yosemite Sam. Once you've proven to them (or cleverly hidden your true views) that you're not proud to be Texan then you're in. You also have to be amazed at everything coastal cities offer. I mean just think it's the latest and greatest thing. You have to act as though they don't have any of things they enjoy in coastal cities back home. They won't believe you if you say they do or think it's somehow out of spite.

[Soonhun]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

That is a big struggle for any southerner trying to make it on the coasts. There will always be a prejudgment by them until they hear you recant all the things they find deplorable about the south. Once you show them that you're actually like them (liberal, lax morals, less religious) then you will fit in. It's made worse for Texans because we take most of the brunt of any distaste of the South by being the loudest and proudest of the bunch.

Here in LA I've had the usual run ins with co-workers about Texas and the south in general. Their preconceived notions are all off and they only respect Austin. Only people that I've met that give any credence to the other cities in Texas (such as Dallas and Houston) are African Americans, who actually care little about visiting the hipster kingdom of Austin.

So yes, there is the initial cautious approach coastal folk have of southerners in general but Texans most of all. They think they have to feel you out, vet you to see you're not an Alex Jones type or a Yosemite Sam. Once you've proven to them (or cleverly hidden your true views) that you're not proud to be Texan then you're in. You also have to be amazed at everything coastal cities offer. I mean just think it's the latest and greatest thing. You have to act as though they don't have any of things they enjoy in coastal cities back home. They won't believe you if you say they do or think it's somehow out of spite.

I had the exact same experience in New England (Mostly the Boston CSA area). Granted, I met very few African Americans, but the ones I met were more respectful towards Texas (as in not rude). Most Asian Americans I met there were the same, which is odd, since a lot of Asian Americans I met on the West Coast had the same negative preconceived notions about Texas.

This is rude, so apologies, but when someone says something like "I could never live in Texas, except maybe Austin," I know I should stop wasting my time with the person. At least with certain topics. In most cases, they have never been in Texas, except maybe in the airport, and in others, they have only been to Austin, to begin with.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by Parhe

I had the exact same experience in New England (Mostly the Boston CSA area). Granted, I met very few African Americans, but the ones I met were more respectful towards Texas (as in not rude). Most Asian Americans I met there were the same, which is odd, since a lot of Asian Americans I met on the West Coast had the same negative preconceived notions about Texas.

This is rude, so apologies, but when someone says something like "I could never live in Texas, except maybe Austin," I know I should stop wasting my time with the person. At least with certain topics. In most cases, they have never been in Texas, except maybe in the airport, and in others, they have only been to Austin, to begin with.

I lived in Boston too and people were outright rude with letting me know that Texas disgusted them. One lady didn't know I was from there and she was saying stuff like don't ever move to Texas and that she drove through it and thought it was just awful, awful people. I was floored. Another person asked me where I was from and I said, Texas and they were like eww I'm sorry.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by katygirl68

That's what I would love to think too, but after reading nearly all the comments on that NYT article, I worry that my children will have a hard time being taken seriously for jobs in other parts of the country because there are so many people who call them uneducated rubes who didn't even learn evolution in school (they did) and believe all sorts of things about Texas that are not true. They are the ones who sound ignorant, but they have already prejudged all of us based on hate and don't even realize it. They are bigots of the worst sort who think WE are the bigots.

Originally Posted by Parhe

I had the exact same experience in New England (Mostly the Boston CSA area). Granted, I met very few African Americans, but the ones I met were more respectful towards Texas (as in not rude). Most Asian Americans I met there were the same, which is odd, since a lot of Asian Americans I met on the West Coast had the same negative preconceived notions about Texas.

This is rude, so apologies, but when someone says something like "I could never live in Texas, except maybe Austin," I know I should stop wasting my time with the person. At least with certain topics. In most cases, they have never been in Texas, except maybe in the airport, and in others, they have only been to Austin, to begin with.

Both of these are absolutely dead on.