Poll: Why do some southerners try to pretend TX is the South? (West: earthquake, live)

[adam.g.harpool]

That's a completely erroneous poll because the last time that I checked, Texas was in the South. It's not Mississippi, but it sure as hell isn't Arizona or California, either, and in terms of culture and politics, I would place it far closer to bordering Louisiana than bordering New Mexico.

Let's go down the list:

• Texas has one of the biggest Southern accents, and anybody who says otherwise clearly hasn't been there or ever heard George W. Bush open his mouth. You don't hear that accent anywhere else in the real Southwest/West. I don't have an accent, and when I was there people would occasionally tell me that I "talked Northern", whatever the hell that means.
• They were most definitely in the Confederacy
• Need I even mention the politics?
• Most importantly of all, most Texans themselves say that they're Southerners. There have been polls along those lines, and the state practically exudes "Southern pride"

I'm not from the state and I'm not a Southerner, but I did live in Houston for a period and it was definitely Southern to me. I never for a day thought that I was in the West, and I can't imagine how anybody in their right mind would ever confuse Houston or Dallas for Tucson or Denver culturally, historically, and politically. People in the rural areas of Texas that I visited had such a thick accent that I had trouble understanding them at times!

However, I did get to visit El Paso once and I will say that that corner of TX really did feel like the pure desert Southwest, but that's a rather negligible area in terms of proportion of the state.

[Neutre]

Why isn't this thread moved to the Texas Forum?

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by houstoner

I'm on the fence on this way. I definitely see Texas's southern roots, but at the same time I think too that Texas is just Texas.

I think we all agree on that. Texas being Texas, that is. My only contention -- which I will argue till doomsday -- is that that Texas belongs to the South when it comes to drawing regional maps based on deep considerations.

Just curious, Reb, what do you say to the southerners who don't feel that Texas is part of the South? I got that a lot living in Louisiana. Many felt that Texas was that place somewhere out west where they ride horses and wear cowboys and talk loud and act uncouth, not unlike our Yankee friends to the North! And they really didn't seem to know what to make of a city slicker from Texas. They were pretty unfamiliar with our cities, but very familiar with Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, etc.

I hear you, Houston! LOL My own family roots are deep in Mississippi and Alabama...and I have distant cousins and good friends there. One of them is what I consider a "Deep South Purist". That is, she considers "the South" to consist of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia! Anything else is either sorta or kinda or wannabe. That includes Louisiana and South Carolina.

I have even pressed her on it, and she stands solid.

Lord a mercy....

At THAT point? What do I say? I just say something like: I wish all them Texas boys knew they weren't Southern before they went off and did all that good fightin'! Even she (and others of her stripe...god love her) ackowledges that!

But anyway, Texas is Southern, at essence. And when someone says it isn't, my response is to ask them to step up to the plate and present the reasons WHY it isn't. Usually, this turns into a very good and amicable discussion.

A few trolls and loonies not withstanding, of course...!

[Scott Summers]

To the OP, what city part of Texas are you from and why do you bring up the dental and prestige thing? I guess you're pretty serious about this thing but you have to present better facts to make your case solid.

[snowthedirtbub]

This is one of the reasons why I have a very dislike of Texas, they are so full of themselves.

According to this map Texas is in the south....http://www.achrnews.com/NEWS/Protect...al-map1204.gif

[Scott Summers]

Originally Posted by snowthedirtbub

This is one of the reasons why I have a very dislike of Texas, they are so full of themselves.

According to this map Texas is in the south....http://www.achrnews.com/NEWS/Protect...al-map1204.gif

Does TX have anything in common with the Southwest (what's your opinion)? This poll was something else I think. No offense to my TX people on here but TX would get murdered in the one up category if this was TX vs The South in everything so why even go there (to TXguy2009). I just want to say that I was making a point and not dissing TX or it's people.

[snowthedirtbub]

Originally Posted by Scott Summers

Does TX have anything in common with the Southwest (what's your opinion)?

There has to be something, nothing really comes to mind at the moment, I think it has more things in common with the south then the southwest.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by snowthedirtbub

This is one of the reasons why I have a very dislike of Texas, they are so full of themselves.

According to this map Texas is in the south....http://www.achrnews.com/NEWS/Protect...al-map1204.gif

Negativity can sometimes be a good case, and you do back up my point. That is, that folks in Arizona and New Mexico tend to shun any sense of "Southwestern" kinship with Texas. Likewise, us with y'all.

Southwest and its definition is a whole different critter when it comes to the former and the latter!

[adam.g.harpool]

Originally Posted by snowthedirtbub

There has to be something, nothing really comes to mind at the moment, I think it has more things in common with the south then the southwest.

The only Southwestern similarity that I can think of is a significant Hispanic population. But that's absolutely it. I just don't understand people who try to group Texas in with California and Arizona, but I would like to hear their explanation.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Scott Summers

Does TX have anything in common with the Southwest (what's your opinion)? This poll was something else I think. No offense to my TX people on here but TX would get murdered in the one up category if this was TX vs The South in everything so why even go there (to TXguy2009). I just want to say that I was making a point and not dissing TX or it's people.

Speaking as a Texan, I know exactly what you are saying. And no disrespect taken.

Again though, don't think this guy speaks for Texans via our relationship with our southeastern cousins. We are proud to be a part of the Southern family unit!