Why Are People ALWAYS Bashing Texas & Houston? (Lubbock: friendly, company)

[TX_AGGIE13]

There is no true way to research a topic such as "Which State is the Best" etc.... It's all personal perception. Most of the people who bash Texas from what I have seen do it because Texans have alot of pride, and are self absorbed to an extent with their home State. I for one am in that category. Others because they feel in competition for that title, or think their State is such. Some because they don't like the steriotype of "cowboy, hard attitude, conservative, republican, etc..." which isn't the true color af all Texas, but I can deffinately assure you that in a major way it still is. I like how many people say that Texas isn't this and that when it comes to the traditional steriotype, but they are wrong. Maybe not all of Texas is, but there are still many "old school" ranchers, oil, big money, politics, christian conservitives, even to the point of unacceptance towards certain modern liberal beliefs.....I am one of them.

Bottom line is that to me Texas could be heaven on earth, and no one can make any argument to sway my thinking. Also any such effort simply put could verbaly get you a "boot up your ole'"...lol. On the other hand though I probably will not be able to convince a Chicago resident that Houston is better than Chicago, or a Californian that Texas is better that California, and honestly I don't want to. The happier alternative thinking to my opinion is in it's own place the happier I am. I also don't have any need to tell someone that where they live isn't as good as where I live because im not trying to put them down, does me no good, but if someone from somewhere else places their two cents in about my home I have no problems going into an attack mode just to irritate them. I guess that's just the Fightin Texan in me.

I may sound shallow, but I assure you im not. I just am happy with my home, and have no problems taking up for it. I have lived in DC, WY, FL, and even Brazil. I have found things I LOVE about everywhere I have had the privlidge of living and traveling, in some cases many of these places have things things that take the cake over Texas. I guess the old saying "Home is where your heart is" though for me plays true.

[grindin]

Originally Posted by TX_AGGIE13

There is no true way to research a topic such as "Which State is the Best" etc.... It's all personal perception. Most of the people who bash Texas from what I have seen do it because Texans have alot of pride, and are self absorbed to an extent with their home State. I for one am in that category. Others because they feel in competition for that title, or think their State is such. Some because they don't like the steriotype of "cowboy, hard attitude, conservative, republican, etc..." which isn't the true color af all Texas, but I can deffinately assure you that in a major way it still is. I like how many people say that Texas isn't this and that when it comes to the traditional steriotype, but they are wrong. Maybe not all of Texas is, but there are still many "old school" ranchers, oil, big money, politics, christian conservitives, even to the point of unacceptance towards certain modern liberal beliefs.....I am one of them.

Bottom line is that to me Texas could be heaven on earth, and no one can make any argument to sway my thinking. Also any such effort simply put could verbaly get you a "boot up your ole'"...lol. On the other hand though I probably will not be able to convince a Chicago resident that Houston is better than Chicago, or a Californian that Texas is better that California, and honestly I don't want to. The happier alternative thinking to my opinion is in it's own place the happier I am. I also don't have any need to tell someone that where they live isn't as good as where I live because im not trying to put them down, does me no good, but if someone from somewhere else places their two cents in about my home I have no problems going into an attack mode just to irritate them. I guess that's just the Fightin Texan in me.

I may sound shallow, but I assure you im not. I just am happy with my home, and have no problems taking up for it. I have lived in DC, WY, FL, and even Brazil. I have found things I LOVE about everywhere I have had the privlidge of living and traveling, in some cases many of these places have things things that take the cake over Texas. I guess the old saying "Home is where your heart is" though for me plays true.

Well said

[Metro Matt]

I could really care less about what non-Texans think of Texas. The same people that bash our great state are the ones moving here for work in these hard economic times while their cities & state are declining.

Texas will always be Texas no matter what outside influences may come. We shouldn't change (most over used word of 08) our ways & beliefs just to accommodate a non native Texan. The last thing we want to be is the next California.

[AKgirlinCA]

Originally Posted by sav858

It's like a never ending back and forth here. On one end you have some very proud and boastful posters about Houston along with others that can get overly defensive at an objective comment. Then you have those that are just really negative and bash Houston based on stereotypes or exaggerate about its negative qualities, which all cities have, and that just sets the Houston and TX people off, but for good reason. Then you have those that give objective criticisms of TX but b/c the natives are all riled up from those other posters and their unwarranted hating on Houston they just go after anyone that criticizes Houston and that just helps continue a viscous back and forth cycle. Also some Houston posters need to learn to take some objective criticisms of their city and at least recognize the negative qualities about it and not get so defensive from simple comments such as "I don't like Houston".

Every place has good and bad qualities about it, some people will prefer certain types of places while some people can be open minded and adapt anywhere. But if some people could have a little more tact and realize that not all places are 100% bad and at least recognize its positive attributes then the constant back and forth wouldn't occur so often.

I never really much of a good opinion on Houston but now I do and see its positive qualities that I never realized and it does seem to have more going on that people give it credit for. Obviously if some people love it as much as they do then its probably a perfectly fine place to live. Yes some don't like it there but I don't see that % of people any higher than other more popular cities. Also I think what 'Goozer' said earlier about Houston not having some of those popular special characteristics like old architecture, history, nice climate, scenery, etc... and it not being a popular tourist destination will cause some people not to recognize the good things about it. But living wise, its seems like one of the best places to live right now overall.

You are one of the most defensive posters of SoCal on the CA forum! Kind of interesting to see you say this....

[Stone1]

The wife and I have been to Texas a few times and think it is great. We have only been through Houston once but my first impression was it seemed clean and nice, now keep in mind we only passed through stopped for lunch, a oil change and then on the road again so we did not see much.

[Worldbfree007]

I read the first couple pages of this thread.....that's 15 minutes i'll never get back. who the hell cares?!?!! I dont care if people from Chicago or NYC dont like Houston....seriously who cares?!?! Just look at the numbers, Houston is growing twice as fast as Chicago. People move here in droves...enough said.

[D-Towner]

Transplants come to Texas because of its Great Economy. Many come and a few of them insist on bashing the state that they now live in and talking about great their old place was. Obviously, Texas has its faults (hot and humid summers, etc...), but all in all I think the majority of Texans find that their state is the best.

[jrbaytown]

Originally Posted by WestbankNOLA

The only negative thing I have to say about Houston is that it looks like a giant Metairie.
I have noticed however a lot of bashing from Texas (particularly Houston) of Louisiana.

So Houston looks like a giant Metairie? lol, yeah...just like it. Everytime I drive through Metairie down Veterans or Roosevelt I think of Houston.

[Angel713]

Originally Posted by jrbaytown

So Houston looks like a giant Metairie? lol, yeah...just like it. Everytime I drive through Metairie down Veterans or Roosevelt I think of Houston.

Nicely said.

[jrbaytown]

LOL, some of these comments. This is directed to most of you, not just this post.

I came across this site and all of you are so worried about what city is better than the other, who is better, which skyline is better. GET OVER IT. WTF?

Aren't we all Americans, yet have a UNIQUE AND DIVERSE country but all come together when we need each other? Why such silly talk about comparing skylines or cities or who's city is better than the others? We are obviously biased as to where we live or grew up or want to live.

I don't know or get something so, I had to join this site to post this, but I don't see why you people waste your lives on here.

As far as Chicagoans not thinking about Houston much, who cares? Likewise for Houstonians...at least this one. The only two cities I think about because I love and because they are portraid on TV so much are New York and Los Angeles. Chicago...hmmm...makes me think of Married with Children and Oprah.

And Houstonians unrealestically comparing themselves to Chicago? Maybe the people on this board, but in reality...WTF? Yeah, we sit around all day talking about Chicago or whatever city. "Oh I wish we were like Chicago, I just love ten feet of snow, living close to "her royal Oprah" and endlessly looking for Al Bundy's house".... Who cares. I wouldn't want to live in a bitterly cold and delapidated city with an incapable airport...just as you don't want to live in Houston for whatever reasons (and no, I don't care what they are).

Originally Posted by BigLake

You reference Chicagoans are always putting Houston down...

I certainly cannot speak for all Chicagoans, but I can say from my own perspective that most Chicagoans really don't think of Houston very much, at least no more than Dallas, San Antonio or Atlanta or similar city. When I think of Houston it is pretty much along the lines of oil, humidity and the motif of "Big Texas". I also still think of the movie Urban Cowboy. I also realize it's a decent-sized city. Honestly, I would not take too much offense from Chicagoans, because we don't really think of Houston very often.

From a couple of threads I've noticed, if there are criticisms of Houston it's either because Houstonians may be unrealistically trying to compare themselves to Chicago or LA-- or the Chicagoans in question are simply short-sighted and small in their bashing of Houston. Houston is a growing city, and like-it-or-not, it plays a role (energy, NASA) in the health of the US.