Kerrville prejudices toward non-native TXns? (Dallas, San Antonio: living in, cost of, moving to)

[CamaroGuy]

Originally Posted by BrunetteBeauty

What would be considered to be "too mexican?" Anyway...I've been to car shows in a number of locations and the only complaints I've ever heard from people in the local areas is about the behavior of people putting on the show and those attending. The ethnicity of the participants was never a factor. I've always found folks in the Hill Country to be very friendly and welcoming.

BTW...I am Latina, so I know my ethnicity was not an issue for anyone I met out there.

I totally agree. Its important to remember that many people in the Hill Country are of German descent. German Americans too suffered prejudice early in the 20th century due to World War I.

[voyager674]

Originally Posted by McHopper

I honestly don't mean to offend any Texans, but I have been wondering this for a long time. Do Texans still hate non-native Texans and treat them as
second class citizens?
Here's why I ask: I would entertain the idea of retiring in the Kerrville
or Boerne areas except for the memories I have of how we were treated
when we lived in Austin in the 80's.
My husband and I transferred by choice, not necessity to Austin after
having visited there a few months prior.
We were harrassed constantly by native Texans, who upon hearing us speak
a couple of undrawled words, demanded "Where are you from?" or "Where y'all from?" and "You sound like a YANKEE" This was not gentle curiosity, this
was confrontational.
There were bumper stickers on cars with slogans saying, 'NO YANKEES' or 'Go Home Yankees'.
The people we worked with were not bad after they got past our accents
(or the lack thereof), but sales people and others we met were brutal.
I met many many Texans who in their 20's and 30's had never been north of
Dallas! I couldn't understand the hatred toward us. They were truly resentful
of anyone who moved into 'their' country. We finally gave up and moved
to Oklahoma(very nice people there) and later back to upper midwest then
later still moving to the southwest states of AZ and CA.

So here's my question to y'all now: Do you natives still treat people without
a Texas accent today in a hostile manner and just wish we would all leave
your country?

AND

Does anyone with a midwest accent have a positive experience of assimilation in a Hill Country city or town that they can share to give me
some hope?

thank you in advance

the story seems a bit far-fetched. but i could see this happening if for example an individual from out of state " intentionally stirred the waters" and was overheard saying "Texas sucks for this" or "Texas sucks for that"..... you wouldn't " stir the waters" would you???

[TheGreekPotato]

Originally Posted by edubya

A lot of good points made in this thread.

I just want to emphasize how important being friendly yourself is when trying to adapt to a new place. I've heard people complain about a new neighborhood or church or school and say something like, "Not one person said hello to me when we first arrived. What a horrible place!" My response goes, "Well, did you say hello to anyone?" Come on! Smile and shake some hands. New people bring a set of unknowns to a group that's already comfortable with itself. Let them know you don't bite! I've been much happier moving around since I learned that lesson.

I couldn't agree more. A person who is the visitor to an unfamiliar place should go out of their way to avoid being stand-offish or distant to the locals.

I've lived in Texas for 20+ years on and off. My father and my sisters live in Jersey. In all my years of visiting my family, I have never had an issue with the people in New England or anywhere else for that matter. And I think it is exactly due to the point brought up by edubya. I say "hello", and I show an interest in the place that I am visiting. And I avoid giving anyone a reason to stereotype me.

As far as the story laid before us with the OP, I find it hard to believe that there was an abundance of "Yankee Go Home" bumper stickers in Austin. I also find it hard to believe that people were so unconcerned with their daily lives that they went out of their way to insult non-Texans. I'm fairly certain there isn't a non-native Texan "witch-hunt" occuring in Kerrville, Boerne, Austin, or the Hill Country in general. Perhaps in East Texas, but I just throwing that out there to get a rise out of them.

I have dozens of friends from all over the country visit Texas from time to time. I'll take them to Austin and I'll take them around San Antonio and even when let loose to explore on their own has there ever been a single incident of someone being predjudiced against them because of where they are from.

As a matter of fact, and this is to my embarassment, I find that I actually have to step up my game in the presence of my out-of-towner friends.

[quest51210]

The event promoters and coordinators told us this. which is funny because as of friday they were calling us to be a part of their event. many of the "purists" also looked down on us and were very verbal in their intentions.

Originally Posted by TXtrkgrl

Thats just crazy!! (not what you said but the fact that people do this) What percentage of patrons told you this??
I attend car shows and I sometimes might hear one person walking past talk smack about my ride but I just ignore them. You can't please 'em all . Everyone has their own taste.

that is the thing, they weren't mexican motif at all. they are Ratrods and new to alot of folks in the show circuit here in Texas. in fact we have cornered the market/scene in san antonio and done more in one year than others have done in a decade.

Originally Posted by BrunetteBeauty

What would be considered to be "too mexican?" Anyway...I've been to car shows in a number of locations and the only complaints I've ever heard from people in the local areas is about the behavior of people putting on the show and those attending. The ethnicity of the participants was never a factor. I've always found folks in the Hill Country to be very friendly and welcoming.

BTW...I am Latina, so I know my ethnicity was not an issue for anyone I met out there.

[Lovely84]

Everybody is talking about the being prejudice sooo I thought I would ask...How are the Black people treated up there???My husband met some new friends(white) and they say they love it up there.He now wants to move up there also! I'm scared that no one will accept us! I mean lets face it all types of racism still exists and I don't want to end up like those people in Jasper!Please HELP!

[Lovely84]

By there I mean Kerrville!!!

[doss1]

I have no idea, but I did see some black cowboys roping cattle on some of the ranches out there.

[Lovely84]

Originally Posted by TexasNick

I have no idea, but I did see some black cowboys roping cattle on some of the ranches out there.

LOL! thanks! I feel better already!

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by CamaroGuy

I totally agree. Its important to remember that many people in the Hill Country are of German descent. German Americans too suffered prejudice early in the 20th century due to World War I.

yeah, but they soon forgot about it. The German communities of TExas were by far the most prejudiced ppl against mexican americans as documented in the book "Are we good neighbors?", a collection of true stories of racial discrimination against latin americans in the 1940s. Even in the 1980s, I would hear ppl say that ppl in Boerne and New Braunfels (German) were very prejudiced.

But I do think that there are too many out-of-staters(espec Californians) invading/buying out our towns and cities. That is a FACT.

[doss1]

You think that was bad? How about how the Anglo-Saxons (including Mexicans) treated the Native American Indians in the Hill Country region back in the 1800s? You think Al Queda was bad as to what they did to their prisoners...

Indians weren't even thought of as human. When one reads the old "Hill country" stories that was popular culture in the early 1900s, there's numerous stories of cowboys and vaqueros riding back into town with skulls of Indians tied to their horses. Folks, it wasn't that long ago.