The nation's obsession with Texas? (Houston, Austin: go bankrupt, school districts, college)

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by wheatpenny

That's a happy thought, but not realistic. It seems like ppl are coming here from all places, and it doesn't seem like it will stop anytime soon.

Well I guess people are discovering it's not the backwards ugly racist state that the media likes to portray.

[katygirl68]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

Pretty sure I never said intolerance was unique to Texas, but facts are facts, and less than twenty years ago, a Black man was dragged to his death in this state, not another one. Save that "this happens everywhere" junk for someone blind enough to fall for it. I'm speaking as a native of Texas; not some disgruntled transplant.

Radio, you'll be happy to know that I think of Houston and Dallas as exceptions to the rule, but even most Texans in this forum are rather vocal about their lack of fondness for those two cities and I think that says something.

Houston especially is an exception to the rule. My kids are friends with people of all races and nationalities. There are whites, blacks, Hispanics, East Asians, Indian Asians, Pakistanis, Nigerians, Somalians, etc. It's like a little United Nations there.

And the thing is, everybody gets along. Gay people are tolerated. It's not like people think. Houston is not like many other cities.

[Redlionjr]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

Pretty sure I never said intolerance was unique to Texas, but facts are facts, and less than twenty years ago, a Black man was dragged to his death in this state, not another one. Save that "this happens everywhere" junk for someone blind enough to fall for it. I'm speaking as a native of Texas; not some disgruntled transplant.

Radio, you'll be happy to know that I think of Houston and Dallas as exceptions to the rule, but even most Texans in this forum are rather vocal about their lack of fondness for those two cities and I think that says something.

I'm a black man who was born and raised in East Texas(North east Texas) to be exact and I have been to many places in the United States. Texas isn't any more racist then any other state I've been to. So if anybody has room to talk racism(one who has been a victim of racism more then I care to remember ) it's definitely a black man with dreads who happens to get profiled on several different occasions.

You do realize that there's been acts of violence and even death by white racist groups targeting blacks that haven't got national press the same as the incident in Jasper. It happens more then people realize. I also find it funny that people think Houston and Dallas are exceptions to the rule when that's far from the truth. I think the gentrification "epidemic" going on in those cities with people rushing to push blacks in both cities further out the city is proof enough that racism still exist in those cities on some level. I won't even go into detail on my personal experiences in either city that were no different in any other part of the state. Bottom line America is a racist state, I don't care where you go. It's no utopia of racial equality that I've encountered. Some areas might show a different form of racism but to a black person or any person of color who experiences racism at any level we don't have time to compare subtle racism to outright in your face racism.

[Obrienlester]

They hate us, cause they ain't us!

[Obrienlester]

Originally Posted by Redlionjr

I'm a black man who was born and raised in East Texas(North east Texas) to be exact and I have been to many places in the United States. Texas isn't any more racist then any other state I've been to. So if anybody has room to talk racism(one who has been a victim of racism more then I care to remember ) it's definitely a black man with dreads who happens to get profiled on several different occasions.

You do realize that there's been acts of violence and even death by white racist groups targeting blacks that haven't got national press the same as the incident in Jasper. It happens more then people realize. I also find it funny that people think Houston and Dallas are exceptions to the rule when that's far from the truth. I think the gentrification "epidemic" going on in those cities with people rushing to push blacks in both cities further out the city is proof enough that racism still exist in those cities on some level. I won't even go into detail on my personal experiences in either city that were no different in any other part of the state. Bottom line America is a racist state, I don't care where you go. It's no utopia of racial equality that I've encountered. Some areas might show a different form of racism but to a black person or any person of color who experiences racism at any level we don't have time to compare subtle racism to outright in your face racism.

Racism is in every country, not just here in America. Its the bi product of stereotypes (most of which is true in many cases) and uneducation of other races around us. But I do agree, Texas is not all that racist. This is coming from a person who lived in S.FL and NY/NJ, where there is plenty of people from different cultures. The areas I lived in before TX was pretty segregated, and I have seen more Black men dating white women over here in TX than I have seen in other State I lived in. The media is freaking distorted, and loves to label people.

[Redlionjr]

Originally Posted by Obrienlester

Racism is in every country, not just here in America. Its the bi product of stereotypes (most of which is true in many cases) and uneducation of other races around us. But I do agree, Texas is not all that racist. This is coming from a person who lived in S.FL and NY/NJ, where there is plenty of people from different cultures. The areas I lived in before TX was pretty segregated, and I have seen more Black men dating white women over here in TX than I have seen in other State I lived in. The media is freaking distorted, and loves to label people.

Oh yeah i'm not denying the existence of racism in other countries, I was just speaking on America. But TX is one of the states with the biggest interracial demographics in the nation. And that's not to say that equates to a lack of racism because that's farthest from the truth but for some people thinking Texas is some hotbed for racism that's above everybody else is a very flawed and broad statement to make. I moved here in Atlanta and let me tell you some of these counties and towns outside of Atlanta are not the warmest areas when it comes to people of color. Oh it get's REAL.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by Redlionjr

I'm a black man who was born and raised in East Texas(North east Texas) to be exact and I have been to many places in the United States. Texas isn't any more racist then any other state I've been to. So if anybody has room to talk racism(one who has been a victim of racism more then I care to remember ) it's definitely a black man with dreads who happens to get profiled on several different occasions.

You do realize that there's been acts of violence and even death by white racist groups targeting blacks that haven't got national press the same as the incident in Jasper. It happens more then people realize. I also find it funny that people think Houston and Dallas are exceptions to the rule when that's far from the truth. I think the gentrification "epidemic" going on in those cities with people rushing to push blacks in both cities further out the city is proof enough that racism still exist in those cities on some level. I won't even go into detail on my personal experiences in either city that were no different in any other part of the state. Bottom line America is a racist state, I don't care where you go. It's no utopia of racial equality that I've encountered. Some areas might show a different form of racism but to a black person or any person of color who experiences racism at any level we don't have time to compare subtle racism to outright in your face racism.

Well, I am also a Black man from eastern Texas who has done more than my fair share of traveling, which includes living where you are now, and I'm comfortable trusting my own experiences. I never said Texas was the most racist state. I said it earned the reputation it has.

[janineg]

For me, I've always been turned off by the bragging nature of Texas. When I moved here, I was shocked to hear that there is an actual "Texas Pledge" that is almost identical to the National pledge of allegiance, and it gets said every day at school. It's just silly. And the Texas flag is on everything. In California, and most states, residents have only a vague idea of what their flag looks like, and most don't have state pledges. I mean what will my kids do if Texas declares independence and they've been pledging allegiance to TX AND to the U.S.?
I like living Texas quite a bit now, but I never like bragging or arrogance and wish TX would be a little more humble.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by janineg

For me, I've always been turned off by the bragging nature of Texas. When I moved here, I was shocked to hear that there is an actual "Texas Pledge" that is almost identical to the National pledge of allegiance, and it gets said every day at school. It's just silly. And the Texas flag is on everything. In California, and most states, residents have only a vague idea of what their flag looks like, and most don't have state pledges. I mean what will my kids do if Texas declares independence and they've been pledging allegiance to TX AND to the U.S.?
I like living Texas quite a bit now, but I never like bragging or arrogance and wish TX would be a little more humble.

Well here we have an outsiders perspective. That's good. Janineg, so it's the bragging that turns you off? The pride actually comes off arrogance?

Now in your eyes is the pride seen to you as not merited or is it just the bragging itself that turns you off?

[janineg]

I think a lot of it is merited. My kids are learning TX history in school and it is MUCH more interesting than CA history. I get annoyed about NYC and their arrogant claim that they're the center of the world, too.
Living in TX it's nice that there's such a cohesive feeling. It feels like the American pride that the rest of the country enjoys, except that it's a TX pride. And I'll bet outsiders to the U.S. are equally annoyed with American pride and arrogance. Just ask Canada. And look at how thw world sees our two countries: Canada is seen as humble and likable and USA is seen as arrogant and aggressive. Not that TX is aggressive, but outsiders never like seeing so much bragging.