Texas

[mellowtigger]

Surprise, surprise. Some more crazy folk down in Texas are making headlines. Granted, this group is imported rather than native, but it is still reminiscent of the Branch Davidians and other less well known groups. I suppose I could take this opportunity to explain something...

There is an undercurrent to thoughts of people raised in Texas that I don't see in more recent transplants. The only single word I can think of that comes closest to describing it is "nationalism". I haven't seen this sentiment in natives of any other state either. (The closest, though, is neighboring state Louisiana.) Unlike most states, you see, Texas really was its own sovereign nation. And, as every kid knows who's gone to the Six Flags Over Texas amusement park (all 6 flags wave at the entrance to the park), it's been subject to 5 other national flags besides its own.  7th grade history class is even limited solely to state history, not national or world history.

I consider myself Texan first and American second. It's why, back during the 2000 Census, I marked my "race" as "other:" and wrote in Texan. Other states just don't have this kind of thinking amongst their citizens. So whenever I saw tv newscasters talking about those crazy folk who want to secede, I just assumed that the newscasters were themselves imported Texans and so didn't "get it" that even the locals who want to remain a state can still understand the secessionist concept.

It's not the same thing as the southern Dixie mindset, trying to relive a moment of past glory (and exploitation).  It's more like a notion amongst European nations, that "we've lived through crap, and we can stand on our own feet if we need to, thank you very much, so get your act together or we will do it on our own".  Texas has its share of problems (water consumption, civil liberties, religious rhetoric, language barriers, etc), but I don't consider these secessionist ideas to be among them.

Comments

[kauko.livejournal.com]

My 8th grade history class was devoted solely to North Carolina history, I assumed all states do the same :P

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

When I was growing up in Oregon, state history was worked in with the general US history; I don't recall any particular term being devoted to state history.

[mellowtigger]

Yeah, what Furr said. When I've told people about Texas history class, they just looked at me like it's one of those kooky things that the weird Texans do. :)

[bigsockgrrl.livejournal.com]

We had California history in 5th grade, I believe. I have a text book called, "Our State: California." It looks like a series, so my guess is that it isn't all that uncommon for a state to require a term about the state itself as part of the curriculum.

[pangolin.livejournal.com]

They must be from those states that don't have their own history. ;)