Can you be a "true" Texan if you weren't born here? (Houston: find a job, camp)

[Matthew Duck]

Originally Posted by mega man

Sorry, not a big country fan. Many Texans aren't after all.

I second that, I'm not big on country. Although I do like Brooks & Dunn, the Zac Brown Band, and of course, George Strait.

[NoClueWho]

Originally Posted by mega man

Sure, but I haven't seen any native Texans here try to claim that we're better than anyone. My only point is, by being raised here, I experienced Texas in a way that someone who moved here later in life never did. That does make me more of a real Texan.

You're not really getting my point, but I understand the point that you are trying to make. To add to your point, though, a lot of adopted Texans who "moved here later in life" also can appreciate certain things about Texas a whole lot more than a lot of people who have lived here their whole lives do, so I think it's pretty even depending on the person.

I can't tell you how many times I have met people who were "born and raised" in Texas but have never even left their side of town, their city, or their region of Texas, so they have a pretty narrow or limited view of what it means to be Texan anyway. For example, Deep East Texas is the most Southern part of the state, and after living there for a while, I guarantee you many people who live there have never eaten a Frito Pie, never been to a rodeo, and wouldn't know good Tex Mex or good BBQ if it jumped up and bit them in the face (among other things that many people are listing that makes one a "true" Texan). That's not a knock on Deep East Texas. I'm just saying.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

I qualify on all counts.

And I have even kissed Willie Nelson on the lips - that alone should have earned me honorary Texan status.

Whoa! That definitely earns you--something. A vision test? Free contact high? Membership in "all the girls [he's] loved before"? But, um, congratulations!

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Whoa! That definitely earns you--something. A vision test? Free contact high? Membership in "all the girls [he's] loved before"? But, um, congratulations!

LOL it was on a dare - from my dad, no less.

And I won a new prom dress out of it, so it was worth it to me at age 18! See, I HAD a prom dress from the previous year that I hadn't gotten to wear to prom because I was in a car accident right before prom. But I did end up wearing it my senior year to some other school formal function - and then my dad actually thought that I could wear the same dress AGAIN to prom. NO WAY. I was so done with that dress! So we were at a Willie concert and my dad told me that if I could get up onstage and kiss Willie on the lips without getting thrown offstage by security, then he would buy me a new prom dress.

Now THAT was enticement! It took me about 45 minutes to manage to sneak up there, but I did it and Willie stopped playing Will the Circle Be Unbroken when I tapped him on the shoulder and asked him for a kiss - and he said, "Why SURE, little lady!" and laid one on me!

True story.

Security came running up about that time but I smiled at them and said, "Don't worry, I'm leaving!" and they didn't lay a hand on me. AND I GOT MY PROM DRESS!

My dad has enjoyed telling that story over and over again through the years. He said that was the best money he ever spent.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by Mentallect

You're not really getting my point, but I understand the point that you are trying to make. To add to your point, though, a lot of adopted Texans who "moved here later in life" also can appreciate certain things about Texas a whole lot more than a lot of people who have lived here their whole lives do, so I think it's pretty even depending on the person.

I can't tell you how many times I have met people who were "born and raised" in Texas but have never even left their side of town, their city, or their region of Texas, so they have a pretty narrow or limited view of what it means to be Texan anyway. For example, Deep East Texas is the most Southern part of the state, and after living there for a while, I guarantee you many people who live there have never eaten a Frito Pie, never been to a rodeo, and wouldn't know good Tex Mex or good BBQ if it jumped up and bit them in the face (among other things that many people are listing that makes one a "true" Texan). That's not a knock on Deep East Texas. I'm just saying.

I agree that most East Texans don't really know about great Tex-Mex. Hell, I didn't even really understand it until my stint in San Antonio. Barbecue? Give me East Texas ribs and chopped beef over brisket any day of the week. I've never met a Texan who told me they hadn't ever eaten a Frito Pie, and I'm from the most culturally southern part of the state.

There are several different cultures across this huge state, so there is no one single thing we all would have in common...but if you grew up in this state, there is plenty you shared with just about every other child who did as well: having to salute the Texas flag, 7th grade Texas History, and generally just having your fragile little mind indoctrinated with the idea that your state was practically its own country and that you were most fortunate to live here. There may have even been a teacher that tried to push the idea onto us that the Bush family was royalty.

See? I can move to Italy today and live there for the rest of my life, but I'll never be Italian in the same way as someone who was reared in that place.

[NoClueWho]

Originally Posted by mega man

There are several different cultures across this huge state, so there is no one single thing we all would have in common...but if you grew up in this state, there is plenty you shared with just about every other child who did as well: having to salute the Texas flag, 7th grade Texas History, and generally just having your fragile little mind indoctrinated with the idea that your state was practically its own country and that you were most fortunate to live here. There may have even been a teacher that tried to push the idea onto us that the Bush family was royalty.

LOL, trust me, the rest of the country has been taught the idea that Texas is practically its own country as well and has also had the Bush family pushed to them as royalty for years. So that's nothing that ONLY a (native) Texan would necessarily understand. Plus, I worked as a teacher in Texas for several years, so I guess that takes care of having to recite the Texas pledge and salute the Texas flag in school every day, and having to know Texas history. See how it all depends on the Texan?

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by Mentallect

LOL, trust me, the rest of the country has been taught the idea that Texas is practically its own country as well and has also had the Bush family pushed to them as royalty for years. So that's nothing that ONLY a (native) Texan would necessarily understand. Plus, I worked as a teacher in Texas for several years, so I guess that takes care of having to recite the Texas pledge and salute the Texas flag in school every day, and having to know Texas history. See how it all depends on the Texan?

Yes, but I'm talking about one's experience as a kid in this state. As you're an educator, I don't have to tell you the difference between a child's mind and the mind of an adult.

But I get the feeling that this conversation is headed towards some unnecessary hair splitting, so, as I pointed out earlier, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[NoClueWho]

Originally Posted by mega man

Yes, but I'm talking about one's experience as a kid in this state. As you're an educator, I don't have to tell you the difference between a child's mind and the mind of an adult.

LOL, no, you don't.

But you are still missing the point, and quite deliberately so. So like you said, let's just agree to disagree. I'm done with it and moving on.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by Mentallect

LOL, no, you don't.

But you are still missing the point, and quite deliberately so. So like you said, let's just agree to disagree. I'm done with it and moving on.

For the record, your point has been both acknowledged and resolved just fine.

[FourFiftyFour]

Originally Posted by Mentallect

What about native Texans who are born and raised in Texas but hate Texas and hate living in Texas? There are plenty of those, and plenty of Texas transplants who love and embrace and celebrate Texas way more than many born and raised Texans do.

I posted earlier, but I so agree with this statement- I was born and raised here and definitely am not a Texan! There are TONS of people who have only been here a few years that are WAY more Texan than I ever will be.