The Texas Standard, an public radio news show focused on, you guessed it, The Lone Star State. They had this wonderful folklore piece that, while you can read it on their site, is best experienced through the spoken voice, embedded above.
I’m a Texan, through and through. Texans are full of themselves and their state. Each and every Texan won’t agree on all of the politics of the day or the best place to get BBQ, but share an independent, git it done, spirit cultivated at a young age.
Texas history is the primary story arc taught in both 4th- and 7th-grade social studies in public schools. We’re all taught about the Native Americans that began history in Texas and the Caddo word “Tejas” (friendship) that gave this land a name once European settlement began. At one time, I could tell you all of the major sailing ventues and explorers that mapped and settled Texas (in European eyes, at least). We all know about Moses Austin, who first sought to bring Anglo settlers into then-Spanish Texas, who died before bringing a colony and left his son Stephen F. Austin to make the dream reality.
You may all go to Hell and I will go to Texas.
While all American kids, Texans included, were taught about the Boston Tea Party, Lexington and Concord, and memorized the preamble of the Declaration of Independence, Texan kids can tell you about Santa Anna, the Mexican general who ultimately was defeated (at the battle of San Jacinto, can’t forget that) and about William Travis, Jim Bowie, and the rest of the Texans who died at the Alamo.
I’m not exactly sure what it is about it, but it is the foundation of the immense pride Texans have for their state. We’ll put a star on anything. Hell, the door hinges in the capitol building are proud of being in Texas.
Texas isn’t perfect and I assume there are plenty of places that are just as great, but no place else has the swagger.
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