I'm Happier With the Myth

I’m in love with Texas, the myth, the ideal put out in the movie westerns of a certain age. I like the idea of cowboys and a code of honor, of aw-shucks hospitality, wide-open spaces, stubborn independence and strong character. I like rodeos and riding horseback, wearing a cowboy hat and boots, driving a pick-up, listening to Willie Nelson and George Strait on the radio and gustily singin’ along. I love to two-step...

I celebrate our pioneer history. I’ve read dozens of Louis L’Amour and Zane Grey novels. I’m proud to reside in The Lone Star State when I’m not touring, particularly happy to live in Washington County, the birthplace of Texas. I like barbecue, spicy Tex-Mex food and County Fairs. I even like to brag about how Texas has the prettiest women (I’ve judged a beauty pageant or two:) and the most ruggedly handsome men. I love my family and friends who reside in Texas. For most Texans, the myth is their belief, symbolism takes precedence over reality.

The truth is Texas has a corner on lots of mind-boggling negatives: on crazies, inept politicians (at least giving most states a run for their money) and bad decisions. We have a statewide toll road system under construction, bulldozing our farm and ranch land willy-nilly; there’s no affordable mass transit other than buses in the cities; our politicians push tax cuts at the expense of childrens health; our environment/ climate is hot, humid and alarmingly polluted.

We allow Charter schools that siphon off diminished dollars for public education with little oversight and a court system that fills up its prisons with non-violent offenders and kills its prisoners at rate unmatched by any other state. Who out there thinks permitting concealed handguns and cutting tax dollars for law enforcement at the same time isn’t a recipe for disaster? Raise your hand.

I love being from Texas. But I am most happy to be a Texan when I’m living elsewhere ... like Seattle, New York or Europe where many people still think the whole state lives like the Ewings on “Dallas”. Unfortunately, the couple of years leading up to the war in Iraq and the present, have disabused most foreigners of that notion. I’m not ready to give up on Texas. I’m willing to work for her best interests; to be part of a solution to our problems; to effect change in the current political system and elect representatives that value ideas, creativity, statesmanship over partisan, mean-spirited politics. It’s going to take time. I may have to invest my time and energy at a distance at first. But I want the reality and the myth of Texas to meet somewhere in the middle and offer all Texans quality of life.

( Where Texas Ranks )

I realize that this is a grim accounting of Texas’ ranking on important issues, but I do still think of my area of the state as a ”little bit of heaven”. (Afterall, we make Bluebell Ice Cream here as our main industry:) It’s going to take time to get my Texas, the Texas I love in myth and in reality, turned around; but I believe we can do it. I know there are thinking, caring folk out there who are willing to do it one vote at a time. After all, you’ve got to like a state which has folks like daltxfurry, woofytexan,eggwards, deebee and gaugetx living here, don’t you? Until then, (spoken in my best John Wayne voice), “I’m goin’ to wrestle me a grizzly and kiss me a handsome man”..well, I made that last part up...so sue me... I bet we’re not last in that....

I'm Happier With the Myth

I’m in love with Texas, the myth, the ideal put out in the movie westerns of a certain age. I like the idea of cowboys and a code of honor, of aw-shucks hospitality, wide-open spaces, stubborn independence and strong character. I like rodeos and riding horseback, wearing a cowboy hat and boots, driving a pick-up, listening to Willie Nelson and George Strait on the radio and gustily singin’ along. I love to two-step...

I celebrate our pioneer history. I’ve read dozens of Louis L’Amour and Zane Grey novels. I’m proud to reside in The Lone Star State when I’m not touring, particularly happy to live in Washington County, the birthplace of Texas. I like barbecue, spicy Tex-Mex food and County Fairs. I even like to brag about how Texas has the prettiest women (I’ve judged a beauty pageant or two:) and the most ruggedly handsome men. I love my family and friends who reside in Texas. For most Texans, the myth is their belief, symbolism takes precedence over reality.

The truth is Texas has a corner on lots of mind-boggling negatives: on crazies, inept politicians (at least giving most states a run for their money) and bad decisions. We have a statewide toll road system under construction, bulldozing our farm and ranch land willy-nilly; there’s no affordable mass transit other than buses in the cities; our politicians push tax cuts at the expense of childrens health; our environment/ climate is hot, humid and alarmingly polluted.

We allow Charter schools that siphon off diminished dollars for public education with little oversight and a court system that fills up its prisons with non-violent offenders and kills its prisoners at rate unmatched by any other state. Who out there thinks permitting concealed handguns and cutting tax dollars for law enforcement at the same time isn’t a recipe for disaster? Raise your hand.

I love being from Texas. But I am most happy to be a Texan when I’m living elsewhere ... like Seattle, New York or Europe where many people still think the whole state lives like the Ewings on “Dallas”. Unfortunately, the couple of years leading up to the war in Iraq and the present, have disabused most foreigners of that notion. I’m not ready to give up on Texas. I’m willing to work for her best interests; to be part of a solution to our problems; to effect change in the current political system and elect representatives that value ideas, creativity, statesmanship over partisan, mean-spirited politics. It’s going to take time. I may have to invest my time and energy at a distance at first. But I want the reality and the myth of Texas to meet somewhere in the middle and offer all Texans quality of life.

( Where Texas Ranks )

I realize that this is a grim accounting of Texas’ ranking on important issues, but I do still think of my area of the state as a ”little bit of heaven”. (Afterall, we make Bluebell Ice Cream here as our main industry:) It’s going to take time to get my Texas, the Texas I love in myth and in reality, turned around; but I believe we can do it. I know there are thinking, caring folk out there who are willing to do it one vote at a time. After all, you’ve got to like a state which has folks like daltxfurry, woofytexan,eggwards, deebee and gaugetx living here, don’t you? Until then, (spoken in my best John Wayne voice), “I’m goin’ to wrestle me a grizzly and kiss me a handsome man”..well, I made that last part up...so sue me... I bet we’re not last in that....