The US is like the Mafia. Once you’re in, you’re in, and there’s no getting out without sleepin’ wid de fishies.
The only North American with a right to succession is Charles (Philip Arthur George Windsor) of Wales, heir apparent to the throne of Canada (and the Bahamas, etc.).
While I am in general opposed to mandating the Pledge of Allegiance, I would definitely consider an exception for Texas state officials and general loudmouths – you know, the passage, “one nation, under God, indivisible…”
A loooooong time before the “peoples”:rolleyes: of Texas would be able to claim self determination, the Kurds would be. No doubt they are a “people”. They are still split between Iraq and Turkey.
I do not think that has any force whatsoever. And the part “under God” sort of undermines it unless the legal interpretation of “God” is “blue sky”.
Of course it has no legal force. My point is that that one word, “indivisible,” is in there for a reason, and Texians are usaually among the “Them demn Lib’ruls stopped us forcin’ kids in school to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.” So maybe they ought to reflect on what it says??
You forget: they’re SPECIAL. 
The problem is that “people” isn’t really defined under international law. How do you define the limits of a “people”? Is it ethnic similarities? Religious? Location? Who can speak in an official capacity for these “people”?
That’s why I said that self-determination is more a theoretical principle than a practical one. One that’s basically a question of international politics, rather than law.
And I agree with the Kurdish argument. They’re at least a somewhat definable entity separate from the general populace of the countries in which they are located, unlike say, Texas. The fact that they are spread over two countries probably doesn’t help their cause, unfortunately. For them to secede or at least set up some self government, they would have to interrupt the territorial integrity of two sovereign nations. Unless the majority of them migrate to the north of Iraq.
And Syria, and I think Iran as well.
I’ve been searching the web, and can’t find what I’m looking for as a cite, but in some piece of diplomatic history I read that in the negotiations for the Helsinki Accords back in the 70’s, an agreement on an important clause was made because a word in Russian could be interpreted in English as either “individuals” or “peoples.” So the Soviets could have their view and the West could have its. It was something of a diplomatic coup, because in the ensuing years the Helsinki Accords certainly worked against the Soviet Union.
My point is that when we’re talking UN resolutions or international law, we’re talking five languages, so interpretation without examination of case law and precedents, and outside of the political context, is particularly nonproductive. Fun, but nonproductive.
You missed one more requirement. Your country of citizenship must have an agreement with the US over Social Security. You’re lucky that Australia and the US have such an agreement. As a Kiwi living in the US, I won’t see a cent of the SS tax I’m paying now if I return to NZ unless I become a US citizen.
You mean like ‘short bus’ special?
Or something else?
Just askin’…
(Cause we’ve got some special folks here in Florida too.)
I just wanted to say that I am a born and raised Texan and Rick Perry does not speak for me on this issue.
In the last gubernatorial race, the humorist Kinky Friedman ran as an independent. Jay Leno had him on the tonight show. At the time, the incumbent Governor Perry was running TV ads that said “I’m proud of Texas.” Kinky said, “Hell, we’re all proud of Texas, Rick. The question is, should Texas be proud of you?”
I’m ashamed.
Kinky dot off a few clever quips in his campaign, but he finished dead last, and deserved to finish lower still.
Even people who liked him (or who liked the idea of him) generally thought he was an asshole by the end of the campaign.
You’ll get no argument from me. I just liked his comment about Texas being proud of Governor Good-hair.
**Could Texas secede any time they want?
**
There are days when I wish we could. But sadly, we can’t. Texas never had the right to secede and even if the Treaty of 1845 that brought us into the US had allowed it, I believe that the Civil War pretty much put the kibosh on it.
From the Houston Press:
Yes, Perry’s proportion of the vote was 39.3% in 2006; Kinky Friedman & Carole Keeton McClellan Rylander Strayhorn were in the race, besides Chris Bell–the Democratic candidate.
The Press link takes you to a chart proposing how Texas should be split up instead of seceding. It’s humor, folks!
No, no … you can be mighty proud of Kinky Friedman! 
Of course, all of New Mexico east of the Rio Grande River, including Santa Fe, and even a bit up into Colorado used to be Texas. Maybe it would just be easier to give all of that back.
Is there any legislation pending in Texas that could lead to secession? Has Rick Perry ever introduced, or even alluded to such legislation before?
No!
Which means, once again, if you’ve thought about this issue for ten seconds, that’s 9 seconds more thought than Rick Perry gave it.
I don’t like Texas as a whole, but I think they could do well by themseves. They’d cut taxes and industry and rich people would move there in droves from the rest of the US. Then they’d slash social services and poor people would emigrate. They wouldn’t have to have much of an Army; who is going to attack them?