# Hey Texas - Get Over Yourself **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 8, 2001, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254 "2001-11-08T19:37:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/81 "2001-11-10T08:44:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Demise \* > \*\ ***musicguy** , you seem to have an irrational hatred for a piece of land. > > George W. Bush comes from Texas. So the fuck what. That obviously means the whole geographic area is bad, right? You must hate large parts of the world since it would be hard to find any land where someone you didn’t like was born or raised. Maybe you should sail off into the ocean for the rest of your life, hmm? > > Might I suggest counseling? \*\* I thought the bushes (heh) were born elswhere. oh BTW I point out every chance I GET,if Alaska were cut in half, Texas would become the _third largest_ state. Texans like to brag about their BIG state you see…heh TM “The Alaskan guy” ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/82 "2001-11-10T10:11:25Z")
A quote: “Hawaii was a US possession prior to it’s entrance into the the US of A.” While essentially correct, let us not forget Hawaii was nation in and of itself long before the United states existed. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/83 "2001-11-10T13:17:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EvilGhandi \* > While essentially correct, let us not forget Hawaii was [a] nation in and of itself long before the United states existed. And let us not forget to check a reference: > [@](#): > > Kamehameha I, called The Great (circa 1758-1819), king of Hawaii (1782-1819). The most important Hawaiian monarch of modern times, he became ruler of the island of Hawaii in 1782 and by 1810, through conquest and cession, had united all the Hawaiian islands under his rule. > “Kamehameha I,” Microsoft ® Encarta. Copyright © 1994 Microsoft Corporation. Copyright © 1994 Funk & Wagnall’s Corporation. The island of Hawaii, itself, was a nation before the US existed; however, the united Kingdom of Hawaii including the other islands now composing the State of Hawaii did not exist until 1810. By my reckoning that would be 34 years after the US Declaration of Independence. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/84 "2001-11-11T00:22:50Z")
Abuse Angel Below is the exact copied and pasted quote from your original post. It’s written so that a literal interpretation has you referring to me living in or around the “snooty” L.A. population. # Plus, I have to beg you to come back and curse and insult me some more, as it illustrates my point in a way I can’t do myself. quote: (Cardinal) There are people in L.A. who think that Orange County (or especially Ventura County, both of which border L.A. County) is the ends of the earth. But at least they don’t go around talking constant smack about everyone else around them. (AA) i don’t know who you know that does this, but seeing as how you don’t even live in the fucking state, i doubt you’re getting an incredibly accurate representation of how most of the population acts. [/quote] ============================================ Lieu > [@](#): > > You’ve only made one good point, Cardinal; The utter sillyness of basing your perceptions of a whole state solely on the mumblings of one of it’s inhabitants. I’m beginning to think that people aren’t actually reading what I said. Here is an actual quote from my last post: quote: Mod Lynn: I do think it’s hilarious the way that people think that all Texans are alike. Texas has big cities, small towns, and vast empty spaces. We’ve got coastlines and forests. And there’s no real “Texan” mindset. Cardinal: I admit that my OP may border on this attitude, but I maintain that I’m talking about only those people who fit in the certain shoe to which I refer. [/quote] ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/85 "2001-11-11T00:30:20Z")
I am originally from the area commonly known as Texas, and do, in fact live in Houston. I think you will find that I do not wear a cowboy hat, nor do I have an oil derrick in my backyard, nor am I particularly fat. I do not drive a giant pick-up/SUV. I drive a small Japanese car. I like stylish coffee-beverages, artificial music, artsy movies, and foriegn food. I think you will find that there is a great variety of people everywhere, and the only thing that really changes is the scenery and the weather. There were just as many SUV-driving suburban, Bible-thumping yee-haws in Minneapolis as there is in and around Houston. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/86 "2001-11-11T01:56:34Z")
Earlier on this thread someone (forgive me, I forget who) wrote: > [@](#): > > But, not being L.A. or New York or London or Paris or whatever doesn’t make Dallas or Texas in general or anywhere automatically suck. It’s just that when people get snooty and insulting, other people resent it. You’ve heard of the ugly American? This is the same phenomenon. Yes, I agree with this. It’s the snootiness. Good grief, just because you love where you are from, it doesn’t mean that it is better than anywhere else on the earth! And it doesn’t mean that every other place SUCKS! I am a native Angeleno (good old El Ay) and have recently moved to a to-be-unnamed-Midwestern-city. And I have to say, I see some of the “California-hating” bullshit in this to-be-unnamed-Midwestern-city. And the “What does El Ay have that we don’t have?” and the “I’ve never left this state, but I know that all other states suck.” What utter ignornant, defensive bullshit. And it’s obvious to me that people who have such an attitude are defensive. Worried that their area is not getting enough “respect”. Or whatever. Get over it. I have no problem with Texas. The few times I drove through Texas, they were very friendly. It’s fine if Texas thinks they are just absolutely wonderful. Just don’t expect the rest of us to give a damn. When a state is constantly chest-beating about how great they are (which I am not saying Texas does, but some people seem to think they detect this attitude) then I say “Get over yourselves”. And this goes for any prideful chest-beating from Californians, New Yorkers, Georgians, Kansans, Arizonians, or anywhere else. Get freakin’ over yourselves. Your state is great, it has it’s charms, and it’s great to YOU. But that doesn’t mean the rest of us give a damn. That doesn’t mean that the rest of us want to move to your state, or prefer it to our home states. Frankly, don’t even assume that we even _think_ about Texas (or Kansas, or Arizona, or wherever) that much. We probably don’t. And, it gets REALLY obnoxious when not only do the inhabitants of a state think they are the best, but they start saying how terrible every other state is. And perhaps wishing places like California go fall into the ocean. That’s just pushing it too far. If you think California (or Texas, or wherever) is so terrible, just don’t go there. And, so, while I have mostly neutral or favorable feelings towards Texas, I have to confess I don’t think about it a lot. If you are proud to be from Texas, don’t be offended that I don’t think about Texas too much. (You shouldn’t be offended. I am not offended if you don’t think about L.A. a lot either.) ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/87 "2001-11-11T07:37:10Z")
You know,I’ve been thinking about it, and I don’t want to encourage people spew more venom and hate. I’m appalled at what I’ve managed to generate here. I feel sorry that some people have displayed a very dark part of themselves here, and I don’t want to participate anymore. I take back the mock encouragements to curse me, etc. I think I’ll be going now. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/88 "2001-11-11T10:08:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cykrider \* > \*\* > > I also couldn’t stand that every commercial had to deal with: “Best XYZ in Texas.” Or the Texas Burger from McDonalds, please don’t you realize how full of yourselves it makes you look? They don’t have an Ohio burger, or anything. It’s a freaking state, get over it. > \*\* Commercials never really annoyed me. In fact I thought it was pretty cool that businesses created commercials tailored towards Texas in order to sell their products. Must be that Texas sized ego of mine. The only thing that annoyed me was the news having to much sports coverage and the fact that they searched for the slimmest connection between Texas and any national news story. "Flight 108 Hijacked. One of the passangers has a grandfather who lived in north Texas in 1903. And you know why there’s no Ohio Burger? Because Ohio doesn’t have any mystique to it. There are a few places in this country that can have their name on the label to help sales. New York, CHicago, Texas, California, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Louisana. I’m sure I missed a few. It might make you feel better to know that an awful lot of the products with Texas on the label have nothing to do with the state. One of the news shows in Dallas went through a whole bunch of products with the name of Texas on it that wasn’t produced within the state or produced by a company based within the state. So it isn’t just Texans tooting their own horn there are other people using it because they think it’ll sell better. Marc ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/89 "2001-11-11T10:12:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jinwicked \* > \*\*I am originally from the area commonly known as Texas, and do, in fact live in Houston. I think you will find that I do not wear a cowboy hat, nor do I have an oil derrick in my backyard, nor am I particularly fat. \*\* I have a rifle rack in my Saturn. Is that wrong? Actually living in Dallas I rarely ever saw anyone with a rifle rack in their truck. Living in a rural area of ARkansas now I’ve only seen a rifle rack in a truck once. Of course I’ve been here less then a year. Marc ] ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/90 "2001-11-11T12:59:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cykrider \* > **I also couldn’t stand that every commercial had to deal with: “Best XYZ in Texas.” Or the Texas Burger from McDonalds, please don’t you realize how full of yourselves it makes you look? They don’t have an Ohio burger, or anything.** Well, duh! Why **should** there be an Ohio burger? Ohio doesn’t **deserve** a hamburger! And if you don’t have Ohio-shaped neon beer signs in every bar, I guess it’s because Ohio just isn’t important enough! Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/91 "2001-11-11T14:50:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nymaz \* > \*\* When driving in Cali or N.Y. if I was gullible enough to actually use my turn signals to change lanes, I’d have people > speed up to fill the space I was aiming for for no other reason than to be nasty. > When driving in Texas on occasion I’ve had to pull off the side of the road with car trouble and in every case, someone has > pulled up behind me within 5 minutes to see if I needed help. > > What does that say about the relative merits? \*\* Yeah boy, those New Yorkers, they sure have a total lack of common decency and humanity.Why, it was just the other month when the World Trade Centers- located of course in **downtown Dallas** - were attacked and fell, killing and injuring thousands. THANK GOD ALMIGHTY that it happened in the **Divine State of Texas** , where the good people know how to show manners, and know how to leap to the aid of those in need. I cannot but think of how truly awful it would have been for such an attack to occur in, say, NEW YORK CITY. According to those **relative merits** you’re prancing around with, having just recently tugged them from your asshole, the victims in that infamous attack would have lain on the ground being picked over for their valuables and stomped to pieces by gangs of roving thugs. Can you imagine? Not one single human would have lifted a hand. They’d have driven by, leapt over and kicked out of the way anyone who was laying there dead or dying. Gosh, I sure am happy that it happened in **Texas** , where the citizens are so fucking filled with RELATIVE MERITS that they rose to the need and performed way beyond what anyone might have hoped for. Whew. Lucky for us it happened in **Texas** , huh? :rolleyes: I have been both the one in need on the side of the road, AND the one to stop and help strangers. I live in New York State and work weekly in New York City. Lucky for us, your opinions are based on solid evidence instead of stereotyping, huh? 🙂 Fuck you, buddy. Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![abuse\_angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@abuse\_angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abuse_angel)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/92 "2001-11-11T15:31:40Z")
so, cardinal, even though you _wrote_ this sentence: > [@](#): > > There are people in L.A. who think that Orange County (or especially Ventura County, both of which border L.A. County) is the ends of the earth. But at least they don’t go around talking constant smack about everyone else around them. you weren’t aware that it implies that texans _do_ talk smack? because i think everyone else caught that. and to this: > [@](#): > > Plus, I have to beg you to come back and curse and insult me some more, as it illustrates my point in a way I can’t do myself. and this: > [@](#): > > You know,I’ve been thinking about it, and I don’t want to encourage people spew more venom and hate. I’m appalled at what I’ve managed to generate here. I feel sorry that some people have displayed a very dark part of themselves here, and I don’t want to participate anymore. I take back the mock encouragements to curse me, etc. I think I’ll be going now. i can only repeat my shock that you’re getting slammed and insulted _in the pit_. come on guys, i’m pregnant, i can’t take this kind of shock! and i have a comment about texas-shaped anything. i’m sorry if it bothers you, but texas really is the only state with such an interesting shape. a square is not that interesting. california has an alright shape, and florida too, but texas looks as if the borders were almost designed to be pretty. and if you can show me a prettily shaped state that doesn’t sell products shaped like the state, then i’ll show you a state that’s missing out on some money. ---
**Author:** ![musicguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@musicguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/musicguy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/93 "2001-11-11T20:17:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by abuse angel \* > \*\* california has an alright shape, and florida too, but texas looks as if the borders were almost designed to be pretty. \*\* Yes, it’s a very pretty triangle. One could almost masturbate to it. ---
**Author:** ![DPWhite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@DPWhite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPWhite)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/94 "2001-11-11T20:43:23Z")
I was in Texas in the early 70s. I was 10 years old. (I am from California). The state was physically beautiful, and I found everyone to be friendly. My concern about Texas is justice. They execute way too many people. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/95 "2001-11-11T22:24:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by musicguy \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by abuse angel \* > > \*\* california has an alright shape, and florida too, but texas looks as if the borders were almost designed to be pretty. \*\* > > Yes, it’s a very pretty triangle. One could almost masturbate to it. \*\* Now you know why everything around here is shaped like that. Stupid Babtists won’t let us have pornography. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/96 "2001-11-11T23:14:11Z")
I don’t have a problem with Texas at all. Some very good things come out of Texas. I just wish musicians from Texas would realize that not every song they write needs to mention their home state. It doesn’t help, I suppose, that I listen mainly to alt.country, a genre that seems to be mostly Texan. I was listening to a 'net radio station one night, and for half an hour every single song mentioned Texas in one way or another. It started to get on my nerves. Finally I decided to switch to the hard rock station to escape the Texas. And of course, the hard rock station gave me AC/DC… TNT. “We went to Texas, yeah Texas and we had some fun.” I gave up. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254/97 "2001-11-12T17:30:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cartooniverse \* > Yeah boy, those New Yorkers, they sure have a total lack of common decency and humanity. Why, it was just the other month when the World Trade Centers- located of course in **downtown Dallas** - were attacked and fell, killing and injuring thousands. > > (snip more of the same) I don’t think he was saying that New Yorkers and Californians have a “total lack of common decency and humanity,” only that Texas is a friendlier place. He’s saying you’re more apt to have someone stop to help you fix a flat in Texas than you are in New York. Your comparison to the terrorist attacks on 9/11 is inapt. While New York is properly commended for its handling of the tragedy, do you really think that the residents of Dallas or Houston – or, for that matter, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Frascisco, Seattle, or any other major American city – would have handled things differently? Tragedies bring out the best in decent people, regardless of where they are located. I grew up in Texas and Louisiana, and I live in New York. I work in Manhattan, and until I moved to the suburbs few months ago, I lived there too. You know what? **He’s right**. Texas is a friendlier place than New York. I don’t say that to disparage New York; the culture here is just different from Texas. It’s more hurried, more “on the move.” And it’s more crowded, which impacts things. In Texas, you’re more apt to acknowledge strangers; in NYC, to do so would be to invade their personal space, space that is already at a premium in a crowded environment. What would be polite in Texas is rude in NYC, and vice-versa. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-texas-get-over-yourself/92254.md?page=4)