It's A Texas Thang, Y'all Wouldn't Understand

One of the things that constantly surprises people who have observed our right wing fools in action over the last two decades is why any TBLG person would want to live in the Lone Star State?

I'm a fourth generation Texan on my father's side of the family and a third generation one on my mother's side of the family. I love the 268,820 square miles (696,200 square kilometers for my international readers) of south central US territory it covers just as much or even more than the average Faux News watching right winger without a clue.

It's fashionable in liberal progressive circles to beat up on Texas and Texans in general because many are still angry about the George W. Bush mispresidency and the eight long years of conservadamage it wrought on our country.

I must point out that not all of Texas' 24.7 million residents lock step agree with the Texas GOP, the conservafool controlled State Board of Indoctrination or its racist, homophobic and transphobic agenda, much less cast precious ballots for it. We've seen firsthand the damage that unchecked 'proven conservative leadership' can do.

I will point out that many of you liberals who call yourselves Greens enabled Dubya by casting enough votes for Ralph Nader in 2000 to get Dubya close enough to be selected by the Supremes, even after we progressive Texans warned you what would happen if Junior made it to the White House instead of then Vice President Al Gore.

But I digress.

Is Texas perfect? Not by a long shot. It can be and should be better that it is right now. Because we love this state, its culture, its traditions and all of the things we hold dear as denizens of the second largest state in the Union, we think it's worth fighting for.

The legacies of liberal-progressive Texans such as Governor Ann Richards, Billie Carr, Rep. Barbara Jordan, Rep. Mickey Leland, Molly Ivins, Sen. Ralph Yarborough, Sen. Lloyd Bentsen and present and future Texas liberals compel us to fight for the heart and soul of the Lone Star State. It's increasing share of the Electoral College vote and restoring fairness and equality for all Texans demands that we do.

And yes, the fact that its population is already trending majority-minority doesn't hurt either in turning it back to the progressive direction it was historically run on until the GOP got total control in 1995.

While it isn't turning soon enough for you peeps along I-5, I-95 and inside I-495, it took us a while to get into this mess, and it has been a long hard slog back.

That means we GLBT Texas who want to see progressive change inside our borders have to stay and openly fight tooth and nail for it, not cut and run to a so called coastal gay mecca that in some cases can be worse than the so called red state we left behind.

Besides, I can't get Blue Bell ice cream, Frenchy's chicken, Shipley's Donuts or Whataburgers in southern California or the Northeast corridor.

May I point out to you Texas bashers GLBT division that my hometown is now ably run by Mayor Annise D. Parker. There are three living IFGE Trinity Award winners that reside inside its borders and some of the early trans community leadership was epicentered in Houston.

One of the early must go to trans events was the Texas T Party in the San Antonio area. Phyllis and ICTLEP used to host an annual trans law conference in the mid 90's in Houston. The Austin and Dallas-Ft Worth areas are battling to see which metropolis is the most gay friendly and have passed GLBT protective ordinances.

But Houston trumps them both with the first openly gay mayor elected to a major Texas city and a US Top 5 population city.

Just thought I'd rub that in.

But having The Intolerant Enemy in our faces 24/7/365 (366 in a leap year) keeps us focused. We don't have time for the internecine warfare that roils other GLBT communities. You also have to get creative in terms of coming up with airtight arguments that will sway even a conservative leaning pol to vote for your civil rights.

But just like you GLBT peeps on the coasts love the areas you live in, we BTLG Texans love our state as well. The diversity of its population and its culture. The urban sophistication of Dallas, Austin and Houston. San Antonio and El Paso's blends of culture. The state fair in Dallas. Football in the fall, be it high school, college or pro.

Did I mention the barbecue and pecan pie?

Well, it's a Texas thang, y'all wouldn't understand.