By Amy B.
March 2 is Texas Independence Day!
With such history, what’s not to like?
TEXAS. It’s the only state I know of where people don’t need to know if you’re Irish, Italian or German; all that matters is whether you’re native or not. “Born and raised?” “Why no, but I got here as fast as I could.”
When thinking of Americanism, I don’t wander far from Texas. Our country was founded on the premise of states.
The Tenth Amendment (part of the Bill of Rights) expresses, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
This brings me back to Texas. What’s not to like?
The Texas Declaration of Independence was signed in 1836. At the same, time 200 brave Texans, including James Bowie, William B. Travis and Davy Crockett were battling at the Alamo. The Mexican army killed nearly everyone, but five weeks later the Texan Army won independence at the Battle of San Jacinto.
People believed enough in this land to fight to the death, just like the United States.
In 1845, Texas became the 28th state of the union and was the only one acquired by treaty and not annexation. In our statehood agreement, we reserved the right to fly the state flag at the same height as the American flag.
Much like the United States, between 1836 and 1839, the capital of Texas was in 6 different cities, Washington-on-the-Brazos, Harrisburg, Galveston, Velasco, Houston and finally settled in Austin (which was originally named Waterloo).
We also had six flags that flew over Texas. The French, the Spanish, the Mexican, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States and the American flag. Six Flags over Texas. Sound familiar?
With so much land (800 square miles larger than France), Texas has an area that will tempt any Yankee to relocate. We have over 350 miles of coastline to explore or witness the majesty of Guadalupe Peak at 8750’. There are the piney woods of east Texas and the high plains of west Texas. You can see the stars in Fort Davis, hike the canyon in Palo Duro or sample local wines in the Hill Country.
There is so much here to love and explore. Our great state of Texas is a true gem in a sea of mediocrity. Texas is where bigger is better and our passion for liberty and individuality transcends above all else.
As Davy Crockett once said, “You can all go to hell; I will go to Texas.”