As some of you know, I have spent a good chunk of my life in Texas, and this state is close to my heart. Whether it was listening to the rhythms Austin City Limits on PBS late Saturday nights, or the terrific food scene, or for the most part, a warmth from the people, there won’t be words of derision exiting this mouth about the state as a whole.
That is to say, I dispute that Texas is “one thing” unless that one thing is of course, an example of voter suppressed tyranny. The state’s progressive faction has been dormant for over two decades, but it exists. And now it must wake up.
Although there is no mechanism by which a state may secede, this does not stop our Confederacy inspired antagonist who just is not satisfied with the current marriage.
If the referendum were to succeed, it would establish a committee tasked with investigating “the feasibility of independence from the Union and propose options and potential plans
for independence to the Texas Legislature.” The state representative included a petition supporting the bill’s passage in his announcement of the proposal.
(Bryan) Slaton has been at the center of various hardline conservative legislative proposals in Texas. He has introduced bills attempting to make abortion a criminal offense punishable by death, proposed rules to block Texas Democrats from holding committee chairmanships, floated tax benefits for heterosexual couples, and introduced measures to criminalize gender-affirming health care for minors.
Ironically, it was Texas v. White in 1869 that resulted in a clear ruling from the Supreme Court disallowing unilateral secession from the union.
This has not stopped Texas Republicans from continuing to bang on the door of upheaval, both ignorant of the current state of its economy and of the effects of such a decision. As recently as 2022 the Texas Republican party endorsed a similar referendum as part of its platform.
So while we say we will not “allow secession” based upon previous precedent, we also said that previous precedent would prevent a rapid onset of a real life Handmaid’s Tale, didn’t we? The law, and the Constitution is ultimately what nine people in black robes decide it is.
Slaton is from Royse City, in Rockwall County, deep red and only partially bordering on the more enlightened collar county which is Collin which is part of the DFW metroplex, and will likely finish its transition to blue next year.
The cultural divide separating a freeway exit offering a museum and one offering a bait and tackle has never been so stark. In my own experience, traveling through the state can be a bizarre experience, as there is a complete change in tone outside of a triangle city. It is almost as if they believe they are all direct descendants of The Alamo soldiers and need to be ready to fight at a moment’s notice.
Slaton describes himself thusly:
“As a bold and brave Christian-Conservative, I will stand up to Government abuse, constant overstepping and the over all burden it places on the taxpayer. I want to help give the people of Texas the Government they are calling for and deserve. We must stand up and elect someone who will represent HD2 as we seek to advance liberty and our way of life against the establishment in Austin.”
From his biography:
Born in Mineola, Texas, Bryan Slaton is a proud East Texan with values and principles that resemble(represent) the great people of East Texas. These values were formed as he grew up regularly participating in church and family gatherings. Bryan attended Ouachita Baptist University, where he earned a double major in Youth Ministry / Speech Communication. He then attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and earned a Masters of Divinity with Biblical Languages. He served in the ministry as a Youth and Family Minister for 13 years.
What upsets me the most is not the possibility such a movement could gain momentum, or that it is a key plank of Russian destabilization efforts,
it is that it causes a place I love to be ridiculed more broadly by my own allies.
Texas is not defined by Bryan Slaton, or Greg Abbott. Texas is a lone burger stand outside of Corpus Christi, where my wife and I were the first customers. It is a trucker and Baylor graduate that picked us up near Navasota in December of 1985, when our car broke down. It is Stubb’s BBQ, and the LBJ library. It is neighbors risking flood waters in the dark to rescue people and pets in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
It is a perfect spring day where all you want to do is walk a back road and look at bluebonnets.
And Texas is not a nation state, but a state in the United States of America.
Never trust a man with a cannon in his logo.
But don’t turn your back or give up on the 28th state.
.-ROC
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Love,
-ROC