So a few weeks ago, on the first day of TBRU, I was standing on the balcony of the penthouse hospitality suite, drinking my first free beer of the weekend, and marveling at my good luck to be able to attend an event with men such as this.

Ever the social one, I made small talk with an attendee who had a badge that indicated that he was from one of those states in the midwest with square borders and square-er people. I asked if he'd ever been to Texas, and he indicated that this was his first trip, and he'd landed about an hour before. Then, he blew me away: he totally insulted me!

He made a crack about Texas. My home. He said some crack about him being amazed that we had libraries here, and that he'd have never believed we had real cities here.

Oh NO HE D'INT!

First of all, Texas has more cities than your little, ugly state. Our weather is better and people are nicer. (He's one hour off the plane, in a penthouse suite drinking free beer? Tell ME Texas sucks!)

It always shocks me when people from outside of Texas assume everything looks like a desert here or something, with tumbleweeds and cows everywhere. In reality, Texas is the second-most urban state, and the second most populous. We beat New York on population.

And we're not just a bunch of stupids here, either. Open heart surgery was invented in Texas. You know Robert's Rules of Order? That guy was Texan. We have several world-class museums and universities. Ever heard of Texas Insturments? Yeah. The microchip was invented here.

I think it's hard for non-Texans who have never been here to understand just how... um... Texan we are. I mean, we have raised the star to icon status. We wave our flag more than Fox News waves the Stars and Stripes. I have a six foot framed Lone Star flag in my living room, and my light fixtures all have stars and limestone on them. I'm not alone. There's a whole design style called "Texana." I know that's weird, but it's how it is.

So this Texan-ness that I have led me to be insulted by the guy's crack. I wasn't the only one offended, he was called down by other partygoers. At least we Texans stay together.

That's nice, if a little defensive. It's natural to like your home... why else would you live there?

I have been to TX 3 times, all work-related. My experiences there were limited, I admit. However, talking with friends who have been there more than I have, they all agree that any parts of TX outside of Austin are largely unnecessary.

To me, when I think of TX, I think of our president and humongous SUVs, two things in this world I loathe. But that's my problem.

And... I always thought that the "father of open-heart surgery" Dr. C. Walton Lillehei "invented" the procedure in MN, in 1952. But I could be wrong.

Being a non-Texan... and, to be completely honest, a FOREIGNER , I wasn't best pleased when my bf and I had to relocate to Houston. So far our impression of the place hasn't been so good. Our travels within Texas have taken us to Dallas, San Antonio, Austin (briefly) aaaaand... Galveston.

Do I love it here yet? 'Fraid not. Would I insult the place? Actually, yes, I would, BUT the saving grace of the place is its people, who are wonderful... well, the gay ones are wonderful . Don't really play with the str8's too much.

Besides, don't all States insult one another? I keep hearing jokes about Arkansas...

Amen!

I am so sick of hearing outsiders bash Texas. We have a lot to be proud of. And even aside from that fact, you don't go to someone's home and insult their decor. Why visit a state and insult the people? That's just bad manners. Glad you and the other partygoers but him in his place. Thank you, Tim.

I've been working on my family geneaology, and discovered that my ancestors settled in Texas before winding up in Georgia. I've never been to Texas, but Tim, can I be an honorary Texan?

I've been working on my family geneaology, and discovered that my ancestors settled in Texas before winding up in Georgia. I've never been to Texas, but Tim, can I be an honorary Texan?

I can understand people insulting other places in Texas (although if an out-of-stater did, I'd still have my back up), but Austin is one of the coolest freaking cities in the world. I've seen my fair share too. The people, yes...but also the open-minded atmosphere, the fun things to do...Austin alone makes Texas great, in my opinion.

Ummm...not to be condescending or anything, but the only reason why Texas has more of a population than NY is because it's twice the size.....hello? As for the people, I've met a few of you folks online & chatted with them. I was not blown-away / impressed. Just like everywhere else, Texans are no different - some are nice, others are not. I've got a cousin & aunt living outside of Dallas.....gotta love them - they are both as nice as you can be. So, on a personal level, I don't love or hate Texans....because Texans are people too
I don't blame you for getting your hackles raised though. I would too, and I think "Michelle" hit the nail on the head when she said that you don't go into someones home & insult the decor.
Peace y'all

i love texas.
i live just north of houston close to the woodlands.
i've been EVERYWHERE.
im 17. and yeah, i've been almost everywhere. i have to admit, hawaii and alaska are a bit nicer looking than texas and they have better weather. our weather sucks...damn humidity. almost everywhere i go, people ask me if i ride a HORSE to school, what do we do about the tumble weeds, is there a big problem with prarie dogs and the holes they dig, are there a lot of catus's and do i mind them...... texas is one big sterotype. but hey, it's cool, no one has ever made fun of it to me...i just laugh at them and say, no way! are you kidding? some people REALLY think these things about texas. the looks on their faces.... when we went to maine, the people there were like, i bet this is so much different for you! do you like it? and something about there being desert sand here...and we where like no.... and when i was in colorado, a lady asked me about where do all the high school kids put the horses. and im like, whaa....?? and she's like, dont you ride a horse? and im like, i have before, but not to school....
weird i know.
but i really have to agree with michelle on that insulting the decor thing. just because you think that the place you come from is nicer, you dont have to SAY it. sure freedom of speech and whatever, but it hurts people's feelings. if you dont have something nice to say, just dont say anything at all.
oh yeah, and i have plenty of gay friends, they are on the same 'nice' level as sraight people. they just have a cute lysp. whatever you spell it. i love the vally girl accent too. its great. makes me feel beter cause i have the 'valley girl' thing too. lol

bye bye!
-LEa!

I'm a Texan as well, and frankly there are good parts and bad parts to Texas-as there are anywhere. But I'd rather be from Texas (and live in Austin) more than any other place in the world. Its unique, it has pride it its uniqueness and its beautiful country.
If you ask people traveling outside the US where they are from, most people will say "I'm from the US", the Texans always say "I'm from Texas." That's an indicator if I ever saw one.
...and in respect to the shrub in office, its also quite an indicator that I am ashamed to be from the same place as he was spawned. Does that tell you much?
Thought so.

I live on the East Coast, but I have nothing bad to say about Texas. My only experiences in Texas have been briefly changing planes in Dallas/Ft. Worth. One of those times, I was sitting on a plane waiting for take off, when I looked out the window and saw a huge fire way off in the distance.

I don't know what it was. At first glance it looked like something exploded. The flames were about 75 feet in the air with black smoke going even higher. The only other person on the plane was a hispanic guy vacuuming everything. I alerted him and pointed out the window. He didn't speak English, but his gesture was something like, "Oh, don't worry about it. Happens all the time."

So, that's my impression of Texas. A land where giant flaming objects are a natural occurance. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose.

Texans are the dumbest hicks in the USA. Small enclaves of bucktoothed hardheads found themselves in the middle of an economic boon with housing, businesses, malls, and other developments springing up around them and felt that they were somebody. They ARE rude. When you tell a Texan where you're from they (almost)invariably have something rude to say about the place you mentioned. Austin and San Antonio are ok, but so are most other places in the world. Texas ain't s**t.

I recently relocated to Austin, Texas about 5 months ago and all I can say is that most (I'm not trying to say all) people around here are really rude. Makes me feel sorry for anyone working in the retail/customer field here.

Texas is a joke. People here think that this armpit they call home is the center of the world, and that it is, in fact, heaven. They are obsessed with their flag, and are always making excuses for this pathetic state. " Have a bad experience? Oh, you just need to go to Austin...or you need to get out of the metro area..."

Baloney. The entire state is one big metro area, with rude, rude people everywhere. Texans think that they should control the world. Why? Because, that's why. They absolutely belive that they are better than everyone else - showing off with big houses, expensive cars, etc.

Driving - Texans are absolutely asses on the road - every one of them. They speed excessively, usually doing 60 in a 40 is not uncommon. And they LOVE to speed around people and cut people off. It's like a rite of passage for all Texans. And they all drive big trucks and SUVs...usually with every bit of aftermarket brush guards availible.

Fact is, Texas is NOT the best place in the world, but try to tell that to a Texan and they will make excuses for their state to every end.

If you live in Texas and are not from there, I feel sorry for you. Take the first chance you get and LEAVE while you still can. If you are a Texan, I feel even more sorry for you because you will never open your mind to other possibilities and will never know the richness of an open-mind.

Alaska is three times as large as New York but nobody lives there......like....hello

I have lived in Texas my whole life and would like to express my desire to see immigration from the other 49 states and the rest of the planet to Texas driven to zero. I've encountered countless people from other states that have a very queer perception of the world around them. Civilization is not here to serve you. You are not the center of the Universe. Government is not here to create laws that keep your standard of living high. When I encounter people from other states who possess a college education I am usually stunned by the apparent low quality of the education they received in their home state. Our nation is overpopulated yet you jackasses keep breeding. Do no relocate to Texas. Why can't you just fix the problems in your own state instead of relocating to Texas? We don't want you bringing your bad habits and beliefs to Texas.