|
EMAIL RESPONSES See Article RE: Your Article I never read the Outlook section but your byline caught my eye. As a Californian living in Texas I have a unique perspective. Like you, whenever I travel and say that I live in Texas, they automatically assume that since I live in "Bush Country". We recently vacationed in Ireland, and as soon as they found out that we lived in Texas, their whole attitude towards us changed. Unlike you, we are Republican, but not necessarily pro Bush. But as a former Californian, I must say I do not miss living there, except of course for the beauty. Born and raised in southern Cal, but going to Berkeley and living in the Bay Area for most of my life, I know how weird Californians are first hand. What is so sad, is that they think that they are open minded, but truly are not, and judge you before they even get to know you. I must say we experienced more racism in Calif, than living in northeast Oklahoma or Houston, TX. So that tells you how "liberal" the Californians are. I just wanted to let you know how humerous your article was. Texas in definitely an interesting place to live. Take care T.H. RE: Two Perspectives DEAR JOE, I READ YOUR OP-ED PIECE IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE'S INTERNET SITE. MY OLDEST BROTHER, WHO STILL LIVES IN OUR HOMETOWN, HOUSTON, RECOMMENDED IT TO ME AS BEING "WITTY, POIGNANT AND POLITICALLY PERCEPTIVE." I'LL GRANT YOU ONLY THE FIRST OF THESE ADJECTIVES. HAVING GROWN UP IN HOUSTON I'VE LIVED ON THE WEST COAST (MALIBU, SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS, AND SAN FRANCISCO) FOR YEARS NOW. I RETURN TO HOUSTON REGULARLY TO VISIT MY FAMILY. I'VE TOLD MANY PEOPLE HERE IN NOE VALLEY, A SUPPOSEDLY LIBERAL BASTION, THAT I'M FROM TEXAS AND I'VE NEVER RECEIVED THE KIND OF RECEPTION YOU COMPLAIN YOU'VE GOTTEN IN SACRAMENTO. I KNOW SACRAMENTO A LITTLE AND I DON'T DOUBT PEOPLE THERE MIGHT REACT DIFFERENTLY THAN THOSE IN SAN FRANCISCO. I'VE NEVER HEARD THE TERM, "LIMOUSINE LIBERAL", BUT I HAVE HEARD & SEEN "LOONY LIBERALS" ON A STORE FRONT IN NOE VALLEY - A COMMENT FROM A PERSON WHO CONSIDERS HIMSELF IN THE MINORITY HERE. IN SAN FRANCISCO I DON'T FIND MANY PEOPLE WHO WORRY ABOUT THEIR IMAGE IN OTHER REGIONS. WE'RE TOO BUSY TRYING TO GET OUR OWN HOUSE IN ORDER. I ATTEND THE CITY/COUNTY SUPERVISOR MEETINGS AT CITY HALL AND WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR MAYOR AND MY SUPERVISOR, BEVAN DUFTY. THEY "KNOW ME TO SPEAK TO", WHICH IS, I BELIEVE, A SOUTHERN EXPRESSION. IF YOU ARE INDEED FROM TEXAS AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THE KIND OF ANTI-TEXAS PREJUDICE YOU CLAIM, YOU MIGHT CONSIDER MOVING TO SAN FRANCISCO. YOUR CONCLUSION WHICH BASICALLY TURNS THE SO CALLED "NATION'S MIDDLE" INTO A LIFESTYLE CHOICE BASED UPON THEIR REACTION TO THIS ALLEGED "ELITIST" ATTITUDE ON THE WEST COAST FAILS TO IMPRESS ME. I KNOW TEXAS TOO WELL. THE INSECURITY IN TEXAS RUNS DEEP AND, I SUSPECT, ALWAYS HAS. TEXANS ARE SENSITIVE NOT ONLY TO THEIR IMAGE AMONG WEST COAST "LEFTIES" - I PREFER "PROGRESSIVES" - BUT ALSO TO THE SO-CALLED "EAST COAST IVY LEAGUE ELITE" AND VIRTUALLY TO ANYONE WHO THEY PERCEIVE TO BE CRITICAL OF TEXAS. YOUR WITTY ARTICLE WAS WELL PLACED IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. MANY THERE, INCLUDING MY BROTHER, ARE DELIGHTED TO HEAR ANYTHING BAD ABOUT CALIFORNIA AND ESPECIALLY SAN FRANCISCO. I'VE SUFFERED REAL PREJUDICE IN TEXAS WHEN I'VE TOLD PEOPLE I'M FROM CALIFORNIA OR SAN FRANCISCO. I PERSONALLY DO NOT BELIEVE IN BEING BOXED INTO GENERALIZATIONS OR REGIONAL ATTITUDES. I'M BOTH A TEXAN AND A CALIFORNIAN, AMONG OTHER IDENTITIES I ACCEPT. WHY MY BROTHER HAS NOT CONTACTED YOU WHOSE ARTICLE DELIGHTED HIM I CANNOT UNDERSTAND FOR HE CONSIDERS HIMSELF A "LIBERAL" IN HOUSTON. YOU COULD CONTACT HIM AT blank FOR HIS APPROVAL. I DO NOT BLAME MYSELF OR ANY SO-CALLED "ELITIST MENTALITY" FOR THE ACTIONS OF TEXANS. THEY SHOULD ANSWER FOR THEMSELVES. J.D. RE: (No Subject) Dear Joe, when I read your column from Sunday's paper I had to laugh. I really got a kick out of that! Now you know how people from Michigan, New York, etc. feel when they have moved to Texas because that's exactly how they are portrayed by Texans, only we are called damn yankees!!!! It doesn't bother me much though, because people in other countries especially Europe, call everyone in this country yankees! Just wanted you to know, good column! Sincerely, C in Texas!!!!
END OF RESPONSES
|