Tag Archives: East Texas
The Scarlet A
My worst experience with Christian extremism was at a little engineering company in East Texas. They’re out of business now. In East Texas, politics and religion have merged into one unholy totem. They would listen to the Rush Limbaugh show on the radio, and turn the volume up loud enough that I couldn’t drown him …
Statues
We don’t have any statues of Confederate generals where I live, although a lot of roads and schools are named for them. Our only statue is in the park downtown, and it’s of a dolphin. That’s a bit odd for a city roughly 250 miles from the ocean, but, there you go. Some people are …
Past and Present
I live in East Texas. My father lives three miles away. To get to his house from my house I turn left on Robert E Lee Drive, left on Jefferson Davis Drive, continue past Jeb Stuart Circle, and take a right on Shiloh; a Confederate general, a Confederate politician, another Confederate general, and a Civil …
The Texas Police
I lived for several years in a multicultural neighborhood in Plano, just north of Dallas, east of I-75. At that time I’d estimate that it was about half Latino, a quarter Black, and a quarter White. One of the scariest moments of my life happened while I lived there. I had left early in the …
It shouldn’t have mattered anyway.
After 9/11 happened, the company my father worked for sent out a memo saying they would no longer use a local motel. They said it was owned by Arabs who refused to fly the American flag. My father stopped by this motel on the way to work the next day, and saw the American flag …
Bewildering
“The people of the United States are a strange and occasionally bewildering mixture of the enlightened, the superstitious, and the plain ignorant. In certain backward sections, notably but not exclusively in the Southern states, a form of religious dogmatism has perpetuated doctrines and prejudices which other sections, on a higher intellectual level, have rejected as …
Hobbit
Hobbit was a regional favorite at the end of the 70s, back in the days when radio stations were locally owned and disc jockeys could play what they wanted. As you can probably guess, most of their songs were Lord of the Rings themed. Their (derelict) website is HERE.
Drug of Choice
I don’t know what it’s like in other places, but here in East Texas the anti-abortion activists are quite a spectacle. They begin by creating a tiny fake cemetery alongside a busy road, with foot-tall wooden crosses painted white. Then they kneel down in the center of it and begin to wail, to cry, to …
Pillars of the Community
“To steal from a brother or sister is evil. To not steal from the institutions that are the pillars of the Pig Empire is equally immoral.” ~Abbie Hoffman The city in East Texas where I live has over 100,000 people, but we only have two grocery stores to choose from: Walmart, and Brookshire’s. Brookshire’s is …
The East Texas State Fair has instituted a tough “no tobacco” policy. Beginning this year, patrons will literally be searched at the gate, and if they find a pack of cigarettes they will confiscate it. You will be relieved to know that they still allow handguns.
Where have all the flowers gone?
We tried to go to a Bellamy Brothers concert last night. The evening began with a rousing tribute to our brave and glorious troops, after which the crowd burst into spontaneous applause because they, too, love our brave and glorious troops. Then we were compelled to rise and recite the pledge of allegiance (I declined), …
As If
Mona and I went to see a David Phelps concert at a nearby church last week. It didn’t go well. I’m not Christian, but I was raised Catholic so I know all the stories. I enjoy devotional music of all faiths, and like David Phelps in particular. I have a few of his albums. But …
All sense of proportion
Via Ron Davison, who maintains a blog HERE. I have a knee-jerk reaction against the term “political correctness.” In my life, I’ve never heard anyone denied their right to say unkind things– but I’ve heard a lot of people say unkind things followed by “I guess I’m not ‘politically correct,’ hur-hur, hur-hur,” apparently believing that …
“Other than the burning eyes and cancer, it’s quite safe.”
From the Tyler Morning Telegraph: This month’s water bill comes with some added reading material – a glossy four-page color pamphlet explaining recent issues with the city’s water supply and assuring residents the water is safe. Apparently, this is some new definition of “safe” that I haven’t heard before, because what the pamphlet actually says …
Golf
That seems oddly specific to me. I wonder what the golfers did that raised the ire of the Village Elders? Was it the pants? Are there cons doing hard time on a golfing rap?
Interrobang
Here in East Texas we get a lot of weird comparison arguments. Maybe everyone does: “How can you be concerned about the Cowboy’s running back situation when MILLIONS OF BABIES ARE ABORTED EVERY YEAR!?“ How can you be against the wars when OBAMA PLANS TO CONFISCATE THE GUNS OF LAW ABIDING CITIZENS!?“ How can you …
Consequences
My neighbor told me today that Jesus is going to punish America for allowing abortion. This wasn’t just rhetoric for her, she truly believes it, and she’s scared. But here’s the thing: There was a time when abortion was illegal, prayer in school was mandatory, and gays were safely ensconced in the closet. This was …
Michael Johnson
Mona got us tickets to see Michael Johnson at a little 100-seat venue in Winnsboro, Texas. If you are Of A Certain Age, you’ll recognize him from Bluer than Blue or That’s That, but the song above is my favorite of his- it’s a unique blend of sadness and hopefulness. Most of East Texas is …
Old Soldiers
It’s become the fashion locally to announce one’s veteran status before even the most mundane of statements: “I am a veteran, and I didn’t get my newspaper today.” “I am a veteran, and I would like to buy a gallon of paint.” “I am a veteran, and I for $50 I will mow your lawn.” …
The Confluence of Church and State
From the Washington Post: This morning the Supreme Court held in Town of Greece v. Galloway, that the town’s practice of beginning legislative sessions with prayers does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. They got it wrong. Maybe things are different in the Town of Greece, but here in East Texas government-sponsored prayer …
Abbie's Tree House 