December 29 Marks Another Year Of Texas Statehood In Our Federal Union

Today is the 165th anniversary of Texas Statehood.  Texas became a state on December 29, 1845.

(Above–Texas State Capitol. As you see, the U.S. Flag flies above the Texas State Flag. Photo by Daniel Mayer.)

Here are some basic facts about Texas from the excellent Texas Almanac.

While our Governor, Rick Perry, has engaged in seditious talk about Texas leaving our federal union, Texas is one of the 50 states of the United States of America.

In aggressively promoting a so-called states rights agenda, the Governor shows a historical fondness for the Southern lost cause of slavery and for the Apartheid like brutality of Jim Crow.

Loyal Texans see no conflict between seeing what is best about the many contributions Texas has made to our nation, and, at the same time, being part of our great nation.

(The San Jacinto Battlefield Monument and the USS Texas battleship in LaPorte, Texas.  LaPorte is just outside of Houston. Texas independence was won in 1836 at San Jacinto. The monument and the battleship are well worth a visit. Photo by Louis Vest.)

There are many fine resources to learn about Texas.

Lone Star Nation–The Epic Story of the Battle for Texas Independence by H.W. Brands will tell you all you need to know about how Texans won independence from Mexico.

Texas: A Modern History by David McComb is short and readable history of Texas history all the way up to the current century.

The Texas Almanac is simply one of the best reference books I own on any topic. The Almanac is published by the Texas State Historical Society.

The Handbook of Texas Online is very comprehensive on many aspects of Texas both past and present. The Handbook is also published by the TSHS.

I’m certain there are many additional quality resources about our state.

Congratulations to all Texans for being lucky enough to live in a state that is justifiably famous all around the world, and that is also a proud part of our union.

(Below—The President of the United States of America.)

You Are Going To Have To Get Involved Yourself—Texas Progressive Alliance Round-Up

Here is the most recent Texas Progressive Alliance round-up. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas.

With the round-up this week is a picture I took on Thanksgiving Day of the Texas State Capitol in Austin.

Life took me to Austin this past week.

A lot of brutal things are going to happen in that building in the months ahead.  The 2011 Texas legislative session offers little more than prospect of drastic cuts in the already thin social safety net, and, on social issues and immigration issues, nothing but far-right measures and extremism.

I’d like to make a point with this blog post that I’ve made a few times in recent weeks—It is up to you to get involved.

You see what happened in the election earlier this month. Crazy and sometimes hateful people were more enthusiastic and better organized than were others in 2010.

Nobody is going to do the work of freedom and democracy for you. You should please consider volunteering, blogging, running for office, starting a blog, writing a letter to the editor, talking to your friends and family, donating money  and whatever else you think might be of value.

You have to decide that you’re going to do something about the way we are headed in Texas and in  this nation.  It is up to you.

The round-up—

Off the Kuff examined the effect of straight ticket voting on the city of Houston’s ballot propositions as well as the touching of our junk.
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wonders how the Cameron County Judge’s race can get any weirder. Who won and how did things get so messed up?

This week on Left of College Station, Teddy takes a look at the bills concerning immigration that have been pre-filled in the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate. LoCS also once again covered theweek in headlines.

WhosPlayin posted a two-part series following air quality complaints in a neighborhood in North Texas near Barnett Shale gas wells and facilities.

Even At Texas State Capitol, U.S. Flag Flies Above Texas Flag—TPA Blogger Round-Up

Here is the weekly round-up of the Texas Progressive Alliance. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas.

With the round-up this week is a picture of the Texas State Capitol that I took from Wikipedia. You’ll notice in this photo that the U.S. flag is above the Texas flag.

This is just how it should be. The states derive their existence from the fact of our federal union taken as a whole.

For all the blustery talk about states rights and all that jazz, we see the real facts even at the Texas State Capitol.

TPA bloggers never rest in bringing you the facts about what is going on in Texas politics.

Please visit TPA bloggers every chance you get.

Here is the round-up—

Off the Kuff published interviews with Democratic candidates Jeff Weems, Hector Uribe, and Hank Gilbert.

BossKitty at TruthHugger is disgusted again. This is a very serious election, but America is the deer in the headlights and appears to be frozen. So the last thing he wants to hear is “its a TRUCK”! This election is all spin and conspiracy (not that previous elections haven’t been) but this one is critical because it’s hinting at rolling back what progress has been achieved. Israel is sliding, America is sliding and the radicals are ready. This is NOT the choice American’s should face.

Matthew Dowd, a Bushbot, longs for the glory days of the Bush presidency and envisions Rick Perry as president. That sound you hear is CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme retching uncontrollably.

Photo Of Texas State Capitol I Took From Austin Skyscraper

Here is a photo of the Texas State Capitol building I recently took from the 22nd floor of the Chase Building in Austin.  At least I think it was the 22nd floor.

Though I’ve lived in Texas nine years now, I don’t feel an emotional attachment to our State Capitol building. I feel our State Capitol building has been on the whole a location of misdeeds and wrongdoing.

In frankness, though I am first and foremost a political blogger, I do not find much of what takes place in the Capitol building to be of interest. This does not mean I ignore our State Capitol. It simply means I limit my intake of Texas political news because there are only so many ways you can read that people are being cheated. 

Still, I do believe a better day in Texas and in all places is possible. You have to believe better things are possible or you’re finished as a person anybody would want to get to know and have as a friend.

Some people think a better day in Texas will come when ongoing demographic changes in Texas return the legislative chambers of the Capitol back to Democrats.

I think the better day will come when the people of Texas finally decide they want to act upon their more decent impulses and cast aside the aggression and economic Darwinism that have long defined Texas.