Why do people associate Texas with freedom and liberty?

[Samof94]

Why is Texas (and Florida to a lesser extent of) associated with freedom and liberty? I always personally associated blue states with those things, not red ones.

[Ferguson97]

I've only ever heard conservatives do this.

[AGA]

Low taxes, little gun control, etc.

[Del Tachi]

Uhm....Texas is the only state to have its own (successful) revolution?

[Person Man]

As you can see, especially lately, people get neoliberalism and freedom confused. Especially when they claim that their favorite store is going out of business because no one will shop there because the owners are a bunch of dicks.

And still, in Florida you can’t legally get a full size malt liquor or even a bolt action .22 if you are 19 years old.

I guess you don’t have to pay separate state taxes in these states. But at least as Florida trips to the right, sales taxes are drifting up.

[Samof94]

As you can see, especially lately, people get neoliberalism and freedom confused. Especially when they claim that their favorite store is going out of business because no one will shop there because the owners are a bunch of dicks.

And still, in Florida you can’t legally get a full size malt liquor or even a bolt action .22 if you are 19 years old.

I guess you don’t have to pay separate state taxes in these states. But at least as Florida trips to the right, sales taxes are drifting up.

True. There is often religion tied to it.

[Chips]

Low taxes, little gun control, etc.

[Stuart98]

Good marketing.

[Samof94]

Good marketing.

The marketing seems to appeal to a lot of people. As does the idea of “low taxes low services”, which is a pretty backward system.

[progressive85]

To me, it's associated with exactly the opposite: fundamentalist legislator-preachers pushing a hostile anti-freedom agenda.

[Samof94]

To me, it's associated with exactly the opposite: fundamentalist legislator-preachers pushing a hostile anti-freedom agenda.

Of course. To the people who say that, those things are “freedom”. Kind of hard to defend “freedom” when Texas has a history with slavery and Jim Crow in it. Fighting to secede to defend slavery twice is very wrong.

[progressive85]

To me, it's associated with exactly the opposite: fundamentalist legislator-preachers pushing a hostile anti-freedom agenda.

Of course. To the people who say that, those things are “freedom”. Kind of hard to defend “freedom” when Texas has a history with slavery and Jim Crow in it. Fighting to secede to defend slavery twice is very wrong.

Yes and also it claims to hate Big Government but the Texas Legislature is constantly getting into controversies over issues relating to body issues/gender issues and restrictions.  It actually has a law that says that have to mention that being gay is not compatible with state law in the schools.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-LGBT_curriculum_laws_in_the_United_States#Texas

[Samof94]

To me, it's associated with exactly the opposite: fundamentalist legislator-preachers pushing a hostile anti-freedom agenda.

Of course. To the people who say that, those things are “freedom”. Kind of hard to defend “freedom” when Texas has a history with slavery and Jim Crow in it. Fighting to secede to defend slavery twice is very wrong.

Yes and also it claims to hate Big Government but the Texas Legislature is constantly getting into controversies over issues relating to body issues/gender issues and restrictions.  It actually has a law that says that have to mention that being gay is not compatible with state law in the schools.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-LGBT_curriculum_laws_in_the_United_States#Texas

Those things are “God’s law” according to these people.  One thing I admire about blue states is that they don’t get in your personal life.

[Cashew]

Cowboy films? Efforts to rebrand Texas as a Western rather than Southern state?

[Samof94]

Cowboy films? Efforts to rebrand Texas as a Western rather than Southern state?

Of course. Despite the obvious.

[RINO Tom]

Anyone who has ever been to the Southwest understands that there is indeed a refreshingly different "live and let live" attitude, and I am sure that bleeds into Texas' unique culture.  Texas wants to do Texas and to largely be left alone, and a lot of people respect that.  Rightfully.  That isn't to excuse everything that Texas or Texans have ever done, but it shouldn't be a surprise that "Don't Mess With Texas" gives obvious "freedom/liberty" vibes...?

[Samof94]

Anyone who has ever been to the Southwest understands that there is indeed a refreshingly different "live and let live" attitude, and I am sure that bleeds into Texas' unique culture.  Texas wants to do Texas and to largely be left alone, and a lot of people respect that.  Rightfully.  That isn't to excuse everything that Texas or Texans have ever done, but it shouldn't be a surprise that "Don't Mess With Texas" gives obvious "freedom/liberty" vibes...?

How do you explain the obvious social conservatism and the gun stuff?

[RINO Tom]

Anyone who has ever been to the Southwest understands that there is indeed a refreshingly different "live and let live" attitude, and I am sure that bleeds into Texas' unique culture.  Texas wants to do Texas and to largely be left alone, and a lot of people respect that.  Rightfully.  That isn't to excuse everything that Texas or Texans have ever done, but it shouldn't be a surprise that "Don't Mess With Texas" gives obvious "freedom/liberty" vibes...?

How do you explain the obvious social conservatism and the gun stuff?

"Live and let live" does not have to match up with political views that also have that stereotype.  A TX suburb could be full of Evangelicals just like a suburb in MS or AL and still have a decidedly less communitarian/social pressure bent.

[Samof94]

Anyone who has ever been to the Southwest understands that there is indeed a refreshingly different "live and let live" attitude, and I am sure that bleeds into Texas' unique culture.  Texas wants to do Texas and to largely be left alone, and a lot of people respect that.  Rightfully.  That isn't to excuse everything that Texas or Texans have ever done, but it shouldn't be a surprise that "Don't Mess With Texas" gives obvious "freedom/liberty" vibes...?

How do you explain the obvious social conservatism and the gun stuff?

"Live and let live" does not have to match up with political views that also have that stereotype.  A TX suburb could be full of Evangelicals just like a suburb in MS or AL and still have a decidedly less communitarian/social pressure bent.

How? That doesn’t add up very well.

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

Because you can purchase an actual tank.

[Samof94]

Because you can purchase an actual tank.

But somehow, politicians bully and terrorize trans kids.

[dead0man]

I'm pretty sure you can buy a tank (with the gun(s) disabled/removed) in any state.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

The California-Texas dichotomy is seen as a proxy for the broader American liberal-conservative rivalry, so conservatives will ascribe everything they believe to be true of conservatism to Texas.