Understanding W

There are essentially two sorts of travelers: those who can't understand why the place they're visiting isn't like home and those who seek to learn something new by shaking up their routine. I like to think I fall in the second camp. Thus, being in Dallas was an opportunity to see how a large segment of our society live and think.

We all forget how vast this country is. When you think of it, it is remarkable that we've managed to keep the United States of America even remotely united. Every region has it's own makeup, it's own attitude. The citizens of those regions tend to prefer their way to thinking to that of any other region. We come together when we have to (think 9/11) but otherwise, we pretty much go our merry way with little thought of how the rest of the country is doing or what it is thinking.

I now understand the phrase "don't mess with Texas". Folks in Dallas are big and loud and friendly. They are not prissy. They have big appetites for everything. Their food is big and spicy. Their architecture is grand. The place is just loaded with money (not everyone has it of course, but the ones that do have a ton of it). The beer is cold, the BBQ is rich, the bugs are loud, the sun is strong. There is nothing about the place that is mild or wishy-washy and that translates into the people.

I don't understand how Texas got settled. If it had been me I would have turned the wagon back around and told myself that things back at home weren't so bad after all. There is nothing particularly welcoming or beautiful about the location, unless you're into the vast, buggy, windswept thing. But here's the thing. People stayed. They planted live oaks to shield themselves from the sun. They scrabbled into the dusty earth and built homes and then cities. They found oil, they took chances and they created something rather spectacular from absolutely nothing. And having created it, they became tremendously place-proud. They are fierce in their pride. They know what they think and if you don't like it, lump it. There ain't a Texan living that needs your approval.

Which is all by way of saying that I now think I understand our President. All that "you're for us or agin us" stuff may not be particularly diplomatic or even presdential, but it sure is pure Texas. He's got big ideas and by gum, he's going to do everything he can to make them happen. For all his Ivy League roots, W grew up in Texas and it shows. I don't necessarily like it, but at least now I get it.