Why Texans Fear Invasion [View all]
Some of you may recall that a few months ago, the federal government announced that it would be holding military training exercises in seven states in the Southwest, including Texas. They would, literally, bring in heavy artillery like aircraft — along with Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets and other Special Operations forces.
This opinion piece tries to explain why Texans are freaking out over this.
to some people around here, the government’s plan to train service members to work in “complex environments” looked like something else: a plot to take over the state. “This is in preparation for the financial collapse and maybe even Obama not leaving office,” the Texas-based conspiracy theorist and radio talk show host Alex Jones declared. That was followed by about one zillion Internet cranks predicting the declaration of martial law — you probably got word about the shuttered Walmarts being converted to makeshift detention centers. Gov. Greg Abbott’s attempt to calm the populace by ordering the state guard to keep an eye on the feds came next, an action that did nothing to confirm the pre-election rumor that he was much smarter than his predecessor, Rick Perry.
I don’t disagree with the observers who say that anti-Obama sentiment provided much of the fuel for this fire. But the local (over)reaction also has its roots in Texas’ DNA. Put another way, it wasn’t so nutty to get bent out of shape about a hostile invasion by a supposed tyrannical government around 185 years ago. Consider that much of Texas, then part of Mexico, was settled by prickly Scots-Irish types who’d had their own issues back home. Some of these folks were big movers in the events leading up to the Texas Revolution.
See the list of events at link: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/17/opinion/why-texans-fear-invasion.html?emc=edit_th_20150717&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=45299538&_r=0
In the end:
Those in the mental health professions might suggest a pattern here. They would also suggest that, over time, patterns can be broken, so that they don’t lead to destructive events, like the deadly 1993 siege of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Tex., or just plain silly ones, like believing a military exercise is cover for an invasion.
Many Texans have taken that advice: We’re moving slowly into maturity. But you know, there are always a few who take longer to get there.
Full article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/17/opinion/why-texans-fear-invasion.html?emc=edit_th_20150717&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=45299538&_r=0
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