I am a Texan. As such, I hold this day in a reverence superseded by only the Holiest Days of my Catholic Faith. You see, being a Texan is not so far removed from being of person of Faith. Being a Texan is not just a birthright, it's a spiritual thing, a state of mind. For non-Texans, the best way I can equivocate this is to compare it to being an American, with a little extra pride and a touch of bluster thrown in for good measure.
Former Houston Oilers coach and legendary Texan Bum Phillips' Grandpa perhaps said it best when he told a young Bum that "Texans are forged of a hotter fire".
Following, you will read of men, Texans, forged of a hotter fire. Men, who against great odds gave us Texas. Men whose courage and bravery were exceeded only by the Natural yearning for Freedom and self-determination embedded in each human's soul. Men over matched by superior firepower willing to give their lives for what God had bestowed upon them - inalienable rights that guide the destiny of free men. Men on a mission for a cause greater than temselves. Heroes. Texans.
In the early 19th century, the initials "GTT" sometimes were found carved in haste on the doors of homes abandoned by folks fleeing unpaid debts and other life problems. The three letters were shorthand for "Gone to Texas," the frontier sanctuary of choice for folks in these kinds of unfixable fixes. The three letters have found a place in our state's lore and legend. (Houston Chronicle)
On March 2,1836 "Texas became a republic. On March 1 delegates from the seventeen Mexican municipalities of Texas and the settlement of Pecan Point met at Washington-on-the-Brazos to consider independence from Mexico. George C. Childress presented a resolution calling for independence, and the chairman of the convention appointed Childress to head a committee of five to draft a declaration of independence. In the early morning hours of March 2, the convention voted unanimously to accept the resolution. After fifty-eight members signed the document, Texas became the Republic of Texas. The change remained to be demonstrated to Mexico."
| Sam Houston |
The Battle of the Alamo would soon come. Her defenders including Davy Crockett and James Bowie, would fall at the hands of the Mexican Army lead by General Santa Ana. A few weeks later came a battle that would change Texas, and perhaps the World, forever - San Jacinto.
Thus was born the Republic of Texas.
May the Spirit of Texas live forever in the hearts of men.
God bless "The damnedest lady you ever saw" (John Wayne)
God bless Texas and Texans - a land and a people forged of a hotter fire.
No comments:
Post a Comment