I live in Texas. Myth #1: All Texans are alike.
Our reputation is rightly earned. We are often our own worst enemy. We are known for a variety of traits....loud, obnoxious, narrow-minded, are just a few. Most people who haven't been to Texas think we're all like President Bush. We own a horse, we talk like idiots and we expect everyone to listen to us no matter what.Yes, you can find Texans who fit this mold. There are horses in the state, and we have more than our number of jackasses. But here some scenes from my neighborhood that tell another story:
In a two mile radius we have 5 to 6 Hookah Bars! What is a Hookah? A hookah is a single or multi-stemmed (often glass-based) water pipe device for smoking; originating in India, that has gained popularity, especially in the Arab World. A hookah operates by water-filtration and indirect heat. It can be used for smoking many substances, such as herbal fruits and tobacco.
My neighborhood is home to a large Arab and Muslim population.
I live one mile from the largest Mosque in North Texas.
Many of my neighbors are Asian. The church I serve shares an alley with China Town. This shopping center was built in the 50's and was home to a Safeway Grocery Store, a Drug store and a variety of other stores. In the 80's a large number of Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, Korean, and Vietnamese moved to Richardson. The old 50's shopping center has transformed in to China Town. Every weekend people from across the Metroplex flood into the parking lot to shop, but mainly eat at the fantastic restaurants.
My neighbors are also Mexican, Central American, South American, Buddhist, Indian, Afro American, and African, Filipino, Jewish and Italian.
So you see it is a myth. Not all Texans are alike, certainly not in my neighborhood.
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