Hillary knows Texas culture?

Hillary has a new ad out that is specifically for Texas, and it makes me damn mad.

There is probably no other group of people in this country more ethnocentric than Texans. I could write an entire book on that subject, but I will try to present a brief discussion here. Texas is a unique place. It has a unique history and a unique culture. I believe I have mentioned this elsewhere on this blog, but we have a saying down here: Texas is not just a state--it's a state of mind.

In College Station, Texas--home of Texas A&M University--there is another saying: Highway 6 runs both ways. In part that means the same road that brought you into town can take you right back out. If you move to Texas, we don't expect you to give up your culture and traditions. Texans are generally accepting of outsiders as long as they accept and embrace Texas. However, there is something which universally pisses off Texans, namely people that come here and continually bitch about Texas and how it is not like where they came from. You don't like it here? Well, you don't have to stay, for we got along just fine before you got here, and we will be just fine without you.

Most of you have heard the phrase "Don't mess with Texas." Believe it or not, that phrase originated as an advertising slogan in a public service campaign against littering. The campaign was hugely successful because the saying instantly struck a common chord among Texans. That saying is how all Texans feel about our state.

Another thing that angers Texans is posers. I'm talking about people who act like they know about Texas when in fact they don't know squat. That is a brand of bullshit that Texans spot from many miles away.

And that brings me to Hillary's ad.

After the obligatory "I approve this message," Hillary says "I have many friends in Texas. I know your traditions and culture." (emphasis added).

Oh, hell no. She didn't just say that, did she?

Hillary knows Texas culture and tradition? Really? Let's review a little of Hillary's history. As I wrote in my very first anti-Hillary post,

Before running for office, where had Hillary lived? Let's see...She was born and raised in the Chicago area. She went to college at Wellesley College, which is in Massachusetts. She went to law school at Yale, which is in Connecticut. She married Bill and then lived in Arkansas until 1992. Then she lived in Washington, D.C. for eight years. And then she decided she wanted to be a Senator from New York. C'mon.

And she knows Texas traditions and culture? Yeah, right. I bet she does not even know the significance to Texas of today's date. It is a good idea for a politician to try to show Texans that you do actually understand our culture, but said politician damn sure better have that understanding before making such a claim.

Hillary Clinton doesn't know Texas traditions and culture, and it makes me mad as hell that she has the nerve to tell me and the rest of Texas that she does. Then again, that just once more shows her amazing arrogance.

And for the record, I don't think Obama really knows Texas culture and tradition, but at least he is not expressly claiming otherwise. And therein lies a huge difference.

Notice also that the ad has subtitles en Espanol. Could Hillary actually be targeting Latinos and not Texans in general? Well, if that is case, I would think she could bother to learn to say even one sentence in that language. How the hell can you expect someone to believe you know their culture when you can't be bothered to even try to speak their language?

I guess I should stop asking such questions because--silly me--I just remembered that Hillary doesn't need to understand anyone or anything else because she knows what is best for everyone else and she is hell bent on making everyone realize that.

ADDITION ON 3-3-08: By the way, March 2 is Texas Independence Day. The Republic of Texas was created on March 2, 1836.

ADDITION ON 3-3-08: Obama has two Spanish language commercials in Texas (you can see them a here and here). in Texas. Not only are both voiceovers entirely in Spanish, Obama did actually bother to say something in Spanish. Even though it was only the "I approve this message," it is much more than Hillary did in her commercial.