Surviving Texas

I recently received this in an e-mail from my older brother:

Due to the popularity of the "Survivor" shows, Texas is planning to do one entitled, "Survivor, Texas-Style." The contestants will all start in Dallas, then drive to Waco, Austin, San Antonio, over to Houston and down to Brownsville. They will then proceed up to Del Rio, El Paso, Midland, Odessa, Lubbock and Amarillo. From there they will go on to Abilene, Fort Worth and finally back to Dallas.Each will be driving a pink Volvo with bumper stickers that read: "I Love the Dixie Chicks," "Boycott Beef," "I Voted for John Kerry,""George Strait Sucks," "Hillary in 2008," "I'm Here to Confiscate Your Guns," and a gay pride sticker. The first one to make it back to Dallas alive wins!

This was my response:

Shoot, I've got at least three of those on my car NOW. Throw in the NO-W sticker and the Obama for President and I should at least get an honorary prize :) (But they'd have to pay me a lot to drive a pink Volvo) What's scary and not so funny about this, though, is how true it is...rather sad, actually, if you ask me.
To give this too much energy would be a waste, but it does always amaze me how many Texans call themselves Christians...as far as I can recall that whole "love thy neighbor" thing didn't have qualifiers after it like "unless he's a homosexual" or "unless she likes to speak her mind".
Just food for thought...that's all.

And the reply from him:

"Well if you have three of those on your car and you are still breathing then I guess there must be some Christians in Texas after all! It was just a funny not supposed to be political and I for one will never give in and be politically correct. Smile and do not take everything so seriously!!!"


Ok, first, I must say that I love my brother dearly and anyone who knows him well knows that he would put his life on the line for me or any one of his loved ones in a heartbeat if the circumstances called for it. This is not a personal attack by any means. I know he sent the joke on for only one reason and that is because he thought it was funny and wanted to share a laugh. I can appreciate that. A few years ago, I probably would have chuckled to myself, deleted the e-mail and thought no more about it.

Lately though, I have a hard time finding stuff like this funny. I'm wondering if it was just the bad PMS I was suffering at the time or if I'm really losing my sense of humor or just "wearing my heart on my sleeve" as my Mom used to say. Is it because I have been stared down, flipped off and almost run off the road by "Texans" because of what my bumper stickers read or is it because I remember my younger brother being threatened and called a n------ lover by some guys throwing beer cans out the window while he was jogging in San Marcos (in the early 1990's, not 1890's)? Is is because I thought about the fact that Natalie Maines and the other Dixie Chicks and their husbands and children and mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers had to wonder every day if one of the idiots responsible for the multitudes of death threats and hate mail they received would actually act on it? Is it because I know of too many homosexuals who have been violently attacked by people for who they are and multitudes more who live in fear of it everyday? I mean, I like a good joke as much as the next person and laughter is definitely one of the best medicines...but am I the only one who no longer finds jokes about the possibility of someone being killed for what they believe in funny?

I don't think that being politically correct has anything to do with it...I think that being human does. I think that being an American does. I think believing that freedom means that everyone is free, not only those who agree with you, does. I think putting ourselves in other people's shoes and imagining what it might be like to be them, what it might be like if our daughter or son was the one getting beat up or threatened for being gay or for speaking out about the war, or for being black or brown or red or white or Muslim or Jewish or Buddhist or Christian or liberal or conservative or an immigrant or the child of an immigrant--does. I think that has everything to do with it.

Peace, Love and Understanding
Cristina