Yesterday was Texas Independence Day. Some of my favorite bloggers are Texans, so a quick trip around the web brought some of these comments on the day:

From Drew at the Longhorn Mafia:

Texans don't lack confidence. Our travel and safety departments boast memorable slogans like, "Texas, it's a Whole Other Country," and "Don't Mess With Texas." And the flagship of our state's higher education system markets itself with a simple, straightforward phrase: "We're Texas."

Forgive us for our arrogance, though, because we only take after our forefathers, who gave the finger to a tyrranical empire and when it came time to back it up, they never backed down. Many paid the ultimate price, but freedom prevailed.

From Law & Alcoholism:

Texas isn't just a state - it's a state of mind. There's really something different in the air there - I notice it whenever I go back home. It's pride - the ruggedly independent frontier spirit that's been with us since Stephen F. Austin brought 300 settlers to found a colony. It's honor - the courage of 189 men refusing to surrender to an army of over 2,000, of fighting till the last man and killing 1,600 of their foes in the process. And it's friendliness - no one thinks twice about saying "mornin'" as they pass a stranger.

Finally, from Send Lawyers, Guns & Money:

When was the last time you went to a person's house in New York and you saw a big map of New York on their wall? That was never. When did you ever drive through Oklahoma and see their flag waving on four businesses in a row? Can you even tell me what the flag in Louisiana looks like? I damned sure can't. But I bet my ass you can't drive 20 minutes from your house and not see a business that has a big Texas flag as part of its logo. If you haven't done business with someone called AllTex something or Lone Star somebody or other, or Texas such and such, you hadn't lived here for too long.

When you ask a man from New York what he is, he'll say a stockbroker, or an accountant, or an ad exec. When you ask a woman from California what she is, she'll tell you her last name or her major. Hell either of em might say"I'm a republican," or they might be a democrat. When you ask a Texan what they are, before they say, "I'm a Methodist," or "I'm a lawyer," or "I'm a Smith," they tell you they're a Texan.

I got nothin against all those other places, and Lord knows they've probably got some fine folks, but in your gut you know it just like I do, Texas is just a little different.

Texans really think Texas is the greatest place on Earth. Initially, that attitude annoyed me. But then I examined why I felt that way. It wasn't, I realized, because I thought the Texans were arrogant. It was because I thought they were wrong. Wisconsin is the greatest place on Earth!

So, how could I hate Texans for thinking the way I do? And, in fact, I love Texans. I think they're fun, friendly people and I can completely relate to the way they love their state. I think Wisconsinites and Texans share a similiar love of their homelands. People from both places consider themselves a Badger (or Texan) first, and an American second. Only a Texan would say (and I remember Colby from Survivor saying this) that when they wake up in the morning the first thing they do is thank God they're alive and thank God they're a Texan. And, only a Wisconsinite would proudly travel around the country with foam cheese accessories.

So, without further ado, I'd like to present my quick guide to Texans & Badgers.

Natives
Wear...	Cowboy hats	Cheeseheads
Are obsessed with preparing and eating...	Chili	Brats
Drink local beers like...	Shiner	Point
Think America's Team is....	The Cowboys	The Packers
Fly...	American & Lone Star flags	American, Packer and Motion W flags
Know how to...	Two-step	Polka
Tote...	Guns	Guns
Think their State Capital building is _____ than the US Capital	Bigger	Better
Are sure their state is...	God's country	God's country
Remember...	The Alamo	The Ice Bowl