Texas ... How Good is it, Really?

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Jeff Thomas

New member
Friends, I may have a significant opportunity in Dallas, TX. Up until now, I've been a relatively happy Arizona boy. I was committed to staying in this state ... though, not literally. ;)

However, the Phoenix area's economy has become schizophrenic. We have had a burgeoning population, more than matched by an even greater growth in the euphemistically titled "public sector" ... read that as our government has grown by leaps and bounds. The contradiction is that we've also seen the exit of many public and headquarter companies.

The question: how free is Texas? I have an image that Texans are as free if not freer than Arizonans. That I can move to Texas (as opposed to CA) without selling firearms. That I can continue shooting and collecting firearms, training, and so on. And, above all, that Texas values and recognizes my fundamental right of self defense.

In addition, I have the impression that economic and personal freedom are comparable or better in Texas.

In sum, I would strongly consider a move to Texas, whereas CA has never really been on the radar.

Texans ... how good is it really? And, would an Arizona libertarian curmudgeon be welcome? ;)

Regards from AZ
 
R

rock_jock

New member
I've been a Texan for 25 years, ever since I was just a wee lad of 11. Texas is great. It grows on you, if you can stand the heat (which you can, being from AZ) and the humidity (which you know nothing about, being from AZ). Freedom abounds, and even in densely poulated areas, folks are mostly moderate to conservative. Dallas is a nice area, although too crowded for my tastes. I can't think of too many things you would miss out on moving from AZ. We have small hills outside Austin (no true mountains) and good hunting and fishing. About the only thing you can't do is carry openly.

Bring your guns and your politics, we need them both.
 
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Vladimir_Berkov

New member
I love West Texas. The humidity is nonexistant, but the job market blows. After I get out of college I will be moving to somewhere else.
 
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KSFreeman

New member
Jeff, as a fellow outsider, I find Tejas a wonderful place. I go down to Saint Tony's twice a year and have a great time. I know nothing of Dallas other than the traffic is purported horrific.

Fairly relaxed atmosphere regarding firearms. However, they do stress about carrying down there. Geez, do they ever. It irks me that that Tejas does not yet recognize my state's license, but I'm working on that (you hear me Tejas DPS?) so I can get legal while I'm down.

Of course, I like AZ when I'm there too.:D
 
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Jim March

New member
Speaking purely as somebody who monitors gun law trends versus living there...

Texas isn't *quite* as good as AZ in terms of gun laws. CCW system is pretty much the same, but there's no legal open carry fr'instance. Rules on legal use of force are *excellent*, among the best in the nation. Texas is a "Class3 state" if I recall right(?) - check on that point if major amounts of ammo is your thing :).

There's states that are even better, such as Idaho, Washington State, etc...but many of them are more and more becoming "battlegrounds" where the grabbers are trying to advance. WashState is a good example, and Oregon. There is NO such "grabber drive" going on in Texas and I would predict there won't be for a long time if ever. So the rights you do have, figure on an easy time keeping 'em. Either focus on rolling back the crap even more, or concentrating on events in WashDC at the Fed level.

Unless you've got a major problem with a readily obtainable shall-issue CCW permit, you'll do just fine.

Good job market, too, around Dallas/Ft. Worth and to a slightly lesser extent, Houston.
 
B

Barn Dog

New member
Jeff, Dallas is OK. There is not much to do here except go shooting, bass fishing (excellent), movies, shopping and restaurants - just my opinion though, maybe I have not looked around enough and should get out more. One word of caution, you can loose your ass in real estate around here so pick a good area where the values are escalating, not flat or going down. I'm from CA myself and there was much more to do and see there but I don't regret leaving at all, bunch a freaks out there. Gun laws here are good, no problem with getting a CHL although expensive. Libertarian curmudgeons are welcome, I hang out with a couple of them - I may be one myself, not sure. The gun shows are once or twice per month at about four different locations, two are pretty good ones. Job market is OK too, depends upon your skill set. Good Luck.
 
4

40ozflatfoot

New member
Didn't Dallas just pass a "gay rights" law, or something like that? It's supposed to protect gays from discrimination because they're gay, or something like that.
 
L

Libertarian

New member
The only thing I have found to complain about with Texas is the lack of open carry. It makes it much more uncomfortable to carry in warm weather if you have to worry about accidentally showing your pistol or printing. (Perhaps if I lost more weight it would be nicer?)

I have lived here many times in the 50's and 60's (Dad was in the Air Force) and visited many times in the 70's, 80's and 90's (Mom is from San Antonio). It is a great place to live or visit.
 
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Quartus

New member
Do you wear glasses? It's important. They fog up when you leave the car. They fog up when you leave the office. They fog up when you breathe, some days.

Now, that's Houston, and Dallas is not quite as bad. Traffic is bad. Drivers are REALLY bad. Some think the proper way to handle a freeway on ramp is to cruise to the top.... then stop. STOP. Full stop. They never do that for stop signs on regular streets, but they do it on freeway onramps. And where two freeways merge.

:eek:


They also think 4 feet is an appropriate following distance at 70 mph, unless they are in a hurry, in which case they'll get close.


Not in Houston so much, but in Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande valley, I found a strong "If your great grandpappy wasn't born Texan, then you ain't Texan, and you don't belong here."

Doubt you'll see much of that in Dallas. It's more cosmopolitan.

You WILL see some blatant racism. I'm not saying that all Texans are racist - not by a long ways. I'm not even saying that racists are the majority. (Though I'm sure there are pockets where that's true.) I am saying that some Texas racists are quite open about it.
 
C

Chilidog

New member
common down....

"the frendliest people an' prettiest women you've ever seen." I migrated to Houson in '67 and have no regrets. Good job ops, accepting folks and a bit of the old frontier ethic - not unlike what I've encountered in AZ... Don't know your field, but you can do OK if you're willin to work. Gun friendly for sure. I'd pass on CA.
Good shootin',
dog
 
L

Libertarian

New member
Since my grandfather and his father and his father... were born here, I guess I can stay. (My mother and her mother and her mother... were too. ;))

Bad drivers? I thought that they were just making sure no one fell asleep at the wheel by keeping it interesting out there.:D
 
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Greybeard

New member
An ex-West Texan here, moved from "God's Country" to Dallas some 23 years ago. Sometimes tough to make a decent living in remote areas, but, depending upon your priorities, lots areas in Texas that are priceless.

A very broad mix of people and backgrounds here. Doing both CHL and Hunter Ed. classes, I've had the pleasure of having students originally from South America to England to Germany to Australia, not to mention a lot of "northerners" who now consider themselves Texans. It takes most people at least a couple of months to get acclimated to even Dallas humidity. Humidity out west and in Panhandle similar to Arizona.

I moved tp what I thought was well north of Dallas around 20 years ago to "get away from the rat race", but the rat race followed. A little town with a population of only 4,500 then is now 50,000 and still booming. So yea, a few people must like it here.

Come on out and join us! But a word of caution if ya fish - don't buy barbeque sandwiches in the same stores that sells minners ... ;)
 
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Jeff Thomas

New member
Thanks for all the excellent advice ... I especially enjoy the driving cautions. Here in AZ we've got some pretty aggressive drivers as well.

Reminds me of an old joke ... "When I die, I want to go peacefully, in my sleep, just like grandpa ... not screaming and bloody, like the passengers in his car!". ;)

Well, it sounds like a wet, but otherwise decent place. We'll see how the interview process goes. Thanks again.

Regards from AZ
 
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Quartus

New member
Bad drivers? I thought that they were just making sure no one fell asleep at the wheel by keeping it interesting out there.
Click to expand...


I notice you challenged my interpretation of the facts (the local driving habits), but not the facts themselves! :D


One thing's for sure Jeff. Texas means barbeque. If you like barbeque, you are headed in the right direction. Nobody does barbeque better than Texas.

I'm glad I'm gone from Houston, though. It's more fun this way. See, I have a brother in Dallas. Been there 30 years or so. So when I meet Texans I can say, "Oh, I have a brother in Dallas. He's been there 30 years or so." And when they smile and nod approvingly I can drop the bomb.

"But every family has a black sheep."


:D
 
K

KSFreeman

New member
Speed limits in Tejas are just suggestions or the MINIMUM speed!

Alright,Billy Bob Joe Joe, go around, go around. Let the Yankee drive and read his map.:D
 
A

Art Eatman

Staff in Memoriam
Basically, the humidity west of I-35 is lower than east of I-35.

I was born in Austintatious; travelled around a lot or lived in some 20 countries; seen over 40 of the U.S. states. After booming around the world I wound up back in Texas in 1963.

I've travelled a lot around the US in the last 40 years, but I still prefer Texas to other places.

Ain't left.

:), Art

"Lived here all your life?"
"Not yet."
 
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jimmy

New member
My brother and his family live in Houston and I've visited there a lot over the years. My brother and his wife both have concealed handgun licenses.

I like Houston. It's a dynamic place where AFAIK folks are by and large left to mind their own business. As far as the humidity is concerned, when I leave an air conditioned building and hit the humid Houston environment, I always feel like someone has put a plastic bag over my head. Traffic is strictly "take no prisoners."

Anyway, most places in Texas are as good as Houston, if not better. Then there's Austin, aka Beijing on the Colorado. But I won't get started on that subject .... :rolleyes:
 
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SA Scott

New member
I call myself a "transplanted native Texan". I can't speak for DFW, but my experience in San Antonio and recently the Houston area disinclines me to leave the state. Upsides: food, beer, courtesy, music, varied geography and culture, diverse economy, beer...
Life in Texas does has some negatives, including traffic and the east of I-35 humidity Art mentioned.

However, very few of the Texans I know who, like me, "got gere as fast as they could", brag about where they came from. That says something.

SA "San Antonio" Scott

p.s. can't decide on a new user ID
 
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