Texans Love a Hero; Texas Democrats? Not So Much.

TNS Austin, Moore's flagship at the Battle of Campeche

On May 16, 1843, the outnumbered wooden sailing vessels of the Texas Navy fought two steam ironclads of the Mexican Navy crewed by British officers to a standstill and forced them to retreat - the only time sailing ships EVER held their own against ironclad steam battleships. And these were no ordinary battleships. They were armed with Paixan guns which fired explosive projectiles. The Texans and their Yucatan Republic allies were armed with solid shot.  The Mexicans took a severe beating with many casualties. It was close to a draw, but the Mexicans retreated much to their embarrassment.

Commodore Edwin Moore

Commodore Edwin Moore sailed home to Galveston, a hero to his fellow Texans. On landing he was promptly arrested and court-martialed by Democrat governor, Sam Houston starting a Democrat tradition of animosity toward successful military commanders that lasts to this day. 

Texans, however, love a hero. They demanded and got an aquittal for Moore. Houston sold the Texas Navy for spite. For some reason he hated the navy. It might possibly be because the presence of a successful navy guarding our shores from a threatened Mexican invasion, might have delayed Texans from entering the Union. Houston always saw himself a big fish in a larger pond and delays in becoming part of the U.S.A. would have denied him any shot at the US presidency! I suppose he was afraid Texans wouldn't clamor for U.S. protection from a Mexican invasion if the Texas Navy was still at sea sinking Mexican troop ships. For that matter Democrats still don't have any interest in protecting us from a Mexican invasion. Ain't history instructive?

Ugly 70 foot tall statue of Sam Houston

So, Texas joins the union. Houston gets himself elected governor. Texas secedes, gets itself a new Democrat governor because Houston is still thinking about a presidential run and doesn't want to spoil his reputation in Washington by signing a proclamation of secession. Civil War ensues. Democrats lose it big time. Houston dies. Corruption, corruption. KKK. Spindletop. Sam Rayburn. More corruption. Kennedy assassination. More corruption. Lyndon Johnson. More corruption. Dan Rather.

Fast forward to 1994. Democrats, get over being mad at Houston for opposing secession, build a giant ugly statue of him alongside a Texas freeway going toward the city of Houston. 

Texans, finally fed up with Democrats, dump most of them in 1996 elections. 

Texans live happily ever after.

The End*

*At least that's how I would have spun the new Texas History books instead of the way progressives have done it.

So You Think Our Country Isn't Doing Right by Our Veterans

EVERY DAY I get a post or an email about how terribly our nation treats its soldiers. I agree. We should do more

So why by all that's holy are you people waiting for the government to do something?

These posts often crawl all over the government for not doing enough. Perhaps that's all true, although the VA and other agencies do help vets and often the help is substantial. If the help is erratic or too little, we can debate that, but it doesn't answer the real question.

What have you done for our soldiers lately? Have you donated money to a charity for soldiers. Volunteered your time in a VA hospital. Do you know a veteran that's having problems that you personally could help him with. Does a wounded/disabled vet in your neighborhood need help cutting his grass. Could you invite his kids to join your Little League baseball team?

A friend of mine is a retired officer and helps a soldier he knows who has a problem with alcoholism. He carries him to group sessions and to the hospital sometimes. He gives him little jobs when the guy gets into financial trouble. He does what he needs to do to help the guy. It's not easy. Sometimes his efforts cost him considerable time and effort, but he gives that time to befriend a fellow serviceman.


I know what your saying. How about you, Tom. What are you doing?  Okay, fair enough.  I spent almost a year of my life starting a center for independent living in East Texas. My darling wife was our primary support at the time while I managed to rake in just a few dollars here and there while I was writing a very complex federal grant. The center serves as many or more disabled soldiers as all the rest of its clients put together. I worked for months for free during the startup. I raised 1.5 million dollars for the center altogether and then stepped aside so that the people who run the center were all people with disabilities.

So, let me ask you again, "What have you done lately?"  It's all well and good to recognize that our wounded vets should be supported by our nation, but let's not forget. YOU are part of that nation. So, do something. You have no excuse for not helping. There are hundreds of charities helping veterans in need. It doesn't have to be a charity, though. In fact, if you're stopping with giving a few bucks to charity, you aren't doing enough.

You really want to help?  Great!.  Then go out and find a soldier who needs help and then do what you can to help him. Perhaps he's recovering from PTSD. Could you just lend an ear - let him tell someone his troubles? Perhaps he's struggling with alcoholism or homelessness or is in financial difficulty. Give him a job if you have one. Speak up for him with an employer you know. Help him get a job or a place to live.

For heaven's sake, do something! Don't sit around on your feather pillow and congratulate yourself for complaining about it on Facebook!  It's all well and good to lament the way our soldiers are neglected, but if you don't do something yourself, you're just bitching to make yourself feel less guilty for not doing anything!

That's just one man's opinion,

Tom King
(c) 2015