The state of Texas is making headlines across the nation as border disputes, legal battles, and supposed prospects of a civil war have emerged in recent weeks. Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s allegiance to independence and his criticisms of the larger federal government have sparked arguments from the #TEXIT movement advocating for Texas to secede from the union.
Abbott has waged an insurrection after initiatives of the Texas State Guard, which aimed to inhibit illegal immigrant activity, were quelled by federal border control and President Biden. The actual likelihood of any outcome as extreme as a civil war or secession is slim. As well as being unconstitutional as declared by the ruling of Texas v. White in 1869, Abbott hasn’t made any official statements declaring or even referencing a separation from the union- merely citing the widely discredited compact theory as justification for Texas’s opposition to federal instruction as means of self defense.
It seems those who condone the hypothetical secession, Nikki Haley aside, conspire mainly in online echo chambers. On X (formerly Twitter), user @realchasegeiser shares some thoughts on anti-secession perspectives, saying, “They don’t fight to save the union, they fight for absolute power & any free state is the antithetical to their ambition.”
The patriotism growing among some Texans, (Texas nationalists specifically,) takes on a unique and specific form. The emphasis is not on uniting the country under collective American ideals. The emphasis is on complete separation to effectively establish a society apart from the U.S. that revolves around monocultural values, reflecting only one side of political ideology.
The Texas Nationalist Movement (TNM) website outlines the principles of the ideology. “The people of Texas constitute a distinct nation by every definition of the word, with a distinct culture, economy and system of governance.” The TNM places significance in honoring Texas’s “great foundations”, specifically citing the Battle of Alamo which was sparked by controversial colonialist initiatives and ended in a decisive victory for the opposing side. The TNM also holds primacy as a core value, claiming, “The interests of Texas supersede the interests of all other nations and states.” The website describes Texas Nationalism as “distinct and superior to all other secular causes”.
Texas has seen multiple movements throughout history advocating for secession sparked from similar issues, most notably during the Civil War and most recently with the modern TNM, widely called #TEXIT online. “Texas can easily stand on its own.” User @andrewboss1222 asserts in the r/TexitMovement Reddit forum, even comparing it to other states who he projects would have to “form a confederation and put their resources together” in order to maintain.
Nationalism, by definition, is an extreme form of loyalism which disregards the detriment of other nations in order to maintain supremacy. Over 620,000 registered supporters of #TEXIT and the TNM aren’t shy about expressing their beliefs on this cause, as well as their collective encouragement of shaping a nation with a primarily a Conservative culture. Texas has consistently been a red state since the 1980’s, with Republican majorities in the State House and Senate, a completely Republican Texas Supreme Court, and the highest population of Republicans concentrated in a single American state.
Establishing common political ground in the U.S. is and always will be impossible. However, constant agreement should not be our goal. Change is necessary. As perhaps one of the most notorious democracies on the planet, America thrives upon discourse, freedom of opinion, and a “power to the people” approach to constitute its power and function. In a monocultural society, much like the one the TNM and #TEXIT imagines, democracy collapses.
In a survey conducted by The Texas Politics Project under the University of Texas at Austin, the majority of participants identified border security and immigration as the most important issues facing Texas for the years of 2022 and 2023. Gun violence and healthcare come last on this list of priorities, which is ironic considering Texas has had the second most mass shootings out of any state in 2023, and healthcare affordability has been out of reach for many of Texas’s citizens for years- a problem that has only been growing worse as time progresses. Founding an independently functioning nation requires equal attention to a broad spectrum of themes, which can of course extend to border policies. But at the very least, the lives and safety of Texans should be ensured.
Yes, political polarization creates conflict and outrage. But monoculture enables immediacy and bias in situations that could have otherwise sparked thorough and well-rounded discussion. Monoculture redacts means of public expression, censors the opportunity for critical thought, and destroys prospects of ideological innovation for the sake of perpetuating mediocre tried-and-true structures. The so-called “independence” and “freedom” proudly called upon from all corners of the political spectrum is censored. Progress stalls. The goal of American democracy should be to collaboratively enlighten the state of society, not blindly accept division to fabricate more individual power.
As X user @realchasegeiser described in his post, fights against saving the union are fights in favor of absolute power. However, free states are not the antithetical of this ambition. Nationalist states reflect the precise vision that absolute power seeks to achieve. Disregarding detriment to other nations, (including the U.S. if Texas were to stand independently,) rewriting history to suit inaccurate narratives, and imposing unilateral ideology…these measures don’t warrant a productive democratic society.
Democracy is defined by diversity, dialogue, and unity, thus monoculture is a counterpoint to the American experiment. Embracing the complexities of our democratic system and working towards an innovative union is the answer to protecting our sense of commonwealth.
