Don't Mess With Texas

For some reason, I woke up this morning with the song "Don't Mess With Texas" in my head (how that happened, I certainly have no idea since I'm sure it wasn't playing on my Boston radio alarm clock). But, yes, that's right, I said song.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds were singing in my head (to the tune of Tough Enough) "Don't you trash that Texas highway don't you throw it in the road....Don't you Mess with Texas (guitar twang twang twang), Don't you Mess with Texas!" Yes, that's right TRASH! Don't Mess With Texas was a litter campaign in the 80's. That's it's start. It got me to thinking about how this mid 80's litter campaign somehow became a slogan of Texas cultural elitism. Now, it's on every souvenir you can possibly get at the airport.

Before leaving Texas for New England, I never put much thought into the slogan except for hearing that song in my head everytime someone mentioned it. Now, I find it really laughable how it's portrayed in the US outside of Texas. The rest of the world associates the words with Texans being tough and, yes, even a little arrogant. All fine and dandy since, let's face it, both are a little true (I'm proud to be Texan!). But it's just comical that it's original intent was trash...quite the opposite of something elite.

I realize that the slogan has now very much evolved and Texans now do adopt the meaning that the rest of the world associates with it, but I'll always think trash when I hear it.

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS!!!