“TEXAS IS AN EPITHET all around the world, because anti-Americans concentrate their fire on Texas in particular. When I say “anti-Americans,” I mean people of all nationalities, including . . .
. . . Americans. (Americans are the worst and most insufferable anti-Americans, as I’ve written many times.) The hatred of George W. Bush increased an anti-Texas feeling, of course.
There is something I tell people who think they don’t like Texas: Just go there. That’ll cure you. Texas is distinctively hospitable, and the food, girls, etc., cannot be surpassed (though they can be matched).
Within Texas, Dallas is known as snobby, materialistic, and fake. I get that. But by world standards: Dallas is wonderful, warm, and genuine.
(Jay Nordlinger, "A Quick Valentine," nationalreview.com, September 8, 2014 (emphasis added))
Mr. Nordlinger's point is right, but he gets some details wrong.
First, "just go there" doesn't always work. The Houston Chronicle editorial board lives in Texas and still -- depending by degree on the writer -- scorns the place and wishes it were more like the lesser states.
Second, if he thinks Dallas is wonderful, warm, and genuine, he hasn't been many places in Texas, because many places in Texas are wonderfuller, warmer, and genuiner.
Third, the girls can't be matched.
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