Three years ago today...

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strogg
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Three years ago today...

#1

Post by strogg »

Three years ago today, I woke up in a cheap hotel room, did my morning routine, and ate a satisfyingly stale hotel breakfast. Afterwards, I hopped into a rental soccer mom minivan with my backpack and drove north. I met up with some folks, and we proceeded to walk through an unoccupied house to make sure it’s in one piece. It indeed was. We all departed ways, except for one gentleman who thought it was beneficial if he stuck to me like a parasite. I don’t blame him, though. I had that kind of personality.

I went to the bank, picked up a check, ate lunch with the gentleman at a mediocre chain barbecue joint, and we drove off to some other place where I was to put my signature on a thousand twenty-one different forms. Possibly a thousand twenty-two. I lost count. Upon completion, I surrendered the check. The gentleman who was attached to my hip thought I was no longer useful, so we shook hands and went our separate ways.

I then went back to the unoccupied home and used a silly looking Kwikset key to gain entry. It was quiet and serene. It was also starting to get dark. I took out the contents of my backpack (which, by the way, made a TSA agent’s eyes pop out of her sockets) and replaced every exterior lock on the home with my own. I went to Best Buy and bought all the necessary appliances and a TV. Somehow, I got next day AM delivery on all of them. I was thrilled. To celebrate, I grabbed some Sonic and ate in peace before assembling my bed to spend the night.

This isn’t just any story of any old day. I consider it Freedom Day. It is the most important day of my life. It is the day I considered myself a Texas resident and no longer a resident of Commiefornia or Kalifornistan, however you want to slice and dice it.

I was a POW in the left coast for decades as they eroded the very foundation of my life. I felt like they were trying to suck the soul out of my body and replace it with their version of what I should be. I did not have the freedom to do what I wanted. I did not have the freedom to move up in life. I did not have the freedom live life the way I want to live. I was just a pawn in their feel-good sentiment of what life should ideally be.

Their economic policies made it very difficult for me to move up socioeconomically. Every time I get a wage bump, it barely goes anywhere for me. Artificial inflation from increased taxes and increased minimum wage has negated my hard work. It was nearly impossible for me to save for anything there. If anything, I felt complete economic despair. There’s no reason for me to try hard to succeed. It will inevitably go nowhere. I would constantly have to fight a losing battle with the system.

I was not able to buy any firearm I wanted. There were legal hurdles preventing me from owning fun toys safely. If anything, I was considered an enemy of the state because I enjoy shooting sports as a hobby. How ludicrous is that? Of course, it was difficult to defend myself as well. If I was forced to go to a bad part of town, all I had was a knife and pepper spray. All the bad guys had guns and were armed to the teeth. If I found myself in a hairy situation, it would have been a very lopsided standoff. Fortunately, I never did find myself in that situation.

Lastly, and most importantly of all, I couldn’t live the cultural life I wanted to live. There are a lot of people out in Kommieland with the sentiment that white people should be ashamed of themselves for what certain other white people did in the distant past. Certain other white people that had nothing to do with those today. Yes, they thought that mere association of skin color was enough reason for discrimination against an entire population of people. And it’s not just the people, but the underlying American culture itself as well. There are enough people behind enemy lines with that sort of sentiment that it completely affects the way EVERYONE lives, not just those of Caucasian heritage.

Let me explain. First off, I’m not a white skinned individual. And it’s obvious for those who see me for the first time. But that shouldn’t matter. Just because I have a certain skin color doesn’t mean I have to have a certain cultural background and act a certain way. But apparently, I’m supposed to in the land of hopes and loose change. I am supposed to regard American culture as something novel rather than a way of life. I am supposed to be living my ancestral roots. I actually had angry people yelling at me for not knowing an arbitrary native dish or enjoy doing something people of my skin color typically like to do. Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate my ancestry, but I embrace it the same way many other Americans embrace their Italian or German or whatever heritage; it’s there, but not overwhelming. When people realize that I am built and grew up American, they get this odd look on their face as if two thirds of their brains liquefied and splattered all over the place. From there they dismiss the fact that I like to lead life with a typical American culture. They continue to believe that I am built a certain way, so their fragile minds don’t explode again. I am literally stuck in a box of which I cannot get out.

Here in Texas, and thus America, it is a different story. If I want to live the life of my ancestors, I can. If I want to live the life of a typical "white" American, I can. Own guns? Sure. Just be responsible. Move up socioeconomically? Oh sure you betcha. Want to live a simple life instead? More power to you. Here, I don’t get judged for who I want to be. I don’t get judged for my skin color. I don’t get judged for owning x number of guns. I don’t get judged by how many Porsches I own either. It is fantastic. Here, I get to be an American living in America.

With that sentiment, I thank each and every one of you for being so supportive and welcoming. It is a privilege to be in a land of freedom and liberty, in a true melting pot rather than a land of forced segregation. Words really cannot express the gratitude I have for everyone here, both on the board and in this great state, for allowing me to have happiness and freedom.

Today, I am grateful for gaining my freedom three years ago. I implore that all of you here be grateful to be in your shoes (or boots) as well. It is definitely something that should not be taken for granted. It’s not just freedom in America, but freedom within America.


:patriot: :txflag:
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Middle Age Russ
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Re: Three years ago today...

#2

Post by Middle Age Russ »

By God's grace I was born in Texas. I feel for those who must immigrate seeking the Liberty that should be their birthright. I hope that we can keep Texas (and most of the rest of the US) a bastion of individual Liberty for future generations. If I haven't said so before, Strogg, you are welcome indeed in my Texas (yours too, now, of course).
Russ
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Flightmare
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Re: Three years ago today...

#3

Post by Flightmare »

Thankyou for sharing your story strogg! Looking forward to seeing you at breakfast again!
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RoyGBiv
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Re: Three years ago today...

#4

Post by RoyGBiv »

That story started out slow but kept me reading to the end.

I escaped from NY 33 years ago and feel much the same way (except for the non-caucasian parts).
I am not a lawyer. This is NOT legal advice.!
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ELB
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Re: Three years ago today...

#5

Post by ELB »

Very well told story!

(If you went thru TSA with a backpack full of locks I’ll bet you did get some double-takes :smilelol5: )
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jason812
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Re: Three years ago today...

#6

Post by jason812 »

Did I read this correctly? You have more than one Porsche? :drool: Of all the factory made sports cars, old American muscle cars, a 911 is what I would love to have.

I'm glad you are here, we need help keeping Texas, Texas.
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Re: Three years ago today...

#7

Post by cirus »

If your a conservative, gun loving, commie hater I don't care what color your skin is. Glad to have you. :patriot:

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strogg
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Re: Three years ago today...

#8

Post by strogg »

ELB wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 12:42 pm Very well told story!

(If you went thru TSA with a backpack full of locks I’ll bet you did get some double-takes :smilelol5: )
Thanks. The backpack also contained a monitored security package. Lots of wiring. Needless to say, I was pulled aside to receive some extra love from security.
jason812 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 12:56 pm Did I read this correctly? You have more than one Porsche? :drool: Of all the factory made sports cars, old American muscle cars, a 911 is what I would love to have.

I'm glad you are here, we need help keeping Texas, Texas.
Haha no. I have never owned a Porsche, but I should have mentioned that in the San Francisco Bay Area, wealth can be measured by how many Porsches someone owns. It's maddening.
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Grayling813
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Re: Three years ago today...

#9

Post by Grayling813 »

Waitaminute....??? You're not a white skinned American? Lol...to me your just another fine Texan I've met since arriving here from the Demoncrat Socialist State of Illinois. Content of character, that's all that matters.
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The Annoyed Man
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Re: Three years ago today...

#10

Post by The Annoyed Man »

For me, it's April 17th, 2006. That's the day I arrived in Texas to stay. I came out here in advance of my family, as part of moving my employer's company from North Hollywood to Dallas. We left because California business regulations made being a once prosperous small print shop in that state into a losing proposition. My wife and son had to stay behind until the end of the school year, in June. I lived in a hotel in the Turtle Creek area of Dallas for the first 6 weeks or so that I was here. Then I got an apartment in Grapevine toward the end of May, because we knew that's the city we wanted to live in, and I needed a place for us to stay while we shopped for a house. I made 2 trips back to Pasadena during that time. We had sold our house in early May (for more than 3X what we had paid for it 7 years earlier), with a 30 day escrow, so I went back once in late May to get us moved out of that house, and loaded almost all of our belongings onto a freight trailer bound for Texas. The rest went temporarily to my in-laws' house, just a couple of miles away, along with my wife and son until it was time for them to leave. My second trip back was in late June, to get my family, and caravan back to Texas with a trailer containing the rest of our stuff. We bought our Grapevine house in July of 2006 on a 2-week escrow, and we established our "official" residency here that month.

I've been back to California every year and a half to two years to visit with family, but on our last trip, in December of 2018, we determined that would be our final trip. I'm not going back again for fun. I'll make the trip one more time when my mom passes ... which won't be too much longer ... but California isn't the same anymore. It's lost all of its former charm. I feel like I can't breathe whenever I go back, so to heck with it.
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Lumberjack98
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Re: Three years ago today...

#11

Post by Lumberjack98 »

Very, very cool!

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txglock21
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Re: Three years ago today...

#12

Post by txglock21 »

I was fortunate to be born and raised in Texas. I have lived in other states and countries while in the military. While Texas is not perfect (aka liberal cities), I cannot ever see myself living any other place. A heartfelt belated "Welcome to Texas!" :txflag:
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DEB
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Re: Three years ago today...

#13

Post by DEB »

I say "Welcome Home".
Unless we keep the barbarian virtues, gaining the civilized ones will be of little avail. Oversentimentality, oversoftness, washiness, and mushiness are the great dangers of this age and of this people." Teddy Roosevelt"
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Jusme
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Re: Three years ago today...

#14

Post by Jusme »

Great story Strogg!! And three year belated welcome to Texas!! :txflag: :txflag:
Take away the Second first, and the First is gone in a second :rules: :patriot:

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Re: Three years ago today...

#15

Post by surprise_i'm_armed »

strogg:

You and I have talked on multiple occasions about your flight from Cali, but on this thread you have recounted your journey in full detail.
Kind of surprising from such a quiet guy, who primarily is a good listener at all our 3 DFW breakfasts, but a chatterbox in the car! :-)

My own arrival in Texas happened on Texas Independence Day, March 2, 1995. Wow - 25 years under the belt!

Although I treasure my Texas life, I have always cherished my freedom as an American. Having lived in Massachusetts, Colorado, Florida, and Georgia, I have always felt a sense of well being as long as I am somewhere in the USA. This sense of well being has never relied on the address of my residence or the state on my DL or license plates, but on my personal cherishing and appreciation of the American experience.

We all have the right to the pursuit of happiness, wherever we are planted. God bless the USA.

SIA
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