The Lone Star State: 10 Reasons Not To Mess With Texas

Texas is famous for doing everything big. From big hats to big trucks, Texans don’t know the meaning of the word “fun-size”. In a state where extra-large is the new medium, it’s no surprise that Texans are some of the toughest sons of guns in the world. Here are a few reasons that you might now want to mess with The Lone Star State.

10. “Two things come from Texas, Steers…

The biggest and baddest cows in the world come from Texas. Texas Longhorns are not a breed to be messed with. The characteristic horns of a Texas Longhorn can extend up to seven feet from tip to tip. Naturally, the state with the biggest bulls has the most bull riders in the country. The Professional Bull Riders Association (PBR) is increasingly using Texas Longhorns in competition.

9. ... and Steaks!”

Big cows mean big steaks and The Big Texan Steakhouse does not mess around. The Big Texan is the home of the world famous 72 oz. challenge. The rules are simple: finish a four and a half pound steak, a shrimp cocktail, a baked potato, a salad and a roll with butter in under an hour and it’s FREE! The Big Texan provides a live stream of the challenge for viewers to watch from home.

8. Chuck Norris

Any state that could produce one Chuck Norris could one day produce another. Troublemakers beware!

7. Football is a Religion in Texas

Texans don’t take football lightly. Even though Texas has some of the most legendary teams in professional and college football, it’s not enough. High school football draws bigger crowds in Texas than anywhere else in the country. If you need proof, most of the best high school football movies and television shows, including Friday Night Lights and Varsity Blues, take place in Texas.

6. If Football Doesn’t Work, Try Wrestling

Texas has produced some of the toughest and most iconic pro wrestlers in the history of the business. The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and Stan Hansen all came from Texas, as well as some of the most legendary families in the sport, like The Funks, The Guerreros and The Von Erichs.

5. The Cowboys Aren’t Just in Dallas

Texas has some of the most relaxed gun laws in the country. Anyone over the age of 18 can own a shotgun, rifle or similar long-barreled firearm. The only restriction to owning a handgun in the state is if the buyer has been convicted of a felony. But contrary to popular belief, they don't take safety lightly. The experts from 360tacticaltraining.com recommend getting proper training with your weapons before buying. Many locations will offer everything from a carbine course to shooting exercises.

4. Florida Isn’t the Only Place Residents Can Stand Their Ground

In a nutshell, Texas Penal Code – Section 9.31: SELF-DEFENSE, authorizes the use of force from a civilian against anyone actively engaged in the act of a robbery, sexual assault, kidnapping, murder or attempted murder. Reasonable stipulations of this law restrict the use of force for verbal threats and those also actively engaged in any crime above a Class C misdemeanor. The law was invoked in a 2013 murder trial in which the defendant allegedly killed an escort that accepted his money but refused to have sex with him. The man was acquitted.

3. The U.S. Capital of Capital Punishment

If the self-defense laws don’t get ‘em, the lethal injection will. Since the re-institution of capital punishment in the United States in 1976, Texas has executed more inmates than any other state in the union. Though the electric chair is the first image that comes to most people’s minds when they think of capital punishment in Texas, the only method the state has used since 1982 is lethal injection.

2. Make a Mess, Pay a Fine

The toughest thing about Texas and the basis for the famous slogan is the $2,000 citation that the Texas Department of Transportation will issue to any driver that throws trash out the window of a moving vehicle. If you’re driving across the state, it is best to hang on to those Gatorade bottles full of pee until you get to a TXDOT approved waste receptacle or New Mexico.

1. Don’t Mess with the State’s Most Famous Slogan

The Texas Department of Transportation has a Texas-sized legal team and they don’t mess around when it comes to the popular saying instructing truckers and others not to litter in the state. The TXDOT has issued hundreds of cease and desists letters for unauthorized use of the trademarked catchphrase.

Texas’ reputation as the roughest and toughest frontier left from the days of the Old West is well deserved, but that shouldn’t scare visitors away from The Lone Star State. Texas hosts one of the biggest and most progressive arts and entertainment festivals in the world, South by Southwest, and the majority of Texans are among the most hospitable people you will ever meet.