Well, once again we're giving the rest of the nation a chance to point and laugh at "those crazy Texans."
It's not enough that we have racially motivated murders and militant separatist groups hiding under every rock. Now Thomas Womack, a cadet at Texas A&M University is suing to protect his right to display the Confederate flag, claiming the Corps of Cadets' rule barring "divisive symbols" robs him of his "Confederate heritage."
What is more, Womack's mother claims the incident is a matter of "preventing the not-so-slow erosion of Aggieland's proud heritage."
OK, all A&M jokes aside (really), such a statement is ludicrous.
We all know A&M has no ties to the Confederacy or its policies, which are deemed offensive by many people today.
And as for Womack's right to display a Confederate flag sticker on his footlocker, well, he should expect to follow orders when serving in an organization like the Corps, which requires its members to adhere to a strict set of rules.
While it may be true that Womack is proud of his Confederate heritage - and many Southerners do have ancestors who fought for the South in the Civil War - the fact remains that the Confederate flag is offensive or divisive to some, and is declared so in the Corps manual.
There are some people, like Womack, who claim preventing display of such a symbol is a violation of First Amendment rights.
And it's true enough that to bar someone from displaying whatever symbol they wish in public probably would be a violation of free speech.
But to violate the code of an organization when you've joined and, in so doing, agreed to follow its rules, is clearly wrong.
Whether or not Womack wins his case against A&M, the university and the state have both been dealt another blow imagewise.
Rather than being viewed as a champion of free speech, Womack will most likely be seen as a backward redneck who wants to drive his truck around the ranch, madly waving multiple Confederate flags.
If it's true that perception becomes reality - a phenomenon which happens over and over again - then, voila, all Texans are guilty by association.
So that's great. Let's all go celebrate our independent heritages.
Just don't walk on the grass.
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