WACO — Standing in front of a massive state flag on Saturday, Claver Kamau-Imani outlined his utopian vision of a Nation of Texas that he believes is just on the horizon.

No taxes or Faucis, no speed zones or toll roads. No liberals, no gun laws. No windmills, no poor people. A separate currency, stock market and gold depository. “Complete control of our own immigration policy.” World-class college football, a farewell to regulators. And unthinkable, unimaginable wealth.

“We are going to be so rich,” he chanted. “We’re gonna be rich. We are gonna be rich. We. Are. Going. To Be. Rich! … As soon as we declare independence, we’re going to be wealthy. I personally believe that our personal GDP will double in five to seven years.”

“The independence of Texas is good for humanity as a whole,” he added to cheers.

Kamau-Imani, a Houston-based preacher, was among 100 or so people who spent the weekend at the Waco Convention Center for the first conference of the Texas Nationalist Movement, which since 2005 has advocated for the Lone Star State to break away from the United States — a “TEXIT,” as they call it.

Supporters of the movement said they are more energized and optimistic than ever about the prospect of an independent Texas, and pointed to appearances or support from current and former lawmakers — including state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, who spoke at the event — as evidence that their movement is far from fringe. The get-together also came as TEXIT supporters celebrated what they believe is crucial momentum: Days before the meeting, the Texas Nationalist Movement announced that it was more than halfway to the roughly 100,000 signatures needed to put a non-binding secession referendum on the Texas Republican primary ballot.

  • Telorand@reddthat.com
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    1 year ago

    “We are going to be so rich,” he chanted. “We’re gonna be rich. We are gonna be rich. We. Are. Going. To Be. Rich! … As soon as we declare independence, we’re going to be wealthy. I personally believe that our personal GDP will double in five to seven years.”

    😂

    Oh, he’s serious. Where would the food come from? Because Texas is terrible for farming. You can’t live off of beef.

    Days before the meeting, the Texas Nationalist Movement announced that it was more than halfway to the roughly 100,000 signatures needed to put a non-binding secession referendum on the Texas Republican primary ballot.

    Non-binding‽ Stop! I can’t take it! 🤣

    • enkers@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      Texas seceding would be peak FAFO entertainment if it weren’t for all the innocent people who would get fucked over. It’d be like the US’s own little brexit.

      • orclev@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Yeah, this is very much not the threat they think it is, and if anything it would go even worse than brexit and that’s already one of the worst clusterfucks in recent history. All it would take is less than a year later when everyone is starving and freezing to death yet again due to Texas shit power infrastructure failing during winter storms for these morons to maybe finally realize they are in fact the problem. Or maybe not, they’re still in deep deep denial about all kinds of things.

      • Telorand@reddthat.com
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        1 year ago

        Fair point, but secession is only something Texas politicians bring up to win easy political points with these kinds of people. It gets tossed around all the time, especially when things don’t go their way in elections, and these rubes eat it up. They would never vote on it seriously.

        The politicians know it would be economic and political suicide, because Texas does not have the infrastructure to be autonomous, unlike the UK, which was autonomous before joining the EU.

        • cynar@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Talking as someone from the UK, we have been fucked by Brexit, (well by the Tories in general) it’s just hidden by layers of bureaucracy. Inflation has been sky high for the last year or so. We also have the most expensive energy prices in the world.

          Just because it is stupid, doesn’t mean politicians won’t run with it.

    • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      Lol oh my god I genuinely hope they try it - especially if it becomes a “promised land” for MAGA types and Nationalist Christians. We’ll vote with our feet, and I’m pretty confident the results will be quite unambiguous.