Saw "The Alamo"

[Bushwacker]

Saw it this afternoon.  Liked it.  Travis' speech in the yard was moving.  No line in the sand BS.  HUGE set.  I read it is the biggest outdoor set ever made.

[Shorty]

Texans, don't read this.
From a review (Richmond Times Dispatch/ Daniel Neman)
"The Alamo" tells the story of a brave band of soldiers [Mexicans] determined to oust a gang of greedy thieves from another country who are out to steal their land.
The problem with the Alamo is that even with all the bravery and nobility and courage, the cause is not just.  A whole bunch of men died in the name of claim-jumping on a grand scale.
...The men it shows are drunkards and louts, more interested in their promised 640 acres of land than grand notions of freedom and what turned out to be the short-lived Republic of Texas."
I warned you.  :wink:

[williamlayton]

Shorty-
I'm kinda in agreement with you on some of tha thoughts tha movie left on ya.
Texas, by GOD, was a combination of fear, on tha part of the Mexican government, and enterprise on the part of some folks.
The Mexican government wanted to populate this wilderness thay was trying to take from the Commanches and Apaches. They also wanted a buffer between themselves an the, now energetically growing, U.S.
They agreed, well they made the offer, to give a few folks, such as Austin, large grants of land if they would bring in settlers to populate the land. All had to swear alliegance to Mexico and the Cahtolic church, in other words thay had to become Mexican Citizens, an, well, Catholic.
Not all tha folks what come here originally was from tha US, lots an lots of them boys were from tha other side of tha pond. That has led to some problems later on, but thats another discussion. To digress, everbody was happy fer quite a spell but Mexico started gettin paranoid bout all these folk, cause tha east part was becoming filled with folks from tha US.
Now i say paranoid, cause by all accounts I can find, there was not any kind of a move to change allegiance on the part of tha new settlers and form its own Republic. Nation is the key word to remember here.
Mr Santa Anna kinda got over energetic and did some stuff to stop emigration an put folks under more pressure than he needed too,
If'n ya will look, tha folks was tryin to comply with the government, an this is a few years before all tha rucus broke out. It didn't happen in the twinling of an eye. By the way it wern't jest anglo's what were feeling tha heel of Santa Anna's boot, lots of fine Mexican boys fought in this minor part of history.
Anywho tha fight was to form a nation, not to join a nation, that part come later an was the doings of tha US, matter of fact we was holdin our own an progressin right along before WE let tha US of A join us.
TEXAS, by GOD is a  nation, well ya can see tha pride takin over now so you can jest take this next part with a grain of salt, what can raise itsownflag as high on tha pole as tha stars an stripes, not higher but jest as high, tha rest of you boys aint allowd to do that.
Lots of folks here didn't start from tha US.
Blessings

[Shorty]

Whoa, Williamlayton, I was quoting a critics review, not stating my own impressions!  I haven't seen the movie.

[williamlayton]

Shorty-
I'm not upset with ya, if it came across in that tone I do sincerely apologize. I guess I should watch tha tone of my typing.
Blessings

[Capt Hamp Cox]

Just wondering if the movie reviewer had any idea or cared how Spain/Mexico "acquired" what became Texas in the first place.  Don't really think the original "owners" were particularly agreeable or justly compensated either.  Our entire country was pretty much settled on the premise that "might makes right", and its history doesn't necessarily make for a pretty picture if you attempt to apply today's values to yesterday's realities.  While the reviewer's profile of the Alamo defenders was most probably accurate for some, it was definitely not accurate for all, and totally inaccurate for those who participated in the San Jacinto battle.  From a tactical standpoint, the Alamo battle should never have happened, but because it did, it, along with the Goliad massacre, galvanized the Texians will to overthrow Mexican control once and for all.

My opinion, for what it's worth.  It and a dollar might get you a cup of coffee.

[Big Hext Finnigan]

Also remember that the government in Mexico made a fairly radical shift.

They invited the Texican settlers with the promise of local government being under the control of their own.  After a bit, the democratic lean of Santa Anna became a very clear dictatorial style.  The revolt was as much about the "bait and switch" as anything else.

Adios,

[HWooldridge]

I grew up in San Antonio and we went to the 'A' every year on field trips during elementary school.  In those days, it was considered hallowed ground and you were asked to remove hats before entering.  Texas history was (is?) taught as a subject separate from the rest of World or US History and it was pretty close to a religion (like Texas football...).  Every year in March, the battle is meticulously re-enacted in the Plaza for the tourists and news stations.

I haven't seen the movie but my grown son has and said it was a bit overly dramatic for his tastes.  I have always believed the siege was more of a Mexican civil war battle than a clash of cultures but there are a lot of folks who will argue otherwise.  In any case, it will be continue to be divisive for a long time.  BTW, my family moved to Texas in the 1830's but we were in North Texas near Dallas - fighting Comanche and Kiowa instead of Santa Anna.

[Big John Wyatt]

Shorty,
Texas was not then or is not now a "short lived republic" !

[williamlayton]

I'm gonna stand with Shorty here folks or doan kill tha messenger. Yessir them folks what doan call this place home jest doan have much of a chance when it comes to knowin tha history. He was tryin to learn an was jest passin on some info he gathered, alibied a rather distorded bit of information. He's a good guy.
Blessings

[Capt Hamp Cox]

Yep, I think ole Shorty did us a real favor by lettin' us know what the folks back east think they know about Texas history.  Ain't gonna get nothing like that by old williamlayton, though, he was Sam Houston's Aide-de-Camp, and personal friends with the "Yellow Rose of Texas".

[williamlayton]

Sam was like a daddy to me, an tha yeller rose, well, er Say goodnight Gracie.
Blessings