When I moved to Texas people warned me about the Trump-mad lunatics. I’ve been surprised

June 21, 2026 — 6:30pm

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Before moving here, I wandered around the bullpen of my workplace wearing a silver cowboy hat. “I hear you’re heading to Texas, Ed?” a colleague asked. “Yes, my fiancé got a job,” I answered. “Oil or gas?” he queried. “Rail,” I responded. Met with a nod, he seemed satisfied he understood the exact terrain I was destined for: a dusty world of industry and extraction.

My colleague in Australia wasn’t the only one to assume he knew what I should expect. Would I find America to be truly bonkers, as many suggested? Everyone around me spoke with such certainty about Texas that, by the time I hopped on the plane, I was convinced my new neighbours would be Bible-bashing, gun-wielding, MAGA-loving buckaroos. Not my typical crowd. So, since arriving, I’ve been curious to see whether Texan culture would match the stereotypes.

As much as I expected the presence of guns, they have not been easy to get used to. Most adults can legally carry a visible handgun in a holster, buildings usually display a firearm policy and clay shooting is a popular corporate event. I am always quietly on edge. Once, during my daily jaunt, I felt a sense that the erratic man walking towards me was clutching a gun.........

© The Sydney Morning Herald