Texas nationalists see hope in possible Scottish secession





Texas secessionists are looking to Scotland's potential independence for a pathway to independence here. Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond gestures during a press conference in St Andrews House in Edinburgh after signing an agreement for a referendum on Scottish independence with the British prime minister.Texas secessionists are looking to Scotland's potential independence for a pathway to independence here. less Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond gestures during a press conference in St Andrews House in Edinburgh after signing an agreement for a referendum on Scottish independence with the British prime ... more Photo: ANDY BUCHANAN, AFP/Getty Images Photo: ANDY BUCHANAN, AFP/Getty Images Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Texas nationalists see hope in possible Scottish secession 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — Texas nationalists are awaiting Scotland's pending vote on seceding from the United Kingdom in the hopes it could happen in Texas.

Scottish voters will hit the polls Thursday to decide whether to break long-standing ties with the United Kingdom, which currently contains Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Secessionists in Texas have seized on Scotland's possible independence: in a post about the vote, the Texas Nationalist Movement wrote on their website, "Scotland's internal and external opponents of independence sound like the typical battered wife syndrome."

"Centralists in America fear that, if Scotland votes yes, it may set a chain of events in motion that could affect many more western regions," the movement organizers wrote. "Suddenly, the impossible seems possible."

With some new attention on Texas nationalism comes repeated arguments for independence: Yahoo columnist Rick Newman notes that — with its GDP of $1.6 trillion and population of 27 million — Texas would be the 13th largest country in the world if it obtained independence from the United States. He also wrote Texas could lure companies away from the United States and survive on the strength of its economy.

On the flip side, Newman pointed out that Texas would have to create its own defense apparatus and adapt to losing federal funds.

In addition, support for Texas nationalism is relegated to a relatively small contingent of Texas residents and is not a mainstream view, said Mark Jones, a political scientist at Rice University.

"That [popular] support is severely lacking," Jones said.

jfechter@express-news.net

Twitter: @JFreports