#Texit grows following British exit
Daniel Miller, President of the Texas Nationalist movement, speaking on the South steps of the Texas Capitol. Courtesy
Austin Jackson | Staff Writer
Matthew Reyna | Staff Writer
Underneath the brilliant spectacle of a Texan Fourth of July, Nederland residents sit and stare, mesmerized by the relentless chaos of the grand finale. A few blocks away, Daniel Miller, president of the Texas Nationalist Movement, sits behind his desk, eager to honor the 13 colonies with a revolution of his own.
While Miller has worked toward Texas independence since the mid ‘90s, the issue of secession has lingered around Texas for 180 years. In light of Great Britain’s shocking vote to leave the European Union in late June, many Texans have reignited the idea of possibly seceding from the United States.
For Miller, the decision is a no-brainer.
“All roads led to a referendum,” Miller said. “Texans have transitioned their thoughts from, ‘Hey this is a great idea’ to ‘Hey, this is actually possible.’”
But some Texas political scientists think otherwise. University of Texas at Austin professor of political science Eric McDaniel is skeptical that even the basic premises of Texas nationalism are realistic.
“[It’s] not feasible at all. It’s actually illegal,” McDaniel said. “Even if something was worked out, it would be very messy.”
#Texit on the rise
After the results of the EU referendum, #Texit began trending on social media, drawing attention from the international community to the reborn idea of Texas secession.
The clamor for #Texit grew so loud last week that it forced Governor Greg Abbott to comment on the matter. Abbott insisted the idea of a “Texit” is impossible, and he would prefer Texas to stay in the U.S and make it stronger.
Miller said he leads the Texas National Movement as a politician with a platform rooted in law. He said the arguments decided in the cases for secession had been determined in the decisions made over 170 years ago, and it will be up to Texans to decide.
McDaniel said misinformation is prevalent when it comes to talk about secession.
“Texas was its own independent nation, [and] people pride themselves on being the nation of Texas,” McDaniel said. “We can break up into four states, not secede.”
Miller said he has sacrificed a lot growing the movement, being on the “bleeding edge” for so long. But the sacrifice has paid off for him, with the group now having 268,996 pledges to vote yes for Texas independence from the U.S.
Jesse Kelly, who twice unsuccessfully ran for Congress in Arizona, is also an advocate for secession, but thinks more needs to be done.
“It’s going to have to be done at the state level,” Kelly said. “It’s going to take a heck of a lot more than an online petition.”
The Texas Nationalist Movement
Miller credits himself with bringing secession into the digital age with a social media presence that includes 211,000 likes on Facebook – a number he pointed out as outnumbering the Texas Republican and Democratic party Facebook pages combined.
When he is not recording his podcast, tweeting at Governor Abbott or posting dank Alamo memes, Miller hits the road going city-to-city and door-to-door, spreading the TMN’s plan for secession.
“Our focus is to build a critical mass of support so that holding the referendum is the only legitimate political option available for the Legislature and Governor,” Miller said. “How they vote in that referendum is irrelevant to the larger issue, which is this: the people of Texas should be able to have a public debate on our membership in the union and a vote on the issue.”
And while thinking he’s constantly watched by the NSA, he doesn’t believe his sacrifices make him unique.
“Everyone in the United States lives under constant surveillance by the federal government,” Miller said. “In reality, we all have a big file with our name on it. I just hope that I’m making mine interesting.”
Miller discovered the option of secession in 1995 and was refreshed to have it as a clear solution to the issues he previously felt couldn’t be fixed.
“It just clicked for me and from that time forward,” he said. “I’ve worked tirelessly and ceaselessly towards Texas independence.”
But his journey quickly hit a snag after joining the Republic of Texas, a group now notorious for it’s belligerent track record, began splintering with infighting and division. By 1997, Miller said the ROT was a “dead man walking,” before Richard McLaren went to his house in the Davis Mountains where he took hostages, held a stand off and later declared war on the United State.
In 2003, the smoke cleared and Miller said he along with factions “started putting Humpty Dumpty back together again.”
The lessons learned from this experience in the ROT are clear in Miller’s leadership. The TNM pushes politics and focuses on building relationships over confrontation and declaring war on America.
Miller said the Texas Nationalist Movement is avowedly non-partisan and Miller said he’ll welcome both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump supporters once the election comes to a close. He said federal overreach is a non-partisan issue but cited executive action on immigration, the affordable care act and other “federal abuses” as issues that have driven momentum his way.
The reality of an actual #Texit
McDaniel made clear that there is no legal mechanism for Texas to trigger if they tried to secede, and misinformation is prevalent when it comes to talk about secession.
McDaniel says Texas and the U.S may always have a contentious relationship, but that sometimes benefits Texas.
“There’s always been an antagonistic relationship between Texas and the federal government,” McDaniel said. “Texas is basically pushing the boundaries saying how much freedom can we get and how little do we have to give back. Many people think this is a good bargaining relationship.”
To Kelly, the possibility of an imminent “Texit” ever happening is not a serious possibility.
“Ever is a strong word – it’s more of a half joking thing now,” he said. The history of the world shows its possible, but I don’t think it’s going to happen this year or next year.”
While he believes the idea is “pretty far fetched,” he said Miller and other secessionists are gaining momentum and could actually generate a few votes in favor.
“If you put it on a ballot at this exact moment, I think you’d be surprised at how much support it would get,” Kelly said.
Whether unlikely or closer than Texans may think, Miller said he plans to remain vigilant toward a cause he has spent his life rallying behind.
“It’s a solemn promise that I made to myself my family, and the people of Texas that I would see this through to the end,” Miller said. “It’s a promise I intend to keep.”
Featured Image: Daniel Miller, President of the Texas Nationalist movement, speaking on the South steps of the Texas Capitol. Courtesy
Eric McDaniel obviously has no concept whatsoever of the original meaning and purpose of the U.S. Constitution. For a Professor to publically express this level of ignorance is appalling.
To say things like “We can break up into four States, not secede” and “There is no legal mechanism” is ridiculous for a janitor to spew, but a so called Professor of Political science?
There is no legal mechanism by which we can eat, sleep breath, etc. We can do so because their is no legal prohibition AGAINST doing these things! Does the good Professor understand the concept that laws are prohibitions on behavior, not approvals of it?
Since there is no prohibition to Texas secession, either in the U.S. Constitution or law, it remains perfectly within the rights of ANY State to take this step and choose their own pathway into the future.
I would love to debate the Good Professor in any public forum about the legality, morality, patriotism, and great benefit of Texas Independence at any time. Contact me.
Texas seceding is not illegal and was a condition agreed upon when Texas joined the US. Please check out the following link regarding questions about the Texas Nationalist Movement and whether or not Texas can actually secede. http://thetnm.org/answers
#Texascansecede