The Last Texan

A Bar Owner's Unlikely Fight for the Spirit of the Alamo (RealClearBooks)

Last Month, in a 9-2 vote, the San Antonio City Council authorized the eminent domain taking of a Texas watering hole called Moses Rose’s Hideout in order to facilitate the construction of a loading dock for the Alamo Visitor Center and Museum. The economic development project is part of a $500 million “restoration” that Texas Monthly calls “the Alamo’s New Battle Plan.”

I wanted to know what it was like to have a party at (what must feel like) the end of the world, so I went to Texas and spent a night in my best “going out” clothes with a Lone Star beer in my hand, getting to know the tavern owner Vince Cantu and his wife “Chooch.”

I was lucky enough to get to write about the experience in an essay for RealClear’s Books & Culture section (thanks to editor Alex Perez). I hope you’ll spend some time with it.

Now that that’s taken care of, there are some things that didn’t make it into the piece that have been pulling at my sleeve.

• There are two histories: (1) the history everyone knows, (2) the history people create with their everyday lives (and only they know).

• Political narratives are [forevermore] the enemy of the working man. That’s the most bipartisan thing there is.

• The more vulnerable someone feels, the more likely they are to experience empathy for others.

• Lone Star is not a good beer for drinking (but it’s not bad for lurking).

Take a look.

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