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After the Brexit, Texans Ask Why Not a Texit?

More than 261,000 Texans have signed a petition on Friday in favor of leaving the US.
Photo via Creative Commons

Inspired by Britain's Brexit vote Thursday—which resulted in the country leaving the European Union despite economic peril, abrupt change in leadership, and an uncertain future—Texas, the belt buckle of America, seems motivated to pull that shit themselves.

As of Friday afternoon, over 261,000 Texans have reportedly signed a petition on the Texas Nationalist Movement's website in favor of a "Texit." The independence movement's leader, Daniel Miller, has also formally asked Texas Governor Greg Abbot to consider a secession vote in the same vein as Britain's historic vote, ABC News reports.

It's not the first time Texas has tried to wriggle its way out of the US. Fringe movements have been crusading for the cause since 1869, causing the Supreme Court to step in and rule that states actually don't have the right to secede.

But that decision hasn't stopped modern self-governance movements like Miller's (and Richard Lance McLaren's Republic of Texas movement) from trying to cut ties with the rest of the US. Today, the Texas Nationalist Movement has a large social media following and has garnered more supporters on Facebook than the Texas Democratic and Republican parties combined.

Unlike the British leaders, who seemed not see the Leave vote coming, Miller is confident his movement will prevail, telling news.com.au that a Texit from the US isn't "a matter of 'if,' but 'when.'"

Read: Why Not Let All the States Secede from the US?