Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Many will instantly recognize I am quoting scripture, Matthew 5:37, the New International Version to (c. 1984) to be precise. I am not big on beating people over the head with the Bible, but every now and then I think it is important to discuss honor. It used to be a serious subject.

In the early 19^th century, a man’s word was taken seriously A deal was a deal.

Before he came to Texas, Jim Bowie was involved in a fight in Louisiana, in which he used his knife to disembowel a man who had pinned Jim’s body to the ground with a sword after Bowie had been shot twice. The fight was over a point of honor. Bowie prevailed that day when the man tried to pull his sword out of Bowie’s chest. Bowie developed a reputation as a man who was not to be trifled with or lied to. At times he seemed to be a force of nature.

As I said, a man’s word was taken seriously in those days. There was less tolerance for the deceptive.

The Texas founding fathers were a politically incorrect lot, I mean with all the dueling going on and all. Of course most smoked and drank, and they gambled on everything from horse races to chicken fights.

Two of the defenders of the Alamo, Travis and Bowie, had participated in duels. Noted Texas historian T.R. Fehrenbach observes that two of the commanders at the Alamo, Colonel Travis and the failed Tennessee politician – I mean that in all respect, as to be a successful politician is often to be a plague upon the land – Colonel Davy Crockett both had woman trouble. In today’s world they couldn’t have even made it as politicians, but they might have found careers in golf or professional football.

Before the siege of the Alamo, Bowie, though still respected physically, had moderated his overall approach. He left slave trading for land speculation. He led peaceful efforts to have Texas declared a separate state under the government of Mexico. In short, as circumstances allowed, Bowie became political.

He was fluent in French, Spanish and English. He considered himself a citizen of Mexico. He had served in local government. He had married the 19-year-old daughter of San Antonio’s alcalde (think mayor and judge). There is evidence he might have hedged a bit about his age when it came to romancing San Antonio’s young princess. He was in his mid-30s at the time of the marriage. I didn’t say he was perfect, but the youthful duelist was striding into middle age as a socially respected politician in the oldest major city in what is now the United States.

Bowie’s family life ended tragically before the war with Santa Anna; his wife and two children died in a cholera outbreak. Seeking safety for his family, Bowie had sent them to the drier climate in the interior of Mexico in order to avoid the disease that was spreading through the northern stretches of the Mexican republic, including Texas. Cholera chose to visit Bowie’s family anyway and took their lives.

Santa Anna originally was supported by most Texans of all backgrounds. He had promised to restore the Mexican constitution which his predecessor had suspended. Once in office, Santa Anna broke his word. Much of Mexico including Texas revolted. Political overtures made to Santa Anna were rebuffed by the dictator. Much of Mexico arose in armed rebellion. With no political solution available to him, Jim Bowie joined in knife first.

The Texas republic was an example of just how much can be accomplished by God through hugely flawed men. Unlike many modern politicians, however, there was a code of honor that involved keeping one’s word unto death. At the Alamo and San Jacinto, Texas leaders from Juan Seguin and Jim Bowie to Sam Houston kept their word – though outgunned and overmatched – to the people. They were blessed with a nation and afterwards a state.

Unlike some modern politicians, few of Texas’ founding fathers traded on their religion – though most seem to have been rather faithful, especially when their word was involved.

In many American history classes taught at the college level, professors seem intent on trying to shoehorn the U.S. founders into modern political "isms" and sometimes the founding fathers are targets of outright derision. To me, little of that is accurate or fair. The U.S. founders were honorable men of their era, almost unbelievably so if judged by the political norms of our times.

The Texas founders were just as honorable to their political intentions and in some ways more willing to fight if provoked personally. They were more of the frontiersmen mold than the businessmen, artisans and planters that comprised the U.S. founders. They had a more feral aspect than the U.S. fathers. Primal is probably a better word; they were as primal as the razor edge of a Bowie knife.

Modern society, where men of their word are so often supplanted by schemers who have no regard for their own honor, begs a question: What would Jim Bowie do? I don’t think he would be silent. He would at least be vocal.