Finally, what about the "at the barrel of a gun" statement? Is it that bad in Texas (again, evidence of a police state)?
A common colloquialism used throughout the south since before the revolutionary war. Similar in connotation to
shotgun wedding although generally used in a different context. In the context it was used here anyone in Texas would NOT take it literally. Rather he was angry after demanding a jury trial that his peers found him guilty and he was assessed a penalty by the judge. The
gun to his head being the fact he had to pay the fine or he could be penalized with additional fines, and possibly even held in contempt of court and incarcerated.
