The state of Texas has granted longtime martial-arts champion, television and movie star and WND columnist Chuck Norris a special honor.
The state Senate passed a resolution Tuesday commending him for his life’s work and extending “best wishes” as an “expression of esteem.”
Media reports said the resolution granted Chuck Norris honorary Texas citizenship, but he already lives there.
The resolution commends Norris “on his many achievements and extend to him best wishes for continued success in all his endeavors; and, be it further resolved, that a copy of this Resolution be prepared for him as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.”
The Austin American-Statesman reported he was given a Senate gavel that was used to proclaim passage the resolution and a flag that had flown over the Alamo.
The resolution, No. 569, stated, “Commending Chuck Norris for his many contributions to our state.”
The unanimously approved resolution reads:
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to honor Chuck Norris for his many contributions to our state and nation; and
WHEREAS, Chuck Norris is one of the most recognized men in the nation because of the long and illustrious career he has built in the fields of martial arts, film and television, and philanthropy; and
WHEREAS, His interest in the martial arts began while he was serving in Korea with the United States Air Force; after his military service, he opened a chain of karate studios and competed in numerous martial arts tournaments; he won the first of multiple world middleweight karate championships in 1968 and successfully defended his title another five times; and
WHEREAS, He was encouraged by one of his celebrity karate students, Steve McQueen, to enter acting, and he brought his martial arts skills to the big screen to great acclaim; his iconic fight scene with Bruce Lee in “Way of the Dragon” launched his career as one of the world’s leading action film stars; he went on to appear in such hit films as “Breaker! Breaker!,” “Missing in Action,” and “Code of Silence” before beginning work on the hit television series, “Walker, Texas Ranger,” which ran for eight seasons; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Norris has throughout his career been involved in numerous philanthropic efforts, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the United Way; in 1992, he founded Kickstart Kids, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching children character through karate training in public schools; he is also a committed entrepreneur who has established a bottled water company, CForce, at an artesian aquifer source on his Lone Wolf Ranch in Grimes County; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th Legislature, hereby commend Chuck Norris on his many achievements and extend to him best wishes for continued success in all his endeavors; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for him as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.
Norris, 77, is known for his martial-arts movies and for his lead role in “Walker, Texas Ranger,” which aired from 1993 to 2001. He previously was named an honorary Marine, in 2007, and a member of the Texas Rangers, in 2010.
A report:
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The local ABC affiliate immediately chimed in with a list of Chuck Norris “facts,” the beyond-belief statements that have taken the Web by a storm.
They include:
- Chuck Norris has a diary. It’s called the Guinness Book of World Records.
- Chuck Norris doesn’t cheat death. He wins fair and square.
- Chuck Norris once went to Mars. That’s why there are no signs of life.
- Chuck Norris’ tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.
Norris recently was in the news for making a 4-year-old child’s dream come true.
See a report:
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WND has reported Norris’ image has gone where few have gone before.
At Christmas a couple of years ago, a video was released that topped the epic stunt of muscle man Jean-Claude Van Damme, the Belgian-born actor who was filmed doing the splits between two moving trucks.
Norris, whose list of movies continues to expand with his appearance in “Expendables 2,” took the stunt to a whole new level, doing the splits between the wings of two jets.
See the video:
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Actually, Norris has played down the idea that he’s a superhero.
“I’ve got a bulletin for you, folks. I am no superman,” he said at one point. “I realize that now, but I didn’t always. As six-time world karate champion and then a movie star, I put too much trust in who I was, what I could do and what I acquired. I forgot how much I needed others and especially God. Whether we are famous or not, we all need God. We also need other people.”
Norris has been writing a weekly column exclusively for WND since Oct. 23, 2006.
