I think the vinegar crept in when people started adding beans to chili. A spoon or two of apple cider vinegar is standard in ham and bean because it makes the beans easier to digest. The white has a sharper flavor.
Texas Red shouldn't have beans. That said, I'm not a Texan so I cook chili and put beans in if I have them. I don't add vinegar to the chili, but if people care to use it as a condiment I'm not going to force them to leave my table.
I think if you want to put fish sauce in your chili you can get away with it. If people are likely to be critical just don't offer to share the recipe. How many people do you feed who can identify all the ingredients in a pot of chili after eating it?
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