The Press Herald is continuing its tradition of treating discussions about Maine state symbols with irreverence and dismissiveness. Both “Maine’s already got 31 state symbols. A reptile, amphibian and dog could be next,” by Ray Routhier, and “Here are what Maine’s state symbols should be,” by Leslie Bridgers, rolled their eyes at the idea that Mainers should celebrate ourselves and our state.

It’s nothing new. The discussion of state symbols has always been derided. On March 24, 1927, at a time when the Maine Federation of Women’s Clubs was pushing the Legislature to adopt the black-capped chickadee as our state bird, the Press Herald published an article about the pushback, “Women Resent Idea Chickadee Bill is a Joke.”

The bill passed anyway. Can anyone name any other legislation that passed in 1927? Did students learn in school about changes to the disbursement of funds to support the display of Maine products at regional expositions as we all learned about the black-capped chickadee? When we visited the DMV did we have the option of getting a plate commemorating the Legislature’s 1927 discussion of “Resolve in favor of V. E. Cunningham of Milford, compensating him for damage to apple trees by deer?” I didn’t either.

It takes just a few moments of the Legislature’s precious time to vote in favor of a state symbol and the impact lasts much, much longer. We should be proud of our state symbols, and also proud to take the time to decide them.

Nick Lund
Cumberland