"What is it about 'Official State crap'" Topic

The 'Lowering the Bar' website (a lawyer laughing at the legal system) is running an occasional series of post 'Official State Crap' – He's up to Arkansas at the moment.

link

Why do US states feel the need to declare things such as 'Official State Insect', 'Official State Butterfly' and 'Official state historic cooking vessel'? Even 'Official state soil'?

In a blatant denial of reality the BBQ was not chosen as the official State Cooking Vessel of Texas, the vote was rigged in favour of the Dutch Oven.

Why not? It keeps the legislators distracted and out of mischief, like passing more stupid laws and regulations.

It's a way to generate bribes that doesn't do too much damage.
-Kle.

Why do you care? We certainly don't.

It keeps the legislators distracted and out of mischief . . .

Except when it doesn't.

I'm in North Carolina, which has been vilified in the news this week because two state legislators with idle hands proposed a bill to establish the most outrageous – not to mention blatantly unconstitutional – "Official State Thing" I've ever heard of. Thankfully, someone higher up in the party quashed the whole thing the next day. I hope he slapped them upside their heads while he was at it.

I do love this state, but some of the people in it . . .

Looked that one up but spotted something of more interest – how the Navy accidentally scrapped a $300,000,000 USD dollar minesweeper……

link

I think when you asked about 'Official State crap' you put the answer in the question.
As for the minesweeper. The captain should get to join the tail end of an unemployment line. Maybe even some time in the Brig…

I didn't even know you could have an ‘official nickname'.

LH, just another of our many (as perceived by others)
National Failings…

Usually, Official State Crap comes about from an uncomfortable nexus of local pride and constituent hobbies/interests. Add to this the fact that state legislators are usually part-time politicians (being in session only a brief period each year) and are actually friends and neighbors with many of the people they represent, and you can see how things happen.

jpattern2 – more information? You can't just leave that hanging.

AndrewGPaul, jpattern2 was referring to a news story
making the rounds that a member or members of our
General Assembly (legislature) had drafted a bill
specifying a State religion.

Direct violation of a part of the US Constitution,
of course, and so of the NC Constitution (as setforth
during Reconstruction).

The proposed bill was a reaction to the ACLU's action
in response to a NC county's governing board opening
their sessions with prayer.

That comment in Jefferson's papers about 'separation of
church and state' has caused an awful lot of turmoil.

Thanks, Ed. Sorry, Andrew, I was purposely vague to avoid both religion and politics. Google will turn up more detailed accounts, if you're interested.

Streitax – I don't care, I'm just fascinated that someone thought "What we need is an official state butterfly, BUT we don't care enough to make it a protected species".

That kind of says it all, doesn't it, Last Hussar?

My favourite is :

Alabama : Official state renaissance faire: the one in Florence (Alabama)

Alabama – not the first state that comes to mind when thinking about Hippy Hobbies… cue Neil Young…

You mean when you hear the word "renaissance", Alabama ISN'T the first word that springs to mind?