So, Colorado now has a second official state song – “Rocky Mountain High.”
Big whoop. Lawmakers in our Centennial State (aka Colorful Colorado) have been congratulating themselves for bringing the John Denver ballad into the fold of state symbols, but only after they persuaded one another that “Friends around the campfire and everybody’s high” did not refer to use of illegal substances.
But last week, the Land of Enchantment stole a beat on Colorado when Gov. Bill Richardson signed legislation designating the bolo as New Mexico’s Official State Tie.
The sad fact is that Colorado – always a little overly sensitive about its image and competitiveness – lags many other states in symbols. Sure, we have the usual minerals, fossils, grasses, fish, flowers and birds, but others are doing much more.
The proud New Mexican, wearing that bolo tie, can contemplate lunch with the official state question – “Red or green?” (chile, for you recent arrivals in the West) – also mindful that the official state vegetables are chile peppers and pinto beans.
After lunch, it’s time for the state cookie, the bizcochito.
What really chaps our hide is that New Mexico has grabbed the Cumbres & Toltec tourist railroad as the Official Historic Railroad of New Mexico even though we own fully half of it.
At least we can take some comfort in the fact that Arizona (the Grand Canyon State) beat New Mexico the bolo, giving it official neckware status in 1973.
Maybe we can console ourselves with a toast to the late John Denver.
Check that – there’s no official state beverage. No sense choosing milk; lots of states already have that. Maybe beer? The inevitable lobbying battle between Molson Coors and Anheuser Busch would be brutal, though the outcome could hardly be in doubt.
Actually, the most important lobbyists on state symbols are schoolkids and chamber of commerce types. Who can resist a stack of block-printed letters or a nice endorsement come re-election time?
Some editorial writers may grump about symbols, but not at The Denver Post (aka Voice of the Rocky Mountain Empire).
It’s all in creative fun, and we hope the state’s schoolchildren will get to work on the symbol gap.
But they don’t have to find a state tartan. We already have one.
Let Colorado’s Celts rejoice – although the rules allow any Coloradan to wear it.
(Study our state’s symbols at www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/history/symbemb.htm.)
