Qui Transtuit Sutinet

My home state has been in the forefront of ass-backwards behavior, dating back to the mid-17th century.

Take our state motto, which coincidentally is the title of this post, for example. "Qui Transtuit Sutinet". Literally translated, it means "He who transplanted still sustains".

Excuse me? He who transplanted? Transplanted what? And if he transplanted something, does he still sustain it? These are questions that people in my state have been asking for generations, and for generations, no one has given a reasonable answer/explanation for it.

Moving on, we come to the official state items: the flower (Mountain Laurel), the bird (American Robin, bleah), and the tree (White Oak). I have no problems with those, it's the other official state designated items that leaves me scratching my head in bewilderment.

Our state animal is the Sperm Whale. I'm sorry, but when has this animal ever been spotted this far north? Would it make much sense to pick an animal that is indigenous to this particular state, instead of an animal that there's minimal connection to at best?

Our state song is "Yankee Doodle". Yankee Doodle....You would think that they could come up with a better song than one that has been screwed up by multiple generations of kids who sang, stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni! Connecticut has had a multiple of talented home grown songwriters throughout the centuries, that they could of chosen from. Like Gene Pitney for example.

Our next item that my state screwed up on, is our state hero, Nathan Hale. I guess that a failed spy could be considered a state hero. However, considering how rich and flavored our state history is with all other kinds of historical figures, perhaps someone else could have been chosen. Not trying to sound political correct, but what about the people who were involved with Amistad? Surely they would be more worthy as state heroes then Nathan Hale?

Next item that the state picked, which clearly showed that politics were involved, was the official state ship, the USS Nautilus. I'm sorry, but a submarine from Electric Boat simply doesn't cut it. What about, say the Freedom Schooner Amistad? It's based in Connecticut, has a rich detailed history that was successfully re-habbed and is now used as a goodwill ambassador around the world. You know, something with HISTORY to it. I don't particularly care about a nuclear submarine. Call me old fashioned, but our distant past should be honored, not something from the present.

Our state gem is garnet. Whopee. Don't know nothing about it, so we'll pass judgement on this.

Now we're getting down to the plain stupid. Our state insect is the European Mantis. WHAT??? A state insect??? Do we really need a state insect? I mean, does the designation make it a protected species? Especially one that ISN'T native to Connecticut. I'm sure we can come up with something more worthwhile, like say, a honey bee? It's endangered and it's more important to the agriculture than the mantis ever is.

And finally, our state fossil, Eubrontes Giganteus. We have a state park exclusively designed for that fossil, called "Dinosaur State Park". Located in Rocky Hill, it's basically a very large dome encasing the fossil and some foot tracks.

Yah.

So there you have it folks. A state that is one of the original thirteen colonies; has a rich and detailed history dating from the 17th century; and they made some dubious picks for official state products.

A decent flower.
An average bird.
An average tree.
An animal that isn't even indigenous to this state.
A useless children's song.
A teacher who failed miserably as a wartime spy.
A nuclear submarine.
A useless insect.
A dinosaur.

I'm sooooooo glad that I live in a state that cares soooooo much about its rich history.

Almost makes me want to cry in my locally produced ale from East Hartford, and eat my locally produced Grote & Weigel hot dogs, my locally produced ice cream from Manchester, and enjoy the local music scene.