“To be a Virginian, either by birth, marriage, adoption, or even on one’s mother’s side, is an introduction to any state in the Union, a passport to any foreign country, and a benediction from Almighty God.”
I would never live anywhere else.
Yep. Sure do. I’m a Texan and that’ll never change. Yee-Haw and whatnot!
We are probably the most arrogent state, as ** sylphishone** pointed out. I’ve heard from people over seas that when you ask a normal American where they are from they say “The US,” but when you ask a Texas where he’s from he says “Texas.”
Lone Star forever.
I like living in Idaho. It is the state of my birth. I can’t imagine having to live anywhere else.
Having said that, I wish that those in southern Idaho would try to recognize that we in North Idaho do exist. As far as state government is concerned, if it isn’t in the Boise area, it doesn’t matter.
My parents were both born in Montana. To hear them tell it, there is no other state. Both of them always let their children know that having to have moved from Montana was a sad affair. My mother has lived here in Shoshone County since 1949 and still refers to Lincoln County, Montana as home.
What bright, discerning people your parents are! 
Born and raised in Montana here. It is, without a doubt, the greatest place on earth. I love it entirely. But the economy sucks, which is why I now live in Washington (State) which, though also lovely, will never be Home with a capital “H”, the way Montana was, is, and always will be.
When I define myself in terms of who I am or what I do, I define myself first as a Montanan. Or at least I used to – as I have become more aware of the problems of regionalism and tribalism (not that these are huge problems in the U.S.), I have tried to think of myself as an American first and a Montanan second. But that’s not how I’ve ranked things for most of my life.
Oh, and your mom’s attitude may reflect that Montana belief that you are in part defined by who you are. If you’re born and raised in Montana, you’re a Montanan no matter where you end up. And if you’re not born and raised in Montana, some will not consider you a Montanan, no matter how long you’ve lived there.
My best friend’s mother has lived in Montana since 1964, but she always complains that if she were ever run down in the street the paper would report “Colorado Woman Hit By Car.”
That should read: “Oh, and your mom’s attitude may reflect that Montana belief that you are in part defined by where you grew up.” Duh.
I was born and grew up in Wisconsin. Altho I live in Minnesota, I consider myself a Wisconsinite. I get excited when a TV show or movie is set in WI. Tho I do work in Wisconsin, and live just across the river and most of the TV stations I get are Wisconsin stations. I can imagine moving somewhere else nearby (back to WI, or maybe soewhere else ner the border).
Brian
Jodi, I like your style. There is definately a “Montana Pride”. I’ve never lived there (more’s the pity), but almost all my relatives do. Dad and Mom are the only people in their respective families that ever left.
I think I can top your friend’s mother’s story about being from Montana. My maternal grandmother was born in Edgarton, Indiana. Her parents moved to the Flathead when she was 4 months old. She lived the entire rest of her life within a 60 mile radius of Kalispell. My Montana-born grandfather never considered her to be a true Montanan, although she spent all but 4 months of her 81 years there.
Out of curiousity, where in Montana did you grow up?
My affection for Montana is second only to my affection for Idaho, and it is a very close second. Although circumstances of my birth prevent me from being a Montanan, in many ways I have a deep and long-lasting Montana heritage.
Ever been to Fortine?
I’m from California, but I moved to Michigan last year, and I just recently moved to Illinois (just recently = this month). I liked Michigan and I adore Chicago, but Northern California is Home. I will readily admit that I’ve lived there for 23 out of 25 years, so I might be just a wee bit biased. Still, everything in the midwest seems just a little off to me. I occasionally wonder if I’ll eventually get used to these differences and the midwest will someday be Home, or if I’ll always be just a little bit out of step until I give up trying to fit in and move back to California.
Any form of favoring your own area over another, whether it be something as small as school football teams or something as large as the United States vs. Iraq, have the same twisted flaw.
Humans, in their spare time, decided that people who live on one side of an imaginary line are no longer with them and should be fought against, being that they are close they must be a threat.
The idea fits into the American system so well that everything from pee wee hockey (I believe it was a couple of years ago a man killed another man over their kids game of hockey) up to the armed forces are competitive.
Its all a bunch of bull, really. Its nice to say, “I like where I live.” But to say “Where I live is better, all others must bow!” Is a bit much.
Born and lived most of my life in central Ohio, except for a 5 year stint in Alabama. Liked Alabama, but I love the Buckeye State. Our weather is great, we don’t have to worry about earthquakes, hurricanes, and killer bees, and we have a much better college football team than Michigan.
For whatever reason, I do feel pride in being an Ohioan, and I think it is a good quality in Americans that we can all have pride in our home states, but come together for our country when it is more important. It’s like fighting with your brother when you are at home, but if anyone else messes with him, you have to kick their ass to defend him. We Americans are a great dysfunctional family.
I grew up in Jersey , ( worked in NYC for awhile ) and live in the sticks on Pa. now . Jersey and Pa. both get a lot of razzin’ , but that doesn’t bother me. I like the diversity and * doing your own thing * in NYC , but don’t want to live there. I think people from southern states are more likely to take pride in their state , although this is not always the rule. ( especially Texans ;>)I like the New England states and Virginia also. But I am happy where I am.
I love my home state. Western Australia has EVERYTHING. It has striking scenery and is huge. I could never live in any other Australian state.
I also love my adopted prefecture. Ehime Prefecture in Japan is so little known that many people in Tokyo have no idea it exists, but it is lovely. Small population, lovely scenery, friendly people, and safe!
I’m exactly opposite - just transpose the Minnesota and Wisconsin in this post, and that’s me. I’ve lived here in WI since 1989, but I am a Minnesotan at heart. I root for the Vikes, I boo the Pack. You must not live near the Twin Cities, all we get over here are Minnesota TV stations.
I love Canada. I love everything about it - it is beautiful, friendly, and huge. I could spend my whole life exploring and not see everything. It’s amazing. And I feel really connected to other Canadians, even though I wasn’t born here.
Also, I will always hold a place in my heart for Saskatchewan, even though I left 5 years ago and will probably never go back.
So who said this? I will tell you quite bluntly that IMO where I am from is better than where you’re from. Because I’m, y’know, from there. I don’t give a rat’s ass whether you (generic you) agree with me, and I’m well aware that odds are you don’t. But I haven’t seen one single post here where a person has insisted that anyone else “bow” to his or her opinion.
So lighten up, willya? Sheesh.
New South Wales, Australia.
As far as caring about the place goes, then no, not particularly. I consider myself an Australian rather than a New South Welshman. The only exception to this is lighthearted fun-poking at interstate Aussies I know online.
There are interstate rivalries in this country, but sporting events and teams aside, most people from New South Wales don’t take them as seriously as those from the smaller states do. It’s a bit similar to New Yorkers maybe not thinking about the rest of the country that much. It’s not arrogance, it’s just that I guess we’re not trying to prove anything.
I’m from NSW, and I like it, but I’d leave without hesitation. We have interstate rivalries with Victoria and Queensland, but I like Victoria, and aside from sporting events and beer, I have no problem with Queensland. Don’t think I’d ever move there (not for any long period of time, anyway), but only because of the weather.
I really don’t understand the people who say that they’ve always lived in their state and never want to leave. There’s a whole world out there; I’d never want to deny myself of it.
I was born and raised in Mississippi. I live in Houston Texas. There are many, many things that I love about Texas but I hate Houston. The traffic sucks. August is more miserable than hell. I love going home to Mississippi and plan to move back eventually. I get a real kick out of small towns. Lots of people have a number of jokes to tell about Mississippi. Some of them are kind of funny and many of them make me very sad. Some folks assume that all people from Mississipp are racist. I hate that. I take offense but I don’t fight back verbally. I just go on about my life in a way that proves it just ain’t true.
Born and raised in NJ and I hate it here. If I could afford to move (either to a place like AZ or NM which is warm all year round), I’d do it. Or, paradoxically, even though I hate the winters in the Northeast USA, I MIGHT move to New England if things work out with my boyfriend (a born New Jerseyan who prides himself in having “escaped” and would rather be taken out and shot than move back to NJ). In any case, I’m only still here because for various reasons, I’ve been mostly trapped.
I did get out of NJ briefly a couple of times (to Colorado for a year when I was 19, then to Syracuse NY for three years when I was 21) but I ended up back here to pursue a music career avenue which ultimately didn’t work out, after which time I was just plain stuck.
However, I’ve always considered loyalty to one’s STATE, or “state patriotism” as some posters here have called it, really silly, even if you like or love the state (or nation, for that matter) you live in. IMNSHO, loyalty is something given to individuals who earn and reciprocate it, not to organizations or governments.