When I was growing up it was
Wisconsin: Come smell out dairy air.
Pennsylvania:
“Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, with Alabama in Between”
ouryL, you really felt the need to quote the whole OP for a post that was only relevant to one-fiftieth of it? My wheel finger is tired now.
Hee! I was just going to come in and say that some residents of Illinois don’t even know how to pronounce it.
I was in Orange Krush last year. During halftime, when Chief Illiniwek comes and dances, we all gathered around the court and sang the Alma Mater. We sing the last line like this:
Victoryyyy Illinoiiiiiiiiiizzzzzzzzzzzzzssssssssssszzzzzzzzz, Varrrsityyy!
Hmmm. I think the Florida one should be less obvious. Poking fun at the elderly is like shooting elephants in a barrel. I was thinking something along the lines of this would be more fitting:
I can’t even begin to tell you how many people I’ve met say they only moved down here because this is where their family is. And they all regret it! Like a venus flytrap this state is…
Or maybe:
I would assume that was supposed to be come smell* our* dairy air? And are you serious or is this a whoosh?
Yes, and if you mean if it’s the real state motto, heavens no. He was offering the Wisconsinite’s perspective on what their joke state motto should be. (And being an expatriate cheesehead, I can vouch for that.)
Sorry Guin. It’s: Welcome to Pennsylvania. Road construction next 359 miles.
State mineral: Asphalt. State animal: Flashing Detour Horse. State bird: Penndot Mack CF dumptruck, known by it’s distinctive call when backing: “Beep beep beep beep.” State food: Stew in Traffic. State flower: Eastern Pothole. State tree: Lane Closure Ahead.
Here’s a few I remember from my last trip to the Great White North
Manitoba
Just like North Dakota – only BIGGER!
British Columbia
Not the Prairies, not the Maritimes, not French and who needs Ontario?
Ontario
Better deals on prescription drugs!
Nunavit
Try to find us. Really. Here’s a map. Go ahead.
For New York how about?
Do we have a motto? Who wants to know? Maybe we got a motto. Maybe we don’t. You got a problem with that? Hey Motto this !!!
If you want to see the real mottoes they are here:
http://www.1728.com/page1.htm
and the state nicknames (which have yet to be discussed) are here.
http://www.1728.com/page2.htm
For those in Michigan, I apologize but I feel your state has the strangest motto of ALL 50 states:
“If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you.”
(and someone had the temerity to say New Mexico has a strange motto?)
Have things got that bad? Years ago I remembered crossing between MI and Canada without notice on either side. Last I read this soon will be no longer possible because as I don’t have a US passport I couldn’t reenter the US. I remember the day when the Detroit/Windor border was porous. So long as I didn’t make a jerk of myself in Canada, it wasn’t an issue. I am saddened by the thought that going to Canada is a thing to fear.
Actually, that’s only for northern Ohio. Anything from Columbus on down is: “At Least We’re Not Kentucky. Or worse, West Virginia.”
And of course the state is called “Ahia” down there.
Maybe your motto should be “We just **think **our state is rectangular.”
(it’s not)
I have to say, the Arizona motto is so true it’s almost not funny. Almost. 
And the Jersey motto should be:
What, ya wanna make a cheap joke about Jersey here? Well come here and say it to my face, big guy! Wha, you scared? That’s right, tough guy! Run away!
Arizona Motto Haiku…
The Sun is too hot.
It will melt you where you stand.
But it’s a dry heat.
TLQ (who resides in the Valley of the Sun(stroke), Metro-Phoenix, AZ
Man, all the possible things you could do for New Mexico and you come up with something stupid about lizards?
You Wolverines and Buckeyes, sigh. Need I remind you that Iowa won its bowl game this year?
Come to Florida and could ya bring a tarp?
Here’s an alternative to the OP’s.
New Mexico: Yes, we are part of the United States of America, not Mexico!