# Live Free or Change Your Slogan **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 7, 2006, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714 "2006-04-07T13:48:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/1 "2006-04-07T13:48:21Z")
New Hampshire, trying to lighten up its image, has evidently been trying to replace signs bearing the seen-as-belligerant old motto (“Live Free or Die”) with the newer, happier “You’re Going to Love it Here”, which everyone seems to hate. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060406/ap\_on\_re\_us/live\_free\_or\_die](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060406/ap_on_re_us/live_free_or_die) I love state motto fights. They bring out th inane. Many years ago Utah came up with “Utah: A pretty, great state!” Cartoonist Pat Bagley drew a picture of consultants gathered around a drawing board with the following effort: “Utah: An OK state, if you like that kind of thing, I guess.” Says one consultant: “Mayber it needs another comma” What’;s your state motto, or what would you like it to be, or what would you suggest for New Hampshire? “New Hampshire: At least it’s not Maine” (I listen to too much Lauren and Wally) “New Hampshire: Free Parking” “New Hampshire: Playground for Moose” “New Hampshire: Now Shaker-Free!” “New Hampshire: Motocycle week in Laconia only lasts a week” “New Hampshire: We still have other rocks that look like Faces” ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/2 "2006-04-07T14:11:26Z")
Eh, I don’t think it’s belligerant _enough_. “Live Free or We’ll Hunt You Down and Kill You.” ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/3 "2006-04-07T14:14:51Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > Eh, I don’t think it’s belligerant _enough_. > > “Live Free or We’ll Hunt You Down and Kill You.” I spend an average of three hours a year in New Hampshire (on Route 95, going in and out of Maine), and I would _love_ to see this slogan on a sign. I always feel bad when I see Ol’ Granite Face That Is No More all over everything. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/4 "2006-04-07T14:19:03Z")
Don’t know what Minnesota’s is, but Wisconsin’s is “Forward!” I think it’s what the farmers yell at their cows when they’re feeling pretentious (the farmers, not the cows. Dunno if it’s possible for the cows to feel pretentious). ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Clam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@Happy\_Clam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Clam)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/5 "2006-04-07T14:22:16Z")
“New Hampshire: Another Part of a Country That Should Have Stayed With Its Colonial Masters Two Hundred Years Ago, Because Then You Wouldn’t Have to Worry About Stuff Like This. You Think _Somerset_ Fights Over What It’s State Motto Should Be? Plus You Could Have Avoided the Civil War. Jackasses.” Hmm. I’m not sure that would fit on a sign. ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/6 "2006-04-07T14:29:36Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > “New Hampshire: Motocycle week in Laconia only lasts a week” Yeah, you wish. It may only formally last a week, but they’re out there on the roads for the summer. (Yes, I lived in NH, next to I-93, where you could hear EVERY SINGLE MOTORCYCLE as they went by…) How about, “New Hampshire: Come spend your tourism money here, then get out!” The Texas state motto, btw, is “Friendship”. The New Hampshire one could be “The unfriendly state”, but I suspect that would be too overt. “New Hampshire: Yes, we know it fell down, but we’re too lazy to change the signs.” “New Hampshire: C’mon, don’t you want to vote the way we did? All the _other_ states are doing it… you don’t want to be left out…” “New Hampshire: No taxes… and no funding… and proud of it!” (Hmmm… I wonder if removing “Live Free or Die” as the slogan is to prevent the suicide rate from rising when they add taxes in the future? 😉 ) Or perhaps they need to find a new motto because Massachusetts (with it’s new universal health care plan) bought the state motto of “Live Free or Die” from NH to use in a different sense! New one for Texas could be: “Texas: Are we there yet?” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/7 "2006-04-07T14:31:55Z")
"New Hampshire In case you were wondering" “New Hampshire. Watch your Hat and Coat” “New Hampshire. Contents may have settled during handling” “New Hampshire – You _can_ get Theah from Heah.” “New Hampshire – Home of Janet Evanovich. Even though she won’t write about us.” ---
**Author:** ![False\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee7513/32.png) [@False\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/False_God)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/8 "2006-04-07T14:44:10Z")
Oklahoma: 'The Circus has been here _TWICE_!" California: “The Cereal State: Equal helpings of fruits, nuts and flakes” Missouri: “Gateway to, well, anywhere but here.” Arkansas: “Thank God for Mississippi, that means we don’t have to be last in everything” ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/9 "2006-04-07T14:51:30Z")
New Hampshire: Right of Vermont (those commie, homo lovin’, granola bastards!) ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/10 "2006-04-07T14:51:45Z")
Well, there’s my home state: Maryland. Technically, it’s “Manly Deeds, Womanly Words” which is so open to comment that I will eave it alone. A more accurate motto might be, “Maryland: We Are _Too_ A real State.” Or better, “Maryland: Prepare To Be Taxed” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/11 "2006-04-07T15:00:22Z")
Hmmm, Vermont’s is “Freedom and Unity”? Why isn’t that on the license plate, and not “The Green Mountain State”? [Here](http://monster-island.org/tinashumor/humor/stateslogans.htm) are some good ones, including “Nebraska: Ask About Our State Motto Contest” And [SHIRTS!](http://campkitsch.com/sitebody/designs/state/states.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/12 "2006-04-07T15:01:20Z")
I used to love what Idaho and Ohio had on their license plates. I don’t know if they still do: Idaho: _Famous Potatoes_ Ohio: _Seat Belts Fastened?_ ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/13 "2006-04-07T15:04:43Z")
This is interesting – I was unaware when I started this thread thatr there’s an article about the Massachusetts Slogan in today’s **Boston Phoenix** : [http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news\_features/this\_just\_in/documents/02350413.htm](http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/this_just_in/documents/02350413.htm) I agree that “Make it in Massachusetts” seems pretty lame, what with the recent losses of jobs and population. The suggested “Bring your Ass to Mass” has punch, but they’ll never OK it, I’m guessing. > [@](#): > > The state motto (in Latin and written in yellow on a blue ribbon) reads “ENSE PETIT PLACIDAM SUB LIBERTATE QUIETEM,” meaning “By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty.” . Lacks a certain something. From this site:[http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/massachusetts/](http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/massachusetts/) How About: Massachusetts: “Just Wait Until the Year Before Last” (may need to be changed yearly) “Massachusetts: Home of the Citgo Sign” “Massachusetts: Come see the Big Dig!” “Massachusetts: We haven’t killed a Witch in over 300 years!” “Massachusetts: Come See what’s on top of the MIT Dome _this_ Week!” “Massachusetts: Our State Bird is a Turkey! Really!” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/14 "2006-04-07T15:06:59Z")
I like Conan’s state quarter mottos: North Dakota: Celebrating our first black guy! South Dakota: Did you hear about North Dakota’s black guy? ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/15 "2006-04-07T15:15:39Z")
Longest state name, shortest motto: “Hope” I’d prefer “Please don’t use our state as a unit of measure” myself. ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/16 "2006-04-07T15:15:47Z")
Massachussets: “Pay for health insurance or die!” (Goes nicely with the current NH one!) ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/17 "2006-04-07T15:22:28Z")
Here in the PNW, we are currently laughing/scratching our heads at Washington’s new tourism motto: “Say WA” Say WA? No, the bureaucrats explain, it’s not a question. Whatever. Oregon’s is “We love dreamers.” I wish they’d add: “… as long as they don’t stay here and buy up our real estate, inflating the market, and tell us that we ought to do things the way they do back home.” Yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/18 "2006-04-07T15:24:04Z")
A comic who has appeared on “The Daily Show” named John Hodgman has a book out called “The Areas of My Expertise” in which he lists facts (completely false facts) about all 53 states (yeah) and includes a number of hilarious mottos. Still, to continue on my own … Montana: “Agoraphobiacs Be Warned.” Florida: “Prune Juice now with Vitamin C.” Louisianna: “Tits and Dykes.” ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/19 "2006-04-07T15:28:58Z")
New Hampshire - We could suck the rest of the population from Massachusetts if we wanted too. New Hampshire - NE without the BS ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714/20 "2006-04-07T15:32:31Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I used to love what Idaho and Ohio had on their license plates. I don’t know if they still do: > > Idaho: _Famous Potatoes_ > > Ohio: _Seat Belts Fastened?_ It’s now “Birthplace of aviation” for Ohio. I don’t know how they can forgive those Wright brothers for taking their plane to North Carolina in 1903, so that NC plates can say “First in flight”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-free-or-change-your-slogan/351714.md?page=2)