In another thread, there is mention of someone at Texas A&M who didn’t know New Mexico is part of the US. The story is put down as an Urban Legend.
However, I myself remember some Washington Post article detailing some poor New Mexicans’ dealing with bureaucrats who didn’t know. But I can’t remember when the article was published, so my recollection sounds UL-ish.
Does anyone have certifiable stories (preferably funny or incredible) of people in the 49 other states having such bad geography-sense that they though NM was part of Mexico?
AWB, I once saw an article discussing that very thing on a bulletin board at my university’s geography department. But I can’t remember the source of the article, so that’s little better than a FOAF story.
So instead, how about this? (I’d post the link, but you can’t go directly to it; you have to perform a search first.) I can’t get the full article without paying, but this Washington Post article suggests the sad, sad stories are true.
(As a good skeptic, if you want to get this yourself, AWB, just let me know. I’ll post a link and the keywords I used to find the article)
~ Complacency is far more dangerous than outrage ~
Ok - it’s KINDA (if you stretch it) applicable, but my SO told me that some people sent the VP of the US a letter to try and get them to save the Texas Eagle.
Well, they got a letter back from his office saying that they, too, are concerned with saving wildlife and preserving species and such…
Thanks. I found that article too. I can’t get it until I get home, as my office’s proxy server disallows any Internet traffic that involves secure credit card transactions.
The Atlanta Olympics story is true. New Mexico rented an office near Centennial Olympic Park (the focal point of the '96 games) and set up a “consulate”. If nothing else I learned that New Mexicans have a great sense of humor.
The overwhelming majority of people have more than the average (mean) number of legs. – E. Grebenik
The back page of New Mexico Magazine used to run a feature called “One of our 50 is Missing.” It was dedicated funny stories about just this subject. It’s been a few years since I subscribed, so don’t know if the feature is still there. I did a quick search but couldn’t come up with them (the magazine)online.
Anyone in Albuquerque wanna lob a call to their office and report back?
When driving several of the last of the older generation of Mississippi blues musicians on their first trip out West, we played in New Mexico. For whatever reason, all that seemed to stick was the “Mexico” part. I showed the guys on a map where we were, explaining the NEW Mexico statehood thing, but it just never got across." Do we gotta get our money changed into Mexican?" Oh well. The music still translated…
I’ve noticed that the New Mexico licence plates have “New Mexico USA” on them–they are, as far as I know, the only state which saw the need to include the country.
[[The back page of New Mexico Magazine used to run a feature called “One of our 50 is Missing.” ]]
Yep, it’s still a feature in that magazine, and all of us Nuevo Mexicanos(as) have such stories. Trying to order a product from a catalog co. in another state, and being told they don’t send stuff out of the country, etc.
Anyway, on the guy in NM who had to argue with the Olympics people: I remember hearing that he set up a New Mexican Consulate in his house, complete with brochures and information on Our Forty-Eighth State. Very amusing.
New Mexico isn’t the only bit of U.S. soil that “don’t get no respect.” [Rodney Dangerfield voiceover]
Try explaining to folks who should know better what the postal abbreviations of PR, GU, and TT are and why they get the domestic rate for postage. I’ve had to explain this at a Post Office!
Plus some fools, yes I said fools, in the Federal bureaucracy are still unaware that Puerto Rican and Guamanians actually are U.S. citizens.
Ok… Puerto Rico and Guam were easy enough to get, but what is TT? The only other territory I know of is the Virgin Islands, which doesn’t exactly lend itself to TT as an abbreviation.
“I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.”
Jophiel: BTW, here are a couple more postal abbreviations:
AS - American Samoa
VI - American Virgin Islands
DC - District of Columbia
Not a State amongst them, but all of the above are considered by the USPS (United States Postal Service*) to be state abbreviations.
*Postal Service?! Criminy! I’m wondering why none of those folks who thought the Merchant Mariners were in Federal Military Service even considered these guys!
Hello, I am from New Mexico. No, NEW Mexico. It’s a state. Yes, of the United States! What do you mean it’s not on the map? Gimme that. Here it is! No! It is NOT a part of Texas! Or Arizona! It is its own separate… well, my English should be good, I’ve been speaking it all my life! Yes, they teach it in the schools! Listen, I’m only going to explain this one more time. New Mexico is a state, not a territory, or anything else, of the United States of America, we elect representatives and Senators, we speak English, we use American dollars, you can even drink the water! There, get it now? NO! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PASS THROUGH A BORDER CHECKPOINT!!!
- summary of every conversation I've ever had with someone who doubted the existence of my home state. Next episode, a summary of every conversation I ever had with someone who was not aware that Albuquerque exists except as a line in a Bugs Bunny cartoon...
True, but if you drive around southern New Mexico, you’ll have an excellent chance of going through an INS checkpoint (to be fair, it’s the same in my state, Texas).