Naming more state symbols not productive
We send our legislators to Austin to take care of serious,
complex business - property taxes, school financing, welfare reform.
So why in the world is the state House of Representatives being
asked to waste time debating whether rodeo or football should
be declared the Official State Sport?
We already have some 25 official state symbols that hardly
anyone knows or cares much about, ranging from the Official State
Pepper (the jalapeno) to the Official State Reptile (the horned
lizard). To add to them this year, the House Committee on State,
Federal and International Relations - chaired by our own state
Rep. Bob Hunter - has passed resolutions naming the Official State
Molecule (the buckminsterfullerene), the Official State Dance
(the two-step) and the Official State Sauce (picante).
Now the committee has passed another resolution naming rodeo
the Official State Sport, and at least four more official symbols
are up for consideration. What's next - the Official State Cold
Remedy?
Enough, already.
The naming of the Official State Mammal two years ago may have
succeeded in getting many young Texans involved in the workings
of state government, but this continuing proliferation of state
symbols is an embarrassing appearance of frivolity.
It's about time we declared an Official State Halt To All This
Official State This-And-That Nonsense. The Legislature needs to
be taking care of the people's business.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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