Posted on 02/01/2008 12:18:21 PM PST by Cagey
State dessert on legislative menu
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A proposal to make walking the official exercise of Maryland could get the boot — again.
A bill sponsored by Sen. Verna Jones was introduced Thursday, but some lawmakers question what makes the activity so special to Maryland. A previous attempt at the designation was vetoed several years ago by then-Gov. Robert Ehrlich.
“It’s like saying breathing is the state activity because everyone does it whether you want to or not,” said Delegate Richard Sossi, a Republican.
The state already has 21 state symbols, from the obvious (blue crabs and the Chesapeake Bay retriever) to the curious (jousting and the shell of an extinct snail). A multilayered cake native to Smith Island is on the legislative menu for designation as the state dessert, and lawmakers are taking some ribbing over the proliferation of state symbols.
“There are lots more important, substantive issues that we take up down here, but symbols can be important, too,” said Delegate Dan Morhaim, a Democrat. “I know they become the butt of jokes, and I understand that, but this is a small, small part of what we do.”
Maryland lawmakers gave walking an official designation in 2003 — but Ehrlich, a Republican, vetoed the idea.
“It serves no public purpose,” Ehrlich wrote, even as he signed into law a bill making the thoroughbred Maryland’s official horse.
The veto was a setback for an elementary school in Montgomery County where students proposed the designation, but lawmakers under a new Democratic governor say it’s time to revisit the idea.
“He did not understand the importance of walking,” said Jones, a Democrat. “It’s the most basic exercise. Everyone can do it.”
I'd think that would kind of cancel out the walking.
I’m sure many Marylanders would like to see our entire legislature follow our Governor and take a walk- a long walk off a short pier
This MArylander would walk around more, if I was allowed to carry..
Great idea. There’s more than a few short piers within walking distance of the Capital building.
Careful there, Richard. Exhaling might soon be on the banned list. Global Warming and all, you know.
We even had a President who didn’t inhale.
Life must be pretty good in Maryland if this is all they have to debate.
Right. Walking around many neighborhoods of Baltimore could be the officially designated MD form of suicide.
I live closer to DC. I am frankly uneasy going to B-more, other than to the inner harbor area. I had a few bad experiences back when I was a delivery driver. Now, if I am feeling curious about Baltimore, I watch ‘The Wire’ on HBO.
I never actually saw a single soul jousting down there. A more appropriate State sport for today would be beating people up on buses.
Wow. I wonder if any one else has a State stone. They could also designated heroin as the official State Way to Get Stoned. About 10% of Baltimorons are heroin addicts.
I want to be Maryland’s “Director of Walking”, with a good salary and a state car and office + staff. If people look into this, I’m sure that MO’M has some plan just like this to reward a supporter. Just like the Director of Illegal Aliens the legislature wants.
“I never actually saw a single soul jousting down there.”
Davidsonville Renissannce Faire has jousting.
Where I live has PG county beatdowns as a sport.
The Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly was designated Maryland's State Insect in 1973. The Baltimore Checkerspot is one of the most beautiful butterflies of our area, but not many people have seen it.
Then there's the State Drink, milk:
Milk officially became the State drink on October 1, 1998. Found primarily in Frederick and Washington counties, most Maryland milk cows...
The dairy farms of Fred & Wash. Co.s are rapidly being covered with the condos of greater metro DC.
Maryland's State Tree is the White Oak. It was symbolized by the Wye Oak that stood at Wye Mills on Maryland's Eastern Shore...On June 7, 2002, it was felled by powerful thunderstorms...
Or the once-abundant State Reptile, the Diamondback Terrapin, which is hardly ever seen any more.
I wonder when they are going to designate PC as the State Religion.
I motion that St. Mary’s County Stuffed Ham be the official Meat Dish pf Maryland.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
Seems like passing gas is the official exercise of the Maryland legislature, from both ends.
Why is jousting “curious”? It was part of sporting by the founders of the state.
BTW, breeds should be capitalized (”pet” peeve of mine) - Chesapeake Bay Retriever and Thoroughbred.
Speaking of TBs, perhaps they’d like horse-racing as the state sport?
Inside Baltimore, you’d be RUNNING. ;-)
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Baltimore Oriole. Red-Wing Blackbirds, yes, but they’re not orioles.
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