Once again, political correctness is stepping into an area – "Live Free or Die" expresses a philosophy and not a marketing "brand" meant to drive people to "buy into" something – in this case, living here in NH. While marketing is a serious business in our capitalistic society, it is based on one thing: freedom. Without the freedom to choose, marketing ceases to be effective (or needed). In my estimation, there is no better summary than "Live Free or Die". Elegant in its simplicity, it summarizes what General Stark’s thoughts and being: freedom is everything. And not to be bandied about as a "slogan" – replace it when it "wears out". It stems from a time when we were much less about the glitz and more about the substance of what really matters.
And when pinheads were called exactly that – and worse.
It was the Union Leader’s editorial that caught my eye (emphasis mine)
In nine days, New Hampshire’s state motto will turn 200 years old. It was July 31, 1809, when Gen. John Stark wrote to his comrades from the Battle of Bennington to offer this toast: "Live free or die. Death is not the worst of evils."
It is a horrible irony that weeks before this historic anniversary, "The Governor’s Task Force for the Recruitment and Retention of a Young Workforce for the State of New Hampshire" stated in its official report: "Our State portrays an unfriendly message that every individual has to succeed on their own, rather than count on a support system for assistance (Live Free or Die is not a friendly, supporting message that appeals to young people)."
How soft we have become. That ridiculous assessment is far from the reaction had by Stark’s fellow Bennington survivors, who wrote to him in 1810, "The toast, sir, which you sent us in 1809 will continue to vibrate with unceasing pleasure in our ears."
They only won us our freedom. What do they know?
As always, enter Stage Left, the weenies with their political correctness, pandering, and foolishness. In showing their disdain, they seemingly have ignored the obvious: "And what’s your message?" An utterly condescending one:
YOU cannot succeed on your own – you are NOT good enough!
You will ONLY succeed if others do the work for you.
Absolute Rubbish! Success comes from hard work and the ability to be left alone to do that work without interference from Government. Tell me, what young person, full of vim and vinegar, is thinking to themselves "yup, I’m helpless and NEED others to make a go of it" – sure, that will attract’em! Most adult-thinking young adults are thinking "I can CHANGE the world – lemme at’em!" and not "quick, I need hand holding at every turn!".
The report goes on to say (page 6):
Other comments indicated that New England should have more of a brand as a region rather than each of the individual six states having their own brand. The Task Force, in its recommendations, has endorsed the creation of a large “Stay Work Play” website to serve as a one?stop shop for information about NH and why it is a great place to stay, work, and play, but stopped short of recommending that this be the new brand.
Excuse me, but your collectiveness is showing. Not only are they showing their message of "make your dreams subservient to those of others (’cause you’re not good enough), but have the stones to say "Oh by the way, NH, even though this is about NH – the collective region should be preeminent to the State".
Instead of denigrating the State Motto, and the philosophy that sustains it, why not embrace it and use it:
- the freedom to succeed!
- no obstacles in your way
- Life – YOUR way!
You get the idea (and I’m not a marketing person).
Mr. Pink Eyes over at America’s Watchtower has this to say:
Believing in individual freedom is somehow unfriendly and unpopular with young people while becoming dependant on a “support system” IE big government is what appeals to young people?
Giving up personal freedom to acquiesce to government is supposed to give us more freedom? I don’t get it…
…What a joke the “live free or die” state has become under Governor John Lynch
If this is NOT true, our educational system (and this report stems largely from UNH) has utterly failed us.
