Martin Marty’s excellent commentary “Where paradox blooms” (Op-Ed, Oct. 17) states the case eloquently for the diversity of Illinois. We are indeed at least three separate states, each with its own concerns, pros and cons.
Mr. Marty’s view of other states, especially surrounding ones, is more problematic. Yes, Missouri has long been known as the “Show Me” state, based on some probably anachronistic stereotype.
Having lived in both Iowa and Nebraska, however, the only people to whom I ever heard referred to as Hawkeyes or Cornhuskers were athletes at the Universities of Iowa and Nebraska. In fact, the Iowa teams used to be the Cornhuskers and the Nebraska team the Bugeaters, if we go back far enough. Agreed, Indianians refer to themselves as Hoosiers, but I have never heard of Wisconsinites refer to themselves as Badgers, any more than they refer to themselves as Packers.
Are we then “Illini”? We honor the memory of the original (?) inhabitants of this area by naming our pre-eminent state university’s team after them, but I doubt if many of my fellow Illinoisans refer to themselves as Illini.
But there is a bigger issue. How easy is it, in an era of national cultural homogeneity as a byproduct of the mass media and easy interstate highway travel, to characterize the inhabitants of any state? Those of us who have traveled throughout the country know that a Northern Californian has precious little in common with a Southern Californian, just as a Manhattanite has little in common with a resident of upstate New York. Illinois is indeed a marvelously diverse state, but it is far from unique in this regard.
