What makes an Idahoan (Boise, Salmon: wedding, high school, college)
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I bougt the book off of Dave's (Cnynrat) suggestion and I believe he got the book based on mistyriver's suggestion. It's an Idaho CDF right of passage.
I was wondering if the average native idahoian has similar beliefs, you can't become a idahoian, no matter how long you stay here, how much you adopt our customs, ect, unless you were born here(and maybe requiring 2-3 or more generations back in idaho).
IMO, it's not nearly as big of deal to be a born-in-Idaho, Idahoan. Especially considering that more than half the population of Idaho wasn't born in state. Multi-generational Idahoans are definitely a minority in the state now. In contrast, 2 out of every 3 people living in Maine was born in Maine. Considering how much more rural than Maine is than most places and their higher percentage of 'native born' Mainers, in addition to the state being established *much* longer than states in the West, it's no surprise there's a much stronger attitude about what it means to 'be a Mainer'.
I seriously doubt if you settled in any of the metro areas in Idaho that people would give you a hard time for 'not being a real Idahoan' unless you were intentionally rocking the boat or claiming to speak for your neighbors when you're the newest guy on the block.
The only people that don't care about tourism and it's impact on the local economy are retirees who already have theirs and are insulated from the troubles or boom of the local economy. Everyone trying to make a living (including quite a few people that were laid off by Coldwater Creek in Sandpoint and then started their own businesses or tried to get other jobs) in NID cares about everyone else sees Idaho, because how everyone else sees Idaho affects their pocket book and quality of life.
As a soon to be retiree about whom some would say "already has theirs" I have to say that I do care about the local economy. The overall quality of life suffers in a place where the economy doesn't allow people to have decent jobs where they can earn enough to support themselves and their families in the area. For the same reason, I'd prefer to live somewhere that has good schools even though we don't have children.
Certainly not all retirees are so narrow mindedly selfish as you describe. I hope that giving some thought beyond your self interests might be a common characteristic of Idahoans.
Certainly not all retirees are so narrow mindedly selfish as you describe.
I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. My statement wasn't mean to say that *all* retirees don't care, just that majority of people who don't care are going to be retirees or to a lesser extent, people who earn income from home or other, non-local sources.
I somewhat agree with Deadtime for many that is what idaho is. For many in my family leaving california for idaho that was the thinking. For me Idaho is boise the rest is just where I play so for daily living I can only talk about boise and its values which are like many other places in the states perhaps better. We are not a closed minded people as we are often made to be I have found idahoans to be friendly kind independent and also community oriented. Is there some racism and some overly conservative views in my opinion? Absolutely and statistics show it is one of the worst in this regard however things are changing for the better in this regard slowly. Hell maybe quickly.
I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. My statement wasn't mean to say that *all* retirees don't care, just that majority of people who don't care are going to be retirees or to a lesser extent, people who earn income from home or other, non-local sources.
So using that logic welfare recipients don't care about the state they live in either correct?
I can't tell you how many times we have been told "I was born here (in whatever town you're in) and lived here all my life" in South Central Idaho. It's being told to claim that these people are real Idahoans and others are not. We have been told first hand of several occasions where a native Idahoan has moved away to attend college & pursue a career; then moved back once established or retired only to be shunned by their former neighbors and friends. We have never met one local that has a 'live and let live' attitude. They are VERY judgmental, biased and very quick to speak badly of others who have worked to better themselves or to make bigoted remarks in public. The few people that are nice to us keep us at an arms distance because they are involved in farming and have to do what is 'politically correct' with the locals.
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