Best replacement for "famous potatoes" as an Idaho slogan
Spuds R Us
If an archaeologist 200 years in the future were to dig up this year's Inlander votes for the best new Idaho slogan, he'd have to believe Idaho was a place of gorgeous natural beauty peopled by potato-eating skinheads. Don't jump down the throats of our voters — that's what Inland Northwest residents think of Idaho.
Let's face it, as state slogans go, "Famous Potatoes" is borrrrrrring. Most anything would be better. The first-place category — with dozens of variations — was claimed by those sorry souls who figured that we meant to replace "Famous Potatoes" with something else potato-related, like "Spuds R Us." Or, alternatively, "Spuds N' More," "Best Spuds," or, in a pretzel-like twist of logic, "The Skinheads Are Gone, So Try a Potato Skin."
Sorry, but anyone who wrote anything with a spud in it, hang your head in shame. Even if spuds did win.
The top three categories were quite close in vote totals. Second place had variations of "We're not all Aryans," referencing the longtime racist congregation in the Panhandle. Some voters in this category characterized Idaho as "Famous for Racists" or similar slights, but many made backhanded complements like "Virtually Aryan-Free." Celebrating natural wonders was the third most popular topic. "Land of Beautiful Waters," suggested one poetic voter, "Northwest Wonderland," wrote another in a typical response.
It wouldn't be Idaho if everyone stayed within the lines, though; perhaps half the votes were cast for a miscellany of slogan suggestions. There were votes with themes of economics ("Famous for Low Wages"), bad habits ("Cheap Cigarettes and Powerball") and politics ("The Republican State," "Land of the Truly Free"). And there were more than a few individualistic responses, like "We're Large and Bonny," and "Yant to?"
The most Idaho-istic suggestion? "Keep Idaho Green. Stay Home."
2nd: We're Not All Aryans; 3rd: Variations on the theme of natural beauty
