Maine Voices: Well yes, I am ‘from away,’ but hey, I’m here!

I’ve been a resident of Maine for over 5 years. I’ve no expectations of ever being seen as something however “from away” – at the least and till somebody in a management position works to assist take away that time period from our state’s lexicon.

Native Mainers are studying this and considering: “Who is that this outsider making an attempt to alter our language?”

Nicely, I’m the man who selected to be right here. I didn’t have the nice fortune to be born in Maine, however I acquired right here as quickly as I might.

In a state the place the demise charge surpasses the delivery charge, it’s irritating to see conversations that start with language that alienates potential residents. However the one manner this type of lexical shift will happen is that if somebody well-respected, somebody ready of authority, works onerous to alter our collective vocabulary; works to coach Mainers that the time period “from away” is the quickest option to “different” potential and new Mainers.

Shifting to Maine was thrilling. Like many individuals, I need to interact in my neighborhood and assist tackle challenges. Seems, getting engaged was the simple half. The disheartening half is repeatedly having concepts and potential options dismissed as a result of I’m “from away” and thus (seemingly) don’t perceive native points.

I’ve been lucky sufficient to work in each rural Maine and in a few of our extra populated, city areas. This sentiment and with it the native slang of “from away” isn’t restricted to any specific inhabitants base, although I’ve heard it far much less in our extra city areas.

Admittedly, Maine communities have distinctive challenges. However regardless of the native notion, that doesn’t make our cities any extra particular than say cities in Montana or Missouri. What makes us totally different is the self-imposed, pointless “taking pictures ourselves within the foot” with linguistic NIMBYism. We make progress a lot tougher after we low cost concepts from anybody missing an Ancestry.com profile monitoring your roots again seven generations to a single geography. “Othering” residents by dismissing their concepts as a result of they’re “from away” is little greater than linguistic NIMBYism.

Associated, I like the time period “New Mainer.” It’s a welcoming phrase. It’s a time period that feels intentional, a time period that feels purposeful, welcoming and developed in response to the dismissive “from away.” I simply want we might carry that collective spirit over and erase the derisive flip of phrase distinctive to our state.

So, I’m calling on our candidates for workplace so as to add this to their platforms. Think about gubernatorial or state home candidates speaking in regards to the significance of the language we use. If it even will get 10 % of Mainers to cease “othering” New Mainers, then it’s a ten % extra optimistic affect on our citizenry.

It’s necessary for our state’s future that we do the whole lot we are able to to welcome potential Mainers. That is financial improvement work that everybody can tackle. Who is aware of, you may even win over the votes of these of us “from away.”

I’m initially from the South – Little Rock, Arkansas, the truth is. My spouse (a local Mainer and a boomerang, having returned after 20 years away) at all times says the South is something south of Connecticut. Our (arguably) most well-known creator, Charles Portis, mentioned of my dwelling state: “Lots of people depart Arkansas and most of them come again eventually. They’ll’t fairly obtain escape velocity.” Nicely, I’ve achieved escape velocity and I like it right here. Nevertheless it certain can be good if our management took on the duty of serving to to bust up the limitations, that delicate geographic bigotry, that may cut back the friction and assist us “New Mainers” keep our escape velocity.

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