Upon driving into the State of Alabama today, I noticed a billboard that I haven't seen before. Apparently, the tourism department has decided to use two "well known" icons of the state to advertise all that the Bam has to offer: the song "Stars Fell on Alabama" (which I've never heard) and the dear Helen Keller (related to one of my best friends, Mariclaire Ingram Putman.)
If you didn't grow up under a rock, you know that Ms. Keller was an amazing woman. Her life has been immortalized by more than 1 movie, most notably "The Miracle Worker." Surely all of us, especially those who grew up in the South, have watched this movie. I remember watching it and being bored to death as a 4th grader as I watched the sister from "Little House on the Prairie" flail her arms around and act like a brat. Of course, Helen wasn't just a brat...she's blind, deaf and dumb! She accomplished a lot in her life, probably more than I ever will with all my sense(s).
Helen deserves a lot of respect. So you can imagine my surprise when I read the billboard inviting people to see all that the state has to offer. On it was a photo of Alabama's favorite daughter with the caption "See what she couldn't."
SEE WHAT SHE COULDN'T???? Really?
I need a vote of our readers. Is this an appropriate billboard? I admit, I laughed heartily and called Helen's distant relative (MCIP) to have a laugh with her when I saw it. But is this not wrong?
I can assure you that Mississippi would never do this to Elvis, Oprah, Faith, Leann, William (Faulkner), etc. etc. etc.
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14 comments:
Yikes. I have to toss a vote to the inappropriate side.
Did you see that new pic of Anne and Helen that was discovered recently? Pretty cool...
You know, sometimes I have to sign into Ber's hand to get her to understand me...
You do that too? Sometimes I pick up a long stick so she can tap tap tap it around.
I thought she wore those big sunglasses because she was blind!
I agree with Hannah. Inappropriate.
what tha
Yeah, that's a little inappropriate and shocking. But not as shocking as you never having heard the song "Stars Fell on Alabama." It's a lovely song!
I never knew that "Stars Fell on Alabama" was a song. I just attributed the license plate to another Alabama weird-ism. To me, Alabama is that drunk old coot uncle at family reunion. The one that strings random sentences together and makes inappropriate remarks about helen keller.
and is it bad that i HATE all variations of 'The Miracle Worker'? I mean, I like Helena and all...but...
i meant to type HELEN in that earlier comment. Not Helena. My b.
how can you people have NOT heard that song? it's time to be educated. Ella and Louie have the best old version of it, but everyone from Sinatra to Jimmy Buffet (SASS) to Harry Connick have a version of it out there.
I'm from AL and I've never heard this song...boresville
stupid word verification i never get it right
That is righteously awful. Well done on basing a national marketing campaign on the disability of a notable historic figure!
State marekting people are rarely the cream of the crop (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_slogans). I'm fairly certain that Oklahoma would bill themselves as the OK state if they had thought of it yet...
It says March 16 because that is when I started writing that post.
I'm glad we shared them too! The Hills, oh THE HILLS!
NO MORE MERRIDIES!
I LOVE Kentucky's slogan: Unbridled spirit. A classy way to incorporate what you state is known for with how you want it to be perceived. Unlike Kansas's "Kansas: As big as you imagined" or whatever. Because I'll be honest. I don't think of Kansas as big. I am sad that Alabama's isn't Alabama the Beautiful anymore. Since that is the name of the state song and everything...
Mississippi RAWKS should be our new slogan.
And where is a NEW BLOG when you need it?!
Mississippi ugghhh
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