Laugh Out Loud! Rejected State Mottos

Every state has an official motto. And for every inspiring, lofty state motto there's the slogan it should have instead! Thanks to several Web sites that specialize in making fun of state mottos, here are the mottos for all 50 states--the (funny) ones that they should have and the real (boring) ones. Remember, laugh all you want at the other states, but do be a good sport when you read your own state's mottos!

Alabama
It Should Be: At Least We're Not Mississippi
It Is: We Dare Defend Our Rights

Alaska
It Should Be: 11,623 Eskimos Can't Be Wrong!
It Is: North to the Future

Arizona
It Should Be: Dehyd-rific!
It Is: God Enriches

Arkansas
It Should Be: Litterasy Ain't Everthing
It Is: The People Rule

California
It Should Be: By 30, Our Women Have More Plastic Than Your Honda
It Is: Eureka...I Have Found It

Colorado
It Should Be: Too Wimpy to Cross the Mountains So We Stopped Here
It Is: Nothing Without Providence

Connecticut
It Should Be: Like Massachusetts, Only the Kennedy's Don't Own It Yet
It Is: He Who Transplanted Still Sustains

Delaware
It Should Be: We Really Do Like the Chemicals In Our Water
It Is: Liberty and Independence

Florida
It Should Be: Senior Citizen Discounts Available
It Is: In God We Trust

Georgia
It Should Be: Confederate Money Welcome
It Is: Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation

Hawaii
It Should Be: Come, Get Lai-ed
It Is: The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness

Idaho
It Should Be: We Don't Care If You Spell Potato With an "E"
It Is: It Is Forever

Illinois
It Should Be: Please Don't Pronounce the "S"
It Is: State Sovereignty, National Union

Indiana
It Should Be: 2 Billion Years Tidal Wave Free
It Is: The Crossroads of America

Iowa
It Should Be: We Do Amazing Things With Corn
It Is: Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain

Kansas
It Should Be: Don't Blame Us, We Voted For Dole
It Is: To the Stars Through Difficulties

Kentucky
It Should Be: Five Million People; Fifteen Last Names
It Is: United We stand, Divided We Fall

Louisiana
It Should Be: We're Not ALL Drunk Cajun Wackos, But That's Our Tourism Campaign
It Is: Union, Justice, and Confidence

Maine
It Should Be: We're Really Cold, But We Have Cheap Lobster
It Is: I Direct

Maryland
It Should Be: If You Can Dream It, We Can Tax It
It Is: Manly Deeds, Womanly Words

Massachusetts
It Should Be: Our Taxes Are Lower Than Sweden's
It Is: By the Sword We Seek Peace, but Peace Only Under Liberty

Michigan
It Should Be: Land of the Free, Home of the Buick
It Is: If You Seek a Pleasant Peninsula, Look About You

Minnesota
It Should Be: 10,000 Lakes...and 10,000,000,000,000 Mosquitoes
It Is: The Star of the North

Mississippi
It Should Be: Come and Feel Better About Your Own State
It Is: By Valor and Arms

Missouri
It Should Be: Your Federal Flood Relief Tax Dollars Hard at Work
It Is: The Welfare of the People Shall Be the Supreme Law

Montana
It Should Be: It's Where You're Wanted
It Is: Gold and Silver

Nebraska
It Should Be: More Corn Than Kansas
It Is: Equality Before the Law

Nevada
It Should Be: Hookers and Poker!
It Is: All For Our Country

New Hampshire
It Should Be: Go Away and Leave Us Alone
It Is: Live Free or Die

New Jersey
It Should Be: You Want a ##$%##! Motto? I Got Yer ##$%##! Motto Right Here!
It Is: Liberty and Prosperity

New Mexico
It Should Be: We Really Are One of the 50 States!
It Is: It Grows as It Goes

New York
It Should Be: You Have the Right to Remain Silent, You Have the Right to an Attorney...
It Is: Excelsior

North Carolina
It Should Be: Tobacco Is a Vegetable
It Is: To Be, Rather Than to Seem

North Dakota
It Should Be: Um, We've Got, Um...Dinosaur Bones? Yeah, Dinosaur Bones!
It Is: Liberty and Union Now and Forever, One and Inseparable

Ohio
It Should Be: Home of Lake Erie and the Mistake by the Lake
It Is: With God, All Things are Possible

Oklahoma
It Should Be: We're OK, You're NOT
It Is: Labor Conquers All Things

Oregon
It Should Be: Spotted Owl...It's What's For Dinner
It Is: She Flies With Her Own Wings

Pennsylvania
It Should Be: Cook With Coal
It Is: Virtue, Liberty, and Independence

Rhode Island
It Should Be: We're Not REALLY an Island
It Is: Hope

South Carolina
It Should Be: Remember The Civil War? We Didn't Actually Surrender
It Is: Prepared In Mind and Resources/While I Breathe, I Hope

South Dakota
It Should Be: Closer Than North Dakota
It Is: Under God the People Rule

Tennessee
It Should Be: The Edjucashun State
It Is: Agriculture and Commerce

Texas
It Should Be: Si Hablo Ingles
It Is: Friendship

Utah
It Should Be: Our Jesus Is Better Than Your Jesus
It Is: Industry

Vermont
It Should Be: Yep
It Is: Freedom and Unity

Virginia
It Should Be: Who Says Government Stiffs and Slackjaw Yokels Don't Mix?
It Is: Thus Always to Tyrants

Washington
It Should Be: Help! We're Overrun By Nerds and Slackers!
It Is: Bye and Bye

West Virginia
It Should Be: One Big Happy Family...Really!
It Is: Mountaineers Are Always Free

Wisconsin
It Should Be: Say "Cheeeese"
It Is: Forward

Wyoming
It Should Be: Why Are You Here?
It Is: Equal Rights