America needs a 'Be Nice or Die' motto

New Jersey has a bad reputation that a little civility could fix, state lawmakers there say.

In a state where a former governor once joked that the official bird was "the middle finger," some lawmakers think a resolution is needed to encourage residents of the state to be kinder and more civil toward their fellow man.

"In the halls of Trenton everyone's always very nice and it's 'Good Morning! How are you?' Then I get back in the real world," Assemblyman Jon Bramnick told the Associated Press.

No one wonder things are so bad there. Politicians being nice to each other in the state house isn't normal.

In Missouri, where we are blessed with usually friendly people in our communities, we expect polite conversation except in the state Capitol.

We worry if our politicians aren't fighting and saying nasty things about the other party.

Still, maybe New Jersey lawmakers should think twice before they seek to present a gentler, kinder state to the nation.

In the Midwest, we like to complain about the culture of the East Coast and the West Coast. We don't want a kinder New Jersey.

The state, after all, is known in some circles as the "Cockpit of the Revolution" because so many battles were fought there during the Revolutionary War. People compared these battles to cockfights.

Personally, I expect some rough edges to those East Coast states.

New Hampshire's state motto, for example, is "Live Free or Die."

You have to love a state that so bluntly proclaims its patriotism.

Still, there is a place for civility although it's doubtful it can be mandated by politicians.

As a dad, I'd like a little more civility from my two daughters.

At times, what with all the sibling rivalry, it seems like they must have grown up in New Jersey.

I sometimes feel like I am an unpaid mediator trying to negotiate peace in my living room.

Perhaps I should send my children to the New Jersey Capitol, where Bramnick and his colleagues could try to legislate a policy of politeness.

Of course, my fear is that they would simply learn how to be East-Coast grouchy.

Perhaps we would all do well to have the motto: Be Nice or Die.

Of course, I don't know of any state that has such a philosophy. Maybe there is a state out there that wants to take on such a challenge. Please let me know.

For now, I'll take my chances in Missouri.

Fortunately, my children aren't in politics in the Show Me State, so I don't have to worry that they will make arguing their profession.

With any luck, all the childhood bickering will one day disappear or at least move out of our home.

Otherwise, we'll have to move to New Jersey or invest in ear plugs.

It's best, I think, to stay here and invest in ear plugs.

I could sell any extra ear plugs to sensitive folks in New Jersey.

Some people there might appreciate them, but I wouldn't expect them to say thanks.

After all, there's no need to ruin their hard-earned, hard-edged reputation.

Who knows? They could always aspire to being a commentator on "American Idol."

Mark Bliss is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.