Pet Peeve: "Colorado Native"

03/12/2007 AfterMidnight E. says:

I consider myself a native of Colorado.  My friend considers himself a native of California.  For most, I think it's just an easier way to say that you were born in a certain area.  Sure, nobody likes an elitist.  But for that matter, you can have elitists within the state (Denver elitists, Boulder elitists, Vail etc)!  As long as there is the acceptance of new residents, I don't see a problem with having pride for your state or city of residency.  If that happens to be your place of birth, so be it.  I have a lot of Colorado pride.  I think it's one of the best places to live if you like a dynamic environment.  Have you ever met anybody from Chicago?  If not, I can probably save you some time by telling you that Chicago does everything better than everybody else by an average of three-fold.  Is it wrong for someone to think that way?  Eh, maybe...but it makes for great sports rivalry!  Go Broncos!

03/12/2007 Singh A. says:

i agree with brett, is there really a need to state 'native Colorodan'? I'm certainly not a 'native' Coloradan, and being from the outside, it seems some are too obsessed with proudly stating they were born & bred here. Besides, does it matter? After all, suppose you venture out of Colorado to say New York or L.A. and people ask you where are you from and you state you're from Colorado, do you think they are going to be interested in that distinguishment of 'native' or 'non-native'? Hmm...most likely not.

03/20/2007 Daniel A. says:

You're being too PC.

As a "Native" of Wyoming who is married to a "Native" of Colorado I really wouldn't think that being born in Colorado is the sort of thing you would want to advertise.  :-)

Jason is right, (unless you are from Colorado) you should be proud of where you are from, and since half of the people in the US seem to need to hyphenate their origins (i.e. Serbian-American, Irish-American, African-American) the rest of us should be able to be proud of where we are from (unless you are from Colorado).

"native" Americans really have no more claim to the word "native", in the sense it is used here, then anyone else.  If you are born somewhere, then you are "native" there.

native (nā'tĭv) pronunciation
adj.

  1. Existing in or belonging to one by nature; innate: native ability.
  2. Being such by birth or origin: a native Scot.
  3. Being one's own because of the place or circumstances of one's birth: our native land.
  4. Originating, growing, or produced in a certain place or region; indigenous: a plant native to Asia.
  5.
        1. Being a member of the original inhabitants of a particular place.
        2. Of, belonging to, or characteristic of such inhabitants: native dress; the native diet of Polynesia.
  6. Occurring in nature pure or uncombined with other substances: native copper.
  7. Natural; unaffected: native beauty.
  8. Archaic. Closely related, as by birth or race.
  9. Biochemistry. Of or relating to the naturally occurring conformation of a macromolecule, such as a protein.

n.

  1.
        1. One born in or connected with a place by birth: a native of Scotland now living in the United States.
        2. One of the original inhabitants or lifelong residents of a place.
  2. An animal or plant that originated in a particular place or region.

03/20/2007 Brett "The Rock, Skipper, Urban Zen Master" O. says:

Daniel - interesting! That's the first time I've ever heard someone from Wyoming hate on Colorado. Usually you guys worship us. :D Since we're not being PC, care to explain why?

And yes I think Jason makes a good point about naturally being proud of wherever you are from, although I don't think a dictionary definition should be canon for this kind of discussion.

03/20/2007 Daniel A. says:

Brett, you must not get out much.  :-)  

It's practically the state pastime.  There's the ever popular "green weenies", the meteorlogical "Montana blows, Colorado sucks",  the inquisitive "What do they give you when you fail the Colorado drivers test 3 times?  A green license plate!", or 'What's worse then having to go to Colorado?  Having Colorado come here!", etc.  Come on, join in, surely you know some more!  ;-)

The precise use of words aids almost any conversation.  In this conversation it is important to know what people mean when they refer to themselves as "native".  I suggest that they mean: "One born in or connected with a place by birth: a native of Scotland now living in the United States." whereas you were suggesting "Being a member of the original inhabitants of a particular place". (RE: "unless you're Native American, you're not technically a native").

Singh does bring up an interesting point ("stating they were born & bred here"), maybe we should be more proud of where we were conceived.  

Great, now I have to call my mom and have a very uncomfortable conversation.  :-)

03/20/2007 Brett "The Rock, Skipper, Urban Zen Master" O. says:

That's hilarious! I have some friends who moved here from Wyoming and I'll have to see what they say. I guess I indeed must be sheltered because I've never heard any of that before.

03/20/2007 Daniel A. says:

We try to tone it down when we have to leave "God's Country".

Hell, I live in Nebraska these days, you can imagine how often I need to bite my tongue.  :-)

I only wish I could remember some of the "Buffs" jokes.

03/20/2007 Amanda W. says:

I'd hazard a guess that you're only put off by the "native" stickers becuase we're IN Colorado. If you were in, say Boston, you might say to yourself, "Someone from home! Yay! Someone else who knows how much the weather really sucks here!"

Just a guess. (and yeah, the weather really, really sucks in Boston)

03/22/2007 Jessica "loco por queso" L. says:

Hell  yes, Brett!  I always wanted to smack the smarmy look of some people's face when the bragged about being a native--obnoxious.