States

Beam Me UP

Alabama
It Should Be: At Least We're Not Mississippi
It Is: Audemus Jura Nostra Defendere
Translation: 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: Ditat Deus
Translation: God Enriches

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

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

Colorado
It Should Be: Too Wimpy to Cross the Mountains So We Stopped Here
It IS: Nil sine numine
Translation: Nothing Without Providence

Connecticut
It Should Be: Like Massachusetts, Only the Kennedy's Don't Own It Yet
It IS:Qui Transtulit Sustinet
Translation: 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:Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka Pono
Translation: 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:Esto perpetua
Translation: 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: Ad astra per aspera
Translation: 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: Dirigo
Translation: I Direct

Maryland
It Should Be: If You Can Dream It, We Can Tax It
It Is: Fatti Mashchii, Parole Femine & Scuto Bonae Voluntatis Tuae Coronasti Nos
Translation: Manly Deeds, Womanly Words

Massachusetts
It Should Be: Our Taxes Are Lower Than Sweden's
It Is: Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem
Translation: 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: Si Quaeris-Peninsulam Amoenam, Circumspice
Translation: 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: L'Etoile du Nord
Translation: The Star of the North

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

Missouri
It Should Be: Your Federal Flood Relief Tax Dollars Hard at Work
It Is: Salus Populi Suprema Lex Est
Translation: The Welfare of the People Shall Be the Supreme Law

Montana
It Should Be: It's Where You're Wanted
It Is: Oro y Plata
Translation: 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: Crescit Eundo
Translation: 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
Translation: Ever Upward

North Carolina
It Should Be: Tobacco Is a Vegetable
It Is: Esse quam videri
Translation: 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 Omnia Vincit
Translation: Labor Conquers All Things

Oregon
It Should Be: Spotted Owl...It's What's For Dinner
It IS: The Union; Alis Volat propriis
Translation: 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: Animis Opibusque Parati
Translation: 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: Sic semper tyrannis
Translation: Thus Always to Tyrants

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

West Virginia
It Should Be: One Big Happy Family...Really!
It Is: Montani Semper Liberi
Translation: 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