Splitting Headache

The last thing the country needs is two Maines.

Dear James Soule:

Since you asked me nicely not to, I will not call you a wacko or a crazed lunatic. However, as regards to your proposal, as the mayor of South Portland, that southern Maine secede from northern Maine, it really isn't a new idea. All of New England considered seceding during the War of 1812. This failed because we held the secession convention in Hartford, and everybody was too bored to do anything about it. Good thing, too. If we had seceded, where would the New England Patriots be now, I ask you. The Secession Boom of the 1860s is why we have two Virginias and nearly had two Tennessees. At the same time, Georgia discussed seceding from the secessionist Confederate government, and part of Mississippi declared it had seceded from secessionist Mississippi. Historians believe this led to the "One Mississippi, two Mississippi . . ." chant. In general, I would refer you to my friend Roy Blount Jr.'s comment that secession was a bad idea at the time and looks even worse in retrospect. Not that I don't understand the impulse. There are parts of Massachusetts I wouldn't mind see gone; any place with outlet malls comes immediately to mind. But I'm not sure if the country needs two Maines. What you're proposing is that there be Rich Touristy Maine and Impoverished Eaten by Bears Maine, and I'm not sure that's a fair proposition. Every Mainer should share in the state's wealth, and every Mainer should share in the state's bears. If you can arrange to have some of them eat some of our folks who go up to the Kittery outlets, so much the better.

Charles P. Pierce
Cpierce@globe.com