Two places in one
April 17, 2012 (Tuesday)
Tim Tebow has been signed by the New York Jets to play on their team next season. Getting acquainted with his new home base city, he attended a Yankees baseball game this past weekend. When the cameras panned the audience and the Yankee fans saw Tebow’s picture (wearing a Yankees cap), they booed him! Welcome to New York City, Tim.
Not everyone at the game felt that way. There were a few cheers. And Yankees manager Joe Girardi sad after the game, “I didn’t get a chance to see him. I would have loved to get a chance to see him and talk to him. I’m sure he’ll be back at some point. Obviously he’s going to be around a lot more now. But I’d love to visit with him at some point.”
New York City is known for its no-frills personal directness. The city is so different from New York State that, with 8.2 million people, it probably should be a separate state. Visitors to the state are always pleasantly surprised to find out that New York State is totally different in every way from New York City.
My great-great-great-great grandfather came to New York in the 1700’s and settled down there to become a farmer. (New York City at that time was not much larger than Rockport). He came from Germany, but he may have had some Dutch roots (still trying to track it all down). His grandson, Peter, eventually settled in Clinton, near Utica. Even if he had moved to New York City, he would have found it a much different place from what it is today. Wall Street was merely a wall back then. It took a lot of immigration, building and population growth to create the city. Meanwhile, the rest of the state is worth an extended visit, if you are looking for a place to go for a vacation. One-third of the state is occupied by Adirondack State Park, one of the most beautiful in the world. Farms and small towns abound. The state is rich with diversity. And its politics are generally conservative, believe it or not.
Nobody asked me to say a good word about the state of New York. I hope I get to visit again some day. If you decide to visit there, I think I can guarantee you won’t be booed. (This promise does not include NYC).