I am getting the impression that some Wisconsinites are beginning to tire of our state image. For as long as I can remember, Wisconsin has had the reputation, nationally, of being filled with drunk, obese, cheese-producing hicks. Having lived in Wisconsin my entire life, I can say this is probably a pretty accurate generalization.

Despite the justifiable offense this stereotype causes the upstanding and even teetotaling citizens of the Badger State, it is tough to dispute Wisconsin’s knack for producing the insane and inebriated.

For proof, just look to the incident that occurred this July at the Fond du Lac County Fair. In case you missed it, a 38-year-old man who took his children, ages 2 and 4, to the fair, and decided they may be in need of a cool beverage on the hot summer day. Unfortunately, it turned out the beer tent was out of juice boxes, so he decided a pilsner would have to suffice.

Of course, it is perfectly legal to consume alcohol with your parents in Wisconsin, regardless of age, and I am not about to imply that buying alcohol for a 2-year-old child is wrong. But what was wrong about this man’s actions was that when the police confronted him: He began to yell and swear at the officers. I mean, what kind of example does that set for your young children, to not show a police officer proper respect? That type of action could potentially have a detrimental effect on their development.

It is also the type of action that could have a detrimental effect on the reputation of our fine state, but it does nothing compared to this next example.

The opening line of a Nov. 8 story out of the Kerrville Daily Times reads as follows: “A Kerr County man found not guilty in October of releasing feral pigs into the Western Wisconsin countryside now has pleaded guilty in a Illinois federal court for illegally moving elk into that state.”

Busted! Apparently, there is some underground operation taking place here. In Miami, they illegally deal cocaine; in Wisconsin, they illegally deal livestock. Not that I am suggesting livestock trafficking isn’t as serious of an offense.

On the contrary, according to the article, Robert Scott Johnson, the man charged, could receive up to five years in prison for “one count of moving the elk between states,” which is just the type of offense that could really hurt him down the road when prospective employers see that on his r�sum�.

In a case such as this one though, one can’t help think he might be better off in prison. Whoever is the lord of the underground livestock trade operation cannot be happy with Johnson for getting his entire elk supply confiscated. Throw in the potentially missing feral pigs, and I think we can say with confidence that Johnson is safer in prison. Who knows what would happen if the criminal animal-trade kingpin ever got hold of him?

With stories such as these being printed daily, we can see where these negative generalizations of our state can come from. But for all of the examples of negative stories coming from Wisconsin, those who buy the misleading characterizations should remember there are just as many stories out of other states that make them look just as stupid as us. Other states can even outdo us in alcohol, at times.

The Indianapolis Star printed a story on Tuesday that backs this assertion. According to the story, a 24-year-old woman was pulled over early in the morning on Nov. 8 in Schererville, Ind., with her 1-year-old son in the vehicle with her. She was then arrested on drunken driving charges.

What makes this story unique, though, is what happened next. After arresting the woman, Indiana state police contacted the boy’s father to come and pick up the child. The Indianapolis Star states that when the boy’s father arrived, “officers determined he was intoxicated and also arrested him on a drunken driving charge.”

And it didn’t end there: “Police say the boy’s grandparents then arrived. Both of them also had been drinking, state police said, but the grandmother who was driving was not over the legal limit, so officers escorted them home with the child.”

That’s right: The police had to call four relatives before they could find someone who wasn’t legally drunk. And yet, Indiana remains known only for its basketball and being the “Hoosier” state (whatever that means), the drunks.

If we can learn anything from this, it is that many of the stereotypes applied to certain states and regions are misleading, and stories of drunkenness and stupidity can be found almost everywhere. It is important to remember that a lot of stories of innovation and excellence also exist, even if you do not see them in the news.

Even more important is to remember that there may be hundreds of feral pigs on the loose. I frankly don’t see how we can be concerned with our state image at a time like this.

Todd Jasperson ([email protected]) is a graduate student in mathematics.