N.H. Representative & Author Speaks Out on 'Antgate'
There's been a lot of attention and commentary on our recent story about the young man in New Hampshire who allegedly ripped the head off of a giant ant sculpture, and the fallout is causing the residents extreme distress.
I made a joke about the Granite State being boring. But I kid because I love. I have, for example, vacationed there. In college, we would hop over the Vermont/New Hampshire border to buy cheaper alcohol. And most importantly, I am a huge fan of award-winning author and prolific blogger Margaret Evans Porter, pictured, who also got herself elected to the New Hampshire State Legislature in November, 2006.
Margaret, pictured, was kind enough to answer my dumb questions about steel ant antics up north.
Q: Has the steel ant crisis reached your community?
A: Thankfully, no. I don't know of any steel statues round here--if so, they are well-hidden. (There are lots of forests.) There used to be a wooden "Trojan Horse" standing beside the state highway for a long time. Just the other day, when somebody found out where I live, they nostalgically shared memories of that "weird Trojan Horse." It's head, I'm proud to say, remained intact.
Q: Have any of your constituents called to express their outrage over this?
A: My district lies a bit over 30 miles from Portsmouth. What happens in Portsmouth stays in Portsmouth. Which is a good thing, because I was in Portsmouth late on Saturday night, partying like a madwoman! (For the record, I was nowhere near Market Square, where the ant sculpture decapitation incident occurred.)
Q: Is the state legislature taking currently any action to protect other giant sculptural insects from suffering the same fate?
A: Not yet. For the time being, we must rely on local ordinances. However, just yesterday the House of Representatives set the deadlines for the filing of bills for the 2009 session. In light of recent events, it's entirely possible the Portsmouth delegation might choose to sponsor such legislation.
Q: I know an artist with a 20 ft. Lucite spider. Do you think this would help the people of Portsmouth heal, or would it just be too painful for them to love again?
A: It's a generous offer. I worry, however, that in this age of division and polarities, it might spark a highly-charged debate between the ant-lovers and the spider-fanciers. Apparently the people of Portsmouth, and doubtless the rest of New Hampshire, prefer that the ant head be re-attached. I predict that they will love the ant all the more as a result of this most unfortunate incident.
Q: Do you have anything else to add about this or New Hampshire?
A: Granite Staters are hardy, pragmatic folk who can cope with this sort of disaster. At the same time, we possess great sensitivity. We suffer when heads are ripped from ant sculptures.
And let it be said that we mourn--deeply--when heads fall off mountains. I feel compelled to point out that our state is still recovering from the shocking loss of the massive natural "great stone face" lovingly referred to as The Old Man of the Mountain. Its profile appears on our highway signs and license plates:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Man_of_the_Mountain
Five years ago, in a case of geological vandalism, it tumbled off its mountain to the ground below. We're still hurting, bad. Unlike the ant sculpture, it can't be fixed.
The culprit in the heartbreaking decapitation incident might boast a New Hampshire address. But I'm betting he's a native of Massachusetts!
Comments