Lemonade just latest concoction from your legislators

By the grace of God and state lawmakers, Arizona now has an official drink. It’s controversial. It’s lemonade.

Proposals in recent years for new state somethings have come from students and teachers. So take note: Arizona’s still missing some symbols other states have.

Arizona doesn’t have a state exercise yet, like Maryland. Or a state muffin a la Minnesota.

The bill, sponsored by Gilbert Republican Rep. Warren Petersen at the behest of a Gilbert teenager, actually died in the Legislature before being revived. Lemonade, it turned out, was not an easy sell, despite its status as a classic summertime drink. Some lawmakers suggested margaritas or jamaica (a drink made from hibiscus) would be better fits for Arizona’s official drink.

But alas, lemonade it was and lemonade it shall be. Gov. Doug Ducey signed the measure on Monday.

The citrus staple joins a list of other symbols recognized as emblematic of Arizona and worthy of an official designation.

Many of the items on the list are quintessential Arizona: bola ties, snakes, cactus, guns.

Here are some of the other official symbols for the Grand Canyon State (Arizona’s official nickname).

Neckwear: Bola tie

Much more of a vibe than a normal business tie, the bola tie consists of a thin cord with an ornament of some kind, usually a metal tie, that can slide up and down the rope.

The Arizona State Library lists it as a “bola” tie, but some call it a bolo tie. The jury is basically out on which is correct.

Butterfly: Two-tailed swallowtail

This type of butterfly, bright yellow in color, gained its status as Arizona’s official Rhopalocera in 2001.

According to the state library’s website, they are the largest butterfly species in the country and are “strong flyers.”

Gun: Single-action army revolver

Former Gov. Jan Brewer signed the bill designating the Colt single-action army revolver as the state firearm in

2011.

It’s not made in Arizona, though, according to the state library’s website.

“Seen by some as the gun that won the west, the Colt Single Action Army revolver was first manufactured in 1873 and continues to made at the factory in Connecticut,” the website says.

Mammal: Ringtail

The ringtail looks kind of like a cat, but it’s not really a cat, the state library says. It’s related to the raccoon and the coatimundi.

The ringtail got the blessing as the state’s mammal in 1986.

Metal: Copper

Copper is a relatively new addition to Arizona’s official symbol arsenal. Ducey signed a measure into law in 2015 recognizing copper as the state metal.

A fourth-grade teacher in Tucson pitched the idea as a way to teach her class about civics.

Symbols other states have

Arizona has some interesting state symbols, but some other states may have us beat on creative official symbols.

Our neighbor New Mexico has an official state question: “Red or green?” The question refers to the difficult choice of red or green chile when eating New Mexican cuisine.

New Mexico has a lot of fun ones, like a state cookie (biscochito) and a state guitar (the New Mexico sunrise).

Minnesota has an official state muffin (blueberry). It also has a state mushroom (morel) and a state sport (ice hockey).

Maryland recognizes an official state exercise (walking). Alaska’s official sport is dog mushing.

In North Dakota, the state drink is milk. Its state dance is the square dance.

Delaware has an official macroinvertebrate, the stonefly.

Some suggestions

Arizona’s favored outdoor activity is a bit more rigorous than walking. Maybe there’s room to call hiking our state exercise. (Hiking is basically just walking uphill, right?)

Or, we could recognize a state hairstyle in honor of Arizona’s first female governor: the famed Rose Mofford French twist.

We could dive into another heap of controversy and try for a state food, like a chimichanga or a taco, though that may generate the same kinds of arguments that happened with lemonade.

And shouldn’t the scorpion be recognized for ... something? Maybe state nightmare inducer?