There’s a stanza in the old Three Dog Night song, Never Been to Spain, that says the following:
“Well, I never been to heaven
But I been to Oklahoma
Oh, they tell me I was born there
But I really don’t remember
In Oklahoma, not Arizona
What does it matter?
What does it matter?”
Those lyrics were written by Hoyt Axton but the song was made famous by Three Dog Night in 1971.
Axton was a famous country artist and songwriter while Three Dog Night was considered a rock/pop band and were major stars back in the day. Interestingly, that band was the first real “rock show” I ever saw, way back in the 1970s in a place called Hulman Center in Terre Haute, Ind.
You might recognize the name of the place as the “house that Larry Bird built.”
I have always loved that song. It’s not a heavy “rock” song, though it does have some pretty good lead licks going on.
What it is in reality is a statement song.
Many people may not realize that Three Dog Night was really a rebellious band, writing and singing lyrics about society and the current state of affairs.
I bring this up now because of some of the rhetoric I hear going around this county. That rhetoric implies that if somebody isn’t “from here,” well, then, they just don’t count.
I’ve been the victim of that rhetoric over and over. It began early when we bought the newspaper more than eight years ago. The rumor mill was running wide open and the “fact” being spread by some of the locals was that we moved here “from the Bay Area” to buy the paper.
First, the fact is we moved here from Idaho. Would that have made a difference to those spewing the lies? Probably not.
And on top of that, what if we were from the Bay Area? Does that make us evil people who should be banished from society?
I’ve been to the Bay Area many times and from what I can tell, there seem to be some fine folks over there. Never had an issue with anyone in San Francisco, San Jose or anywhere around those parts.
It seems to me they are — wait for it — humans like all of the rest of us. Trying to get through life the best as possible and going about their business.
The same is true around here. People are working hard and doing what they can to get by and try to make some semblance out of the time we get on Mother Earth.
I’m not from here. In fact, I’m from the metropolis of Libertyville, Ind., population 200 if you count the chickens and dogs. Consider me a true small-town boy.
But after 10 years, Mariposa is my home and where I own a business. Does it make me evil because I’m from a small town in Indiana? Apparently, to some, it does.
What would they prefer?
I highly doubt they could intelligently answer that question. All they want to do is double down on their, “You’re not from here” rhetoric.
We got the same thing from someone not too long ago who wasn’t pleased, with of all thing, some of our sports coverage. She even boasted she was “born at John C. Fremont Hospital,” giving the year and acting like that made some kind of difference.
It doesn’t.
You see, no matter if it’s “heaven or Oklahoma,” where you are from or have been doesn’t really matter. It’s where you are at in the present. How you are contributing to where to currently live.
We certainly contribute locally, providing a critical service that many small towns no longer have. We also provide a payroll which the major portion of is spent locally.
And we pay our PG&E bill, the MPUD bill, the taxes and more.
If we aren’t “from here,” does that mean those who run us and others in the ground for that fact are willing to step in and provide our payroll? Feel free, please.
All of this is simply people acting like they are better than others. They are not.
Nor am I.
We are asked quite frequently why we don’t endorse candidates or causes during election season.
The answer is quite simple. We’re no smarter than anyone else so why would we try to influence their thinking?
Going on 11 years in this county, there is no doubt sometimes the old “you aren’t from here” accusation gets tiring. You are right, I’m not from here. But I got here as quickly as I could!
The problem with this attitude is that it turns people off and, in the big picture, stunts the growth and progression of the entire area. We need new thinking and fresh ideas to evolve as a county as well as a country.
From what I can gather, there are a lot of people who live in Mariposa County who are transplants. If you want to get technical, the only people who are truly “from here” are the Miwuk people. They have a longstanding claim on this area well before any of the Anglo folks showed up on their westward journey.
But the fact is, we are all “from here” in the present moment. This is our home and if you truly love it, you should be working with everyone for the betterment of Mariposa County. Everyone.
That would even include people from the Bay Area. I know you are out there; heck, some of you are doing great work in this community for the betterment of everyone. Thanks Bay Area natives for doing your part.
And the Los Angeles folks. And the Sacramento people. And those who aren’t even from America but came here seeking a dream and, in the end, helping our local society.
Isn’t that what America is supposed to be all about?
The last time I checked, that was the case. We are all lucky to be here in this great country and able to contribute to our society, whether in the grand scheme of things or on the local level.
I have always found the doomsday thinkers generally aren’t involved in local causes, groups or anything else. With the advent of social media, they are generally at their keyboards telling all of us outsiders how horrible we are and why they are better than the rest of us.
Well I’ve never been to San Diego, but I kind of like the weather. Mariposa, not San Diego, what does it matter?
What does it matter?
Greg Little is editor of the Mariposa Gazette and can be reached at greg@mariposagazette.com
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