"So, what is Maine? It is an attitude, a way of life, and the last democracy. It is a place where most people refer to their elected representatives by their first name. We send people to Augusta and Washington named Margaret, Ed, Joe, Jock, Bill, George and Olympia, and when they go there they work and vote for cleaner air and cleaner politics. Maine people are incredibly independent. We like to claim that we "do as we please." And we do, but we do not bother other people when we do it. We are also very loving and caring people. We reject the spurious, the faker, and the fraud. Steve and Tabitha King walk the streets with everyone else, give money to charity without publicity, and turn Maine folk tales into modern black humor and no one else pays any attention to them. They are simply Maine people. We still do business with a handshake, mostly always with other Mainers, still see fraud or ethical violation when it appears, and live our lives rejoicing that we are not 'from away'".
Proffessor David C. Smith, from the January 26, 1990 edition of the Maine Times
