The dark side of “From Away”

The…Other.

That boogeyman that exists only to blame stuff on or to unload on. Not a scary monster in the closet but the neighbor you can point to in accusation.

The “Other” is a convenient tool for blame or to make yourself feel superior or to deflect an argument that isn’t going your way or to avoid looking within. Don’t have a job? It must be that the immigrants stole them all (couldn’t be capitalism and corporatism run amok). Feel like you’re being taxed too much? Must be the fault of social programs that you don’t personally use (couldn’t be military spending or tax breaks to the wealthy). Not getting sex? Must be that all the “bad boys” are taking the girls and the girls only want the bad boys (couldn’t be something about you, maybe, now could it?)

Here in Maine, the Other has its own very special name: From Away.

If you don’t live in Maine or aren’t familiar with the state, anyone who isn’t a Mainer is “From Away.”

So, you ask, how long before you become a Mainer?

You don’t. For most Mainers, no amount of living in the state will make someone from another place a Mainer. You’ll always be From Away. Even if your kid is born in the state, they often won’t be seen as a Mainer because their parents are From Away.

The term might sound cute and quaint if you don’t live here or haven’t lived here long enough to know how a significant part of the state’s population views those From Away. This isn’t usually an “Oh, you loved the idea of Maine so much you moved here to be with us; great!” It isn’t usually an “Oh, you’re bringing valuable things to share with us from your own previous home.”

No, far too often, it’s a “Maine is the way life should be and you aren’t one of us so sit down and shut the hell up.”

The New England style of usually non-confrontational distant exclusionary politeness means that a lot of Mainers don’t say that out loud. They just remind you that you’re From Away.

But it can get nastier. New England “manners” don’t mean there aren’t plenty of jerks to confront you. They just generally won’t do it to your face. Through other people and online, though…

Take my recent campaign to be on the Charter Commission in the city of Portland. There are people who don’t like my views and tell me that I’m From Away and shouldn’t have any say here and shouldn’t be imposing my views and should go back to Chicago.

I’ve been living in this state close to 20 years. Even if I didn’t live in perhaps the most liberal-populated city in the state I’d still have a right to make my voice heard. I’d still have valid thoughts.

But being From Away makes me “Other,” and makes me disposable and ignorable by much of the population. It makes it easier for me to get shut out and for people who point out that I’m From Away to get more buy-in from other people to also attack me or shut me out.

And that’s even before you get to the parts about me being Black and a woman.

That’s where From Away and the whole “Other” concept gets nastier. Because it often is used to mask racism and/or xenophobia behind a disguise of “I just don’t like newcomers or outsiders.” It was only a few years ago we had a governor who blamed imaginary Black drug dealers from other states of ruining Maine and knocking up all the white women here, as well as bringing diseases to our state. We have Somali and other African refugees resettled here in various communities who often get a load of crap from residents and politicians just for existing, much less speaking their minds. We have one of the highest percentage of white people of any state and our tourist areas who for years have happily exploited Black workers from island nations who come here on work visas and then are quickly shuffled off when tourist season ends.

And the list goes on.

I can live with the Maine slogan “The way life should be.” It’s a catch phrase. We’re also called Vacationland but I’m pretty sure Florida has us beat there. But “From Away” doesn’t add anything; it’s not cute and it’s not harmless. It just sets up a division of those who belong vs. those who supposedly don’t. It’s why Maine has one of the oldest populations. It’s why so many young people leave for other states. When you hide racism, xenophobia and a fear of change/progress behind a term to classify all newcomers as “Other,” what you get is a slow and painful decline no matter how much money you throw at development projects or bringing new companies to the state.

I’ve seen the population here change a lot over the years though, slowly becoming a little more diverse and slowly becoming a little more progressive. I just think it could happen a lot faster—and the state would benefit a lot more—if “From Away” just plain went away.


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1 thought on “The dark side of “From Away””

  1. I recall making a joke about 15 years ago about getting a “Frm Away” vanity plate. My friend looked at me, wide-eyed, and said “OMG do you want your car keyed?” Get it? Because it’s not a joke! It’s not cute! They’re dead serious about it! You aren’t from here, so when are you leaving? It’s a vile sickness this state tolerates. I engaged in a battle with the Collins campaign this fall over a TV spot that was blatantly xenophobic, referring to how Ye Friendly Ole Lobstahman had “been fishin’ these traps longah than Sara Gideon’s been in Maine!” Appalling.

    There’s a lot about Maine that has worn on me over the many years I’ve lived here, raised kids here, owned property, voted, and paid taxes here. But being constantly told that I’ll never belong just really gets on my last nerve. I’ve lived all over the country and even in Europe for a while. Places where my face and my accent were far more unusual than here. In all these places, I felt community and like I was welcome to stay. Here it’s like they’re doing a big favor just tolerating me.

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