Why has Maine’s Governor chosen to draw national attention to our corner of the country over the issue of male participation in girls’ sports? What do we stand to gain from this folly? Is it helpful to be linked with the likes of radical Minnesota and California on an issue supported nationally by about one in five Americans? Common sense and self-respect have long been hallmarks of practical Downeast inhabitants. Every government decision represents a fairness judgment of sorts, and this one is beyond comprehension. The inequity of allowing male competitors in women’s athletic events also can violate historical respect for gender or time separation in locker and bathroom facilities. This state-initiated federal imbroglio can only worsen, and the Governor would be well advised to back off in the interest of avoiding further negative publicity. Some ideological or personal battles are not worth winning, and this biological travesty is among them. Phil Osifer