Michigan And Wisconsin Argue Over Which Is More Mitten-Like

By Samantha Abernethy in News on Dec 8, 2011 11:30PM

The Wisconsin Department of Tourism posted this image on Facebook that has Michiganders and Wisconsinites exploding into fisticuffs over which state looks more like a mitten. Now, the folks at Travel Wisconsin never outright said, "Our mitten is better than your mitten," but all of the people on their Facebook page are. Seriously, the number of comments on their page regarding this mitten "controversy" -- you have to wonder if these people have jobs. The Detroit Free Press compiled the best tweets and Facebook posts on the issue into a Storify.

The folks at Travel Wisconsin claim they're not trying to step on Michigan's toes in the least. Although maybe they're rubbing in that Turkey Day pounding the Packers gave the Lions, though, with that green and yellow mitten with the caption reading "12-0." From a breathless editorial by the Detroit Free Press, dramatically titled "Is Wisconsin infringing on Michigan's mitten rights with new tourism campaign?":

Wisconsin Department of Tourism spokeswoman Lisa Marshall said the image of a knit mitten shaped like the state of Wisconsin went into use online Dec. 1. She notes that people in Wisconsin also consider their state to be mitten-shaped.

Marshall said the state's advertising agency came up with the concept. It follows a similar campaign used in the fall that featured an image of a colorful leaf shaped like the state. She said there is no slogan connected with the art.

"The mitten was used as a single creative element, you guys still own the mitten," she said. "We'd much rather our travelers consider us the 'fun' state."

So relax Michiganders. Wisconsin wasn't trying to steal anything from you. In one of Travel Wisconsin's responses, they clarified that the image of Wisconsin wearing a mitten is just part of their ongoing campaign, a photo of which is below:

Kaitlin, we know there has been a lot of excitement with the mitten, but Wisconsin is not claiming to be the mitten state - because Michigan is. we're just fun. and we wanted to continue the fun we’ve had in the past. Check it out: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150401629895686.363262.214660645685&type=1

With all these mittens it looks like the Midwest is ready for winter!

So which is shaped like a mitten? Neither. Wisconsin's "thumb" is too small. It almost looks like it hasn't quite evolved a full thumb. Frankly, Michigan's thumb is disproportionately large. But the thing is, Michigan also has the upper peninsula. We know many Michiganders like to pretend the Yoopers are Canadian, and we know you try to claim the UP looks like a mitten, too. But it doesn't look like a mitten, and it's part of the state, so the state as a whole doesn't look like a mitten.

But can't we all just get along? How about they're both mittens. Because then the real issue is, if we have two mittens, WHY ARE THEY BOTH LEFT-HANDED?