Back in simpler times, when I worked with Tourism Director Joe Satrom in Bismarck, one of our main objectives for bringing tourist dollars into North Dakota was to persuade the media to write about North Dakota, that “large, rectangular blank spot in the nation’s mind,” as native Eric Sevareid memorably put it.

To write about North Dakota, that is, without bringing up the weather.

Over the years, other tourism officials carried on that too-often-futile pursuit, including incumbent director Sara Otte Coleman and two of her illustrious predecessors whom you may have heard of, Jim Fuglie and Kevin Cramer. All, like Joe, were bloodied from time to time from battling skeptical legislators for marketing dollars — an ad budget mostly invested to target travelers already crossing Interstate 94, hoping to slow them down to appreciate the state’s little known natural, cultural and historical attractions.

Slow and steady usually wins the race. The North Dakota tourism industry has been growing for decades, thanks to their persistent marketing efforts. Though dwarfed by oil and agriculture, the more stable fortunes of those seeking to entertain travelers have provided a welcome boost in many quarters.

But forget “slow and steady.” North Dakota’s name can suddenly be heard on the lips of every major news medium in the country. No, make that the world! The battle being fought along the Cannonball has succeeded in spectacular fashion, accomplishing what no amount of travel writers’ tours and TV ads starring Josh Duhamel could accomplish: The whole world is now watching this particular patch of formerly forgotten land.

And it stings more than a little.

As wise mothers everywhere warn their too-exuberant offspring, “be careful of what you wish for.” The limelight North Dakota partisans have longed for turns out to be both scorching and corrosive. It’s eating away at years and years of hard-won progress in burnishing the state’s image … or, for that matter, persuading the rest of the world this little-known patch of land really does exist.

Perhaps we should add “putting North Dakota on the map” to the previous governor’s list of mottled accomplishments.

Ever since the first anti-pipeline protesters declared themselves “water protectors” last spring, a growing roster of reporters has been intrigued by their resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline. In-state media originally ignored the story as long as they could. Alternative sources, though, showed impressive reach via the World Wide Web, airing points of view from the mushrooming protest encampments, complete with compelling video.

They were there on Labor Day weekend when escalating tension with Energy Transfer Partners led to the first bloody confrontation —  when private security unleashed the dogs on peaceful Native American protesters. It was they who captured the indelible images that will illustrate the next chapter on civil rights in our grandchildren’s American history textbooks —  drawing parallels to Bull Conner siccing the dogs and firehoses on black marchers in Birmingham, Ala., more than 50 years ago.

Then, the epic North Dakota showdown finally reached the mainstream.

Two very different perspectives have dominated ever since. Local coverage focuses on nearly universal support among North Dakota politicians, who are enthusiastic fans of the pipeline to carry Bakken crude.

Regional, national and international reporters, though, come at it from a broader perspective, and theirs is the one that’s carried the day.

Aggrieved governors and elected officials dispatched to D.C. are somewhat less than pleased with their portrayal by virtually every newspaper, television network, investigative news team and correspondent around the globe. Gov. Dalrymple complained of its unfairness during his last week at the state’s helm. Despite meeting with Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault during his first days, Gov. Burgum is definitely on board the same train of thought.

Those darned out-of-staters! If not for them, this would never have happened … or, at least, word wouldn’t have leaked out beyond North Dakota’s borders. Now, being in the national spotlight doesn’t seem to be quite the boon that tourism marketers always longed for.

It’s going to be interesting, I think, to watch how the Tourism Division copes with this newfound notoriety as the traditional travel-marketing season begins. Legendary, indeed.

The state has invested many, many millions in creating a carefully crafted, attractive image that intertwines Native Americans, fur traders, immigrant farmers and the U.S. Cavalry. The great Missouri River and the tribes whom white explorers encountered along its banks are a huge part of North Dakota’s often-touted appeal to international travelers, especially Europeans. Just one example: Travel materials have always featured a generous helping of colorful powwow photos and video —  no coincidence there —  in a canny attempt to tie this little-known destination to the glamour of the Wild West.

The North Dakota Legislature, looking in a different direction, seems intent on shooting holes in that whole picture. It will be interesting to see how the Legendary campaign dovetails with the new, high-profile reputation that elected leaders, law enforcement and legislators have been so wildly successful at shaping.

Josh Duhamel, North Dakota’s well-paid official advertising spokesman, really is awfully cute, especially wearing that fur-lined “mad bomber” hat in front of the Fargo Theatre. But has anyone in Bismarck noticed that the target market likeliest to recognize the home-grown actor (with or without Fergie) is the self-same generation most concerned about preserving the environment … and, coincidentally, best informed about the No-DAPL movement via scathing coverage on social media?

And what about those “out-of-staters,” the generic infiltrators whom state leaders in Bismarck seem to universally loathe and deem responsible for the whole situation going south? “Out of state” is pretty much where tourists come from.

When it comes to slaughtering North Dakota’s reputation for friendliness to visitors, though, the final coup is coming from the Legislature.

It wasn’t bad enough that the esteemed thought leaders at the Capitol rallied around the possibility of whisking visitors beyond our borders even quicker, the absolute opposite of 50 years of tourism strategy. Raising the interstate speed limit to America’s fastest will certainly help shorten their exposure to North Dakota — something some may welcome after all they’ve heard.

But there’s more. Now there’s also substantial support in some quarters for running dissenting humans down if they walk where drivers desire to speed unimpeded.

HB 1203, introduced by Dakota Access Pipeline supporter Keith Kempenich, a Republican from Bowman, is getting big-time coverage for its innovative approach to squelching protests by squashing protesters. In a sort of motorized, high-stakes version of Whack-a-Mole, he has proposed to hold blameless those drivers who “unintentionally injure or kill a pedestrian obstructing traffic on a public road or highway.” He admits the measure is aimed squarely at Standing Rock, where peaceful protests have slowed travel on Highway 1806 from time to time.

Note that weasely adverb, “unintentionally” —  a motive that’s impossible to prove. Its sponsor claims a protester jumped out in front of his mother-in-law and startled her. He manfully seeks to shield her if she should accidentally hit the gas instead of the brakes. If this is a genuine risk, it’s time to take away the keys.

Adding this well-thought-out law to the Century Code, however, would affect more than nervous elderly ladies who are a little shaky behind the wheel. It proclaims open season anyone who thoughtlessly walks where the sidewalks don’t go. Almost all of the state fits that description —  one more artful reason to consider North Dakota truly “legendary.”

The facts — true facts — are all over the networks, the newspapers and the Web. This unaccustomed fame has blossomed just in time for the traditional launch of the tourism marketing season. If old Sen. Bill Langer was right that “all publicity is good publicity” (so long as the names are spelled right), tourism promoters can go home right now. All those doggone out-of-staters have already heard all about North Dakota by now! The Legislature obviously need not appropriate one more penny for additional advertising. Kudos to the state’s leaders for a job well done!

“Friendly” North Dakota, you’ve got some ’splaining to do.