One of my favorite films is the first version of "The In-laws," which starred Allen Arkin and Peter Falk.

In a hilarious scene, Falk, a CIA agent, tells Arkin, a dentist and father of the daughter Falk's son intends to marry, that they can avoid being shot by not running from their attackers in a straight line. Falk says: "Serpentine Shelly, run serpentine."

But serpentine is also the name of a rock, a frequently attractive greenish "metamorphic" rock with a complicated mineralogy. Serpentine is also the State Rock of California, and it is not often that a rock or a mineral makes the news. There has to be something special going on. How often have we seen rocks or minerals such as limestone, granite, shale, quartz, calcite or orthoclase in the headlines?

In the past few weeks, however, that sometimes confusing and mysterious state, California, seems to have discovered that there are politically correct rocks and minerals. Most geologists are ecstatic when the media "discovers" them, but a state rock? Many scientists have responded with alarm, concern and even derision.

California was the first state to officially adopt a state mineral and a state rock and since 1965, was happy with gold as the state mineral, reflective of the great California Gold Rush, and Benitoite has been the state gemstone since 1985.

"Serpentine" was named the state rock in 1965, by unanimous votes of both houses of the state legislature. California has for long seemed a place of contradictions and frequently the unusual. Not many people seemed concerned about serpentine until October 2009, when the Manhattan Beach, Calif., City Council passed Resolution 6223, "Urging the state legislature to repeal the designation of serpentine, the host of asbestos, as the official state rock."

Quick on the scene was State Sen. Gloria Romero, who modified her Senate Bill 624, a bill that was originally a solid waste management bill, to now attack the California State Rock: "Serpentine contains asbestos, a known carcinogen. Toxic materials have no place serving as emblems for the state," a press release stated.

A part of SB 624 reads: "Serpentine contains the deadly mineral chrysotile asbestos, a known carcinogen, exposures to which increases the risk of cancer mesothelioma." The bill ends with: "It is the intent of the legislature to remove serpentine as the State Rock."

In short order, a "Drop the Rock," campaign garnered the support of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, the John McNamara Foundation, the Pacific Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and others.

Other supporters of the bill include the Consumer Attorneys of California, Walter, Kraus and Paul Attorneys and Counselors, and Kazan, McClain, Lyons, Greenwood and Harley. All are listed in the California Senate analysis of the bill.

Many states have emblems of one kind or another and frequently these can be a mineral, gem, fossil, flower, or just about anything. Most do not have designated state rocks or stones.

My good friend Marc Wilson, of the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, who is responsible for one of the world's best collections of minerals and gems, warns me that, "the naming of anything is highly political and does not necessarily follow logic." His criteria would be that the naming of a state rock, mineral or fossil, should be for things that come from that state and are somehow, "uniquely state-ish, should be popular or interesting and should be scientifically, historically or culturally significant to the state and world at large."

Some states meet Marc's very rational criteria, others do not. For example, coal is the state "mineral" of Kentucky (thus designated in 1998), agate is the state rock and freshwater pearl is the state gemstone. Unfortunately coal is not a mineral, agate is not a rock and pearls are not gemstones, but Kentucky seems content and who am I to argue.

The character of the state can be seen in what it names. Massachusetts, a state that has always seemed to have an elevated view of itself, selected some rather esoteric and less than well-known symbols. The state mineral is "babintonite," the state rock is "Roxbury puddingstone," and "Rhodonite" is the state gemstone. I particularly like Arkansas' selections, very Clintonesque — good, solid "quartz" is the state mineral, "bauxite" is the state rock and, of course, "diamond" is the state gemstone.

Sometimes we can go too far in the naming process, and I am not sure if most of us pay attention any more. I cannot remember the last time I celebrated "National Pickle Week," for example.

Of course turquoise has been the New Mexico State Gem since 1967, the bizcochito has been the state cookie since 1989. But, do we really need a state bolo tie since 2007, cowboy song (Under New Mexico Skies) since 2009, guitar (New Mexico Sunrise) since 2009, insect (Tarantula Hawk Wasp since 1989) or a state train, poem, grass, mammal, question, butterfly, amphibian, fish, aircraft, etc.

Gary Hayes, who teaches geology at Modesto Community College has cautioned of possible lawsuits against landowners who have serpentine on their property, builders who use serpentine as a building stone, or educators who have serpentine in their classrooms. Others have noted that a giant serpentine boulder is used in the fountain at the main library in downtown Los Angeles.

My good friend Dr. Stuart Sumida, professor of Geology at California State University, San Bernardino, observes that: "What's most irritating is that lawmakers are making scientific and health pronouncements without understanding science. As with education, they say it's important, but when it comes to action they aren't willing to ask the people who would be willing and enthusiastic to help and counsel."

Geologist Andrew Alden points out, "as any geologist will testify, there is no such mineral as 'chrysotile asbestos,' neither does serpentine always contain chrysolite, which itself is not asbestos."

Almost all geologists who have expressed an opinion seem to be certain that science does not matter, rock correctness does and California Senate Bill 624 will pass.

This will be the first time that a state rock has been "dethroned." The potential legal issues that will now arise are unclear and, perhaps, anyone with the former state rock on their property would be wise to do as Peter Falk suggested in "The In-laws."

Don Wolberg is an adjunct faculty member at New Mexico Tech, where he teaches a variety of courses in science, and elsewhere is now and then involved in designing and building touring exhibits and museums.

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