One of comedian Bob Marley’s routines revolves around buying marijuana. It’s too hard to get the drug, Marley jabs, because you have to know somebody, who has a friend, whose cousin lives in Lewiston.

Ouch.

Marley’s bit means to draw laughs, and it does, but it also underscores a pervasive problem: Lewiston makes a great punch line, especially when the joke characterizes it as the seedy landscape many feel comfortable believing it is.

It’s a matter of perception. Lewiston’s stubborn reputation casts a pallor over its achievements, silk hats on a city known for pig’s heads. Changing mind-sets is as crucial to Lewiston’s prosperity as any brick-and-mortar investment.

In earning the title of All-America City, Lewiston has made real progress in improving its image, and those involved with its story of California redemption – the honor escaped Lewiston’s grasp in the same place last year – should be applauded for their efforts to bring this accolade home again to Maine.

Derived from the same theory behind athletic All-America honors, the title bestowed by the National Civic League is an appraisal of a community’s overall efforts. All-Americas are consistent performers, whose excellence in their field is undeniable, and proof of future successes undeniable.

For a city mired in image doldrums, this honor reinforces the good works by community and civic groups from around the Twin Cities, and validates the city is striding along the correct path.

It’s exactly what Lewiston needed. As a unique community, which has recently found itself often under the national microscope, the positive assessment by the National Civic League is invaluable.

As an All-America City, Lewiston gets to puff out its chest a little bit. The honor won’t swell city coffers, or bring new amenities for residents, but it should grease wheels to make such advancements more probable. That’s the civic league’s promise, anyway, and the honor’s track record.

Most important, the title of All-America City is overdue good news about Lewiston’s advancements, as the city’s reality is paradoxical to its reputation. While the city has much room to improve, its ascension during the past decade must be recognized as remarkable.

Yet, regardless of how many “good” things happen, Lewiston still somehow retains the distinction of being disreputable and dangerous.

Altering this perception is integral, wherein lies the true value of being an All-America City, which strikes the heart of the community’s most dire need: ruining the punch line.