Maybe it is because the heat index is over 100, maybe it’s because I have been huddled inside for most of the day trying to stay out of the aforementioned heat, or maybe it’s because this is too crazy not to pass up for a post, but recent news has made me wonder if there will ever be a similar push in our state as there is right now in Rhode Island. In case you didn’t hear through the non-stop news about Michael Jackson and Cap and Trade, on Thursday the Rhode Island legislature voted 70-3 to allow the citizens of the state decided whether or not to officially change the state’s name.
For those who don’t know, the official name for the state is the “State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.” Our smallest state has the nation’s longest state name. The decision on whether to drop the “and Providence Plantations” part is because of the word “plantation.” According to some in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, that word conjures up images of slavery and needs to go.
Slavery was allowed for a number of years in Rhode Island and Rhode Island captains made fortunes in the Triangle Trade, but the word “plantation” did not necessarily mean a farm which used slave labor. In fact, the settlement called Providence Plantations was named by Roger Williams who was a crusader against both indentured servitude and slavery.
However, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Joseph Almeida, said, “It’s high time for us to recognize that slavery happened on plantations in Rhode Island and decide that we don’t want that chapter of our history to be a proud part of our name.”
I bring this up here because with controversies over the state flag mostly settled here in Georgia, could the next move for some to be a push to change the state’s name? It’s hard not to say that our state’s very name does not bring to mind the state’s past history as a slave state or the role Georgia played in the Confederacy and the Civil War (a.k.a. the War of Northern Aggression). More than that, we are named after King George II, a supporter of slavery.
If Rhode Island can change its name because of the image the word “plantation” brings to mind, then why couldn’t Georgia be next?
And if the name were to be changed, what would it be changed to?
{ 33 comments }
Interesting take on the issue. Good job! (My own post on it became a plea for everyone to move on already.)
I would have serious problems with Georgia changing its name, and I really wouldn’t expect it to ever be an issue. I mean, heck, a number of other states face the same issues you mentioned – other than being named for King George II – , as do several countries.
Heck, if we change the names of everything connected to slavery, can we change the name of the entire African continent? After all, it is as connected to slavery as anything else!
Pretty much the entire South would face that issue.
We could change the state name to “Tara.”
I see the race warlords feel they have been ignored of late. But, hey, they just need to feel relevant. Get over it already.
Life will be good in The Independent Republic of Oxendinhstan.
No need to spell-out so much, Dash: Ox-land will do!
Oxland for short, of course.
Think I’ll wait till someone actually proposes such a change here before getting upset about it.
As far as Rhode Island goes, regardless of the motives of some being inspired by faulty connections, it is a silly name and if the citizens want to legally change it to the common name that everyone other than legal scholars use, so be it. I suspect if it passes, most people will vote for the change not because they think the old name is in some way racist but because it doesn’t reflect the modern usage of the state’s name. Heck, if it was up to me, I’d drop the ‘Island’ part too.
Bulldogia
I hear slave owners also lived in houses.
Maybe we should all camp out under the stars, like this guy:
http://www.peachpundit.com/2009/06/27/former-georgia-mayor-arrested-for-hanging-out/
Maybe if Roy Barnes gets elected again, he can change the name arbitrarily to “South York,” then Sonny can run again promising to put it to a vote between the old name and the new one, and then he can change the rules of the vote and make it between “South York” and “South Jersey.”
Good times.
‘South Jersey’ does have a certain ring to it…
Two bonus points for originality, Shep! I don’t foresee it as a serious issue, though. The word “plantation” has some connotations that stand apart from any particular place. It looks like people just want to change the “plantation” part, and don’t have an issue with “Rhode” itself. The non-issue seems to be the same with “Georgia”.
Almost every state or nation on earth has been home to some pretty f—ed up s–t at ONE point in time or another. Changing the behavior is the moral thing to do. Changing the name is the marketing thing to do.
Besides, if this ever came to a ballot referendum, Ray McBerry would just campaign for the new name “Whiteyland” and we’d never hear the end of it!
Is that next to Jesusland?
I vote for IndyInjun’s suggestion.
Related question: Where the heck is bush country? Is that the name of our country? Did we change the name to obamaland?
If I had to change the name of Georgia to something else, I would consider confederama, secchampionland, or Atlanta. Secchampionland would give them something to shoot for every year. Atlanta, Atlanta would be the same as New York, New York. If you say you are from Georgia, everyone assumes you are from Atlanta anyway.
If we are changing other states names, could we rename the state to the immediate north of me to landthatdoesn’tagreetorecognizethethirtyfifthparallelasastateboundary? Let them put that on a state seal.
I think secchampionland would be more fitting as a new name for Florida.
yeah, but eventually no one will remember why Florida was given that name.
Why don’t we just join the current wave of naming everything after the Obamasiah, since he is the greatest living President of all time? Watch out, here comes Obamazona!
Stay tuned, it is rumored that immediately renaming the state “Bulldogia” the legislature will have the golden dome remodeled into a red fire plug.
May their red ink turn into a golden shower.
Let the big dog pee.
Indy….I’m laughing too hard with that one….
I may have to take back all of the bad things I have said about Indy Injun. That’s just too funny. Bill just likes the fact you brought up his team’s color…yellow.
if the state name is going to change i would think there would be an obvious desire to name it something that highlights the fact that i am here…
“jay-jah”
too funny Bill
RI is the only state that still celebrates Victory Over Japan Day (VJ day). The interesting thing about it is the day is not celebrated when Japan signed the surrender treaty (Sept 3?), but rather it falls on the 2nd Monday in August, to closely coincide with the dropping of the A-Bombs (Aug. 6 and 9th)…..you guys can have your Confederate Memorial Day…
Plantatia?
The only real plantations you hear about these days are bananna plantations which are inside the Bananna Republics. Then there’s the “Plantain” which is akin to the bananna and probably comes from the same areas. You also have Bananna Republic which sells clothes which are probably made in China but have the look of a British Explorer. Britain was expelled from China way back when except for in Hong Kong.
I want the name changed to “Bambi” or “Kiki”.
And I want pictures with this new format.
Here you go Icky. A picture of Bambi: http://environmentalblogging.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/bambi.jpg
I thought for sure that was going to be a link to the 1970s animated classic ‘Bambi Meets Godzilla’. Anyone who doesn’t know what I’m referring to should head over to YouTube right away. It’s worth your time.
Erick!
Sheppie’s posting nekkid pictures again.
I just try to meet my audiences’ needs
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