Posted on 06/26/2009 3:49:20 AM PDT by shove_it
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The country's smallest state has the longest official name: "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations."
A push to drop "Providence Plantations" from that name advanced farther than ever on Thursday when House lawmakers voted 70-3 to let residents decide whether their home should simply be called the "State of Rhode Island." It's an encouraging sign for those who believe the formal name conjures up images of slavery, while opponents argue it's an unnecessary rewriting of history that ignores Rhode Island's tradition of religious liberty and tolerance.
The bill permitting a statewide referendum on the issue next year now heads to the state Senate.
"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," said Rep. Joseph Almeida, an African-American lawmaker who sponsored the bill.
[...]
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Once again history goes down the memory hole thanks to PC BS.
And just how many people actually know the full name of the state of Rhode Island? I’m from MA and I never knew this. This is just more liberal empty symbolism.
Well that’ll be enough to cause me to use the entire raightfull name.
The word plantation doesn’t automatically denote a slave farm.
Rhode Island abolished slavery in 1774, the first colony to do so.
Again, 1774 ~ even before the United States began, Rhode Island abolished slavery.
The consequence is that the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations has ALWAYS been a "free state" in the United States, and a "free territory" for a longer period of time in the United States than as a "slavery territory" before that under British rule.
Somebody doesn't have enough to do but to try to apologize over something that isn't happening and never did in this state.
The word "plantation" is used here in the same manner as in "Plymouth Plantation" and the way the English "planted" Protestants in Northern Ireland.
Good!!!,,,
Learn em’ too spelll “ROAD”!!!...(dumb yankezz!)...;0)
As long as the people feel like changing the state’s name why don’t they seize the opportunity to do the inevitable: rename it the “State of Obama”
History buffs—was there slavery on any Providence plantations as this bill says there was?
That may just be a modern intrepretation of the word “plantation”.
Three words to liberal PC revisionists. Get Over IT.
“Plantation was an early method of colonization in which settlers were ‘planted’ abroad in order to establish a permanent or semi-permanent colonial base...”
“...In the state of Maine, the old meaning has been preserved in the name of local government jurisdictions. It is also preserved in the full name of Rhode Island, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.”
Once again, PC go wild.
Native New Englander here and I never heard of it either.
You know anything about this?
I knew the official state name and that it was the longest of any state. Who cares? It does not “conjure up” any images of slavery for me. For Heaven’s sake, Rhode Island has a long antislavery history, as one poster pointed out, predating independence. This is stupid.
That’s it. I have had quite enough.
I’m starting my own dictionary. I’m going to call it “Bastardized Vol. I”
Perhaps the names of the Democrat and Republican Parties should be changed as well to:
The Democratic Party and Black Plantation
The Republican Party and Conservative Plantation
Don’t you dare go runnin’ off boys. We’ll send the dogs after you! Get too uppity and we’ll sell you down the river!
Actually, the official name looks kewl on state documents and proclaimations. Really fills up the page.
Gee, I thought everyone knew the RI is the smallest state with the longest name and the most corruption. I suppose I should add one positive. There are lots of good restaurants.
How niggardly of you to notice.
Although it’s not a big enough state then may I suggest the name Oprahoma.
I suggest “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Dude Ranch.”
Righto. “Plantation” at the time, was roughly equivalent in meaning to “colony.”
You are misusing the word ~ of course!
How white of you to notice.
Notice how the State Legislature shys away from discussing the meaning of the term "Guinea".
Still waiting on that one.
Gonna' be a fist fight Fur Shur they get into that.
It’s nice to know that RI has money to spend on such silly things. Think of the paperwork involved.
Small, corrupt and good restaurants, I knew!
“Rhode Island, a PC liberal plantation” is kinda catchy.
they should do this. all american history has to be re written to attone for the sins of our founding fathers and whites must pay.
I did.
Wouldn’t it just be easier and quicker to just eradicate all white people?
We have become a very sick, diseased and suicidal people. It is almost indescribable what we willingly allow and take part in. Lemmings have nothing on us. Our children, whats left of them, will damn us to hell.
A little White Guilt, eh Rhodies?
Got news for you. Doing this won’t erase your White Guilt.
Then the name would be "State of Rhode Island and." ;-)
How about “Small, insignificant, but still a State”
Almost as bad as the "niggardly" fiasco.
I’m jealous. Things are going so well in Rhode Island, that the State legislature can afford to waste time on idiocy such as this. While they’re at the name change, they should outlaw the use of the word ‘niggardly’ as racist. Just clean all that racist stuff up.
Whoa!!! I’m in Oklahoma!! Not cool!!
I suggest they use TSFKARIAPP
The State Formerly Known as Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
See my post #39
Well, at least the Commonwealth of Massachusetts gets it right: “That money of yours... it’s our money, actually.”
They don’t call it “Taxachusetts” for nothing.
It like the way it sounds. I tend to say Tisfukhairyape.
Allegra, I heard about it and immediately laughed. You’ve got to put this in proper context to understand my reaction: Economically, Rhode Island is completely busted-out, thanks to a permanent Democrat legislature and a populace with the collective I.Q. of a squirrel, which keeps them in power. There is no economic opportunity there and hasn’t been for decades. Taxes are ridiculous. The State is RI’s biggest employer, and the State is perpetually broke—now almost bankrupt. The public school system is a nightmare, thanks to a corrupt teacher’s union and the fact that 40% of the schools’ attendees are children of illegal immigrants with serious family problems and little will to become educated. Social service spending is completely out of control. Providence’s mayor is a vicious, corrupt, flaming homosexual who has (surprise!) turned the city into a meat market. Now some ignorant, two-bit, jackoff state rep with no understanding of history comes along to race-bait by taking a word completely out of context. Typical, and if you knew Rhode Island like I know it, you’d be laughing hard too! If anything, the name “Rhode Island” should be dropped from “State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.” It should be renamed “The Plantation” — where folks who have real jobs and no criminal record slave away so that Democrat politicians and the lazy, the illegal, the uneducated and the undeserving can ride on their bent backs.” I left there three years ago, and besides the occasional family visit, will never go back.
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