Posted on 06/27/2009 9:11:29 AM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) ―
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 wcbstv.com ...
Didn’t know that RI was a slave state ... will have to go back to my American History books ....
“Providence Plantations” has nothing to do with black slavery. These people are ahistorical idiots.
More stupidity on the part of guilty whitey liberals.
Didn’t realize plantations was a racist word.
Sounds like the “niggardly” factor at work again.
Merge it with Connecticutt, and end the need for 2 salaries for Senators...one Governor’s salary, etc...etc...and etc.
Geez, does it ever end? Bring on the reparations and the white guilt and being held down by da man. Sweeping history under the rug isn’t going to change a thing. Admit that RI was the main port for slave ships and show how you’ve grown since those times.
They need to work on the “Island” part of their name first.
Foghorn Leghorn - philosopher
What, you don’t remember Hillary screeching plantation speech?
It was a very small slave state. The slaves were pygmies.
Maybe the Chinese will buy it and we can call it “Row Eyelan”
That’s really drinking the Kool aid.
I am so sick of this obsession with race.
There is absolutely nothing left in America that the race pimps don’t whine about and use to their advantage.
This is the true legacy of LBJ, scum bags like Ted Kennedy, and the thousands of democrats who gleefully helped them.
Not forgetting the thousands of republicans who enabled the race pimps, cooperated with them, and still do.
WHAT SLAVERY? Do not these people know the history of their own state? (Never mind, I know the answer to that...)
Perhaps we should allow blacks to enslave whites and just be done with it.
SELL the naming rights. Say for 20 years at a time.
Insanity!
rim shot ...
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