Rhode Island may change its official
state name over slavery connotations
by
Zachary Folk
Original Article
Posted By: Ribicon,
6/23/2020 9:58:55 AM
What’s in a name? For the state of Rhode Island, years of acrimony over an official designation with connotations of slavery. But change is brewing in the union’s smallest state, as Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo signed an executive order Monday taking the “first steps” to change the state’s full name: “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.” The “plantations” portion has come under increased scrutiny following widespread protests after the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. The order, Executive Order 20-48, will change the name to just “Rhode Island” in official communications from the governor’s office—including future executive orders,
Reply 1 - Posted by:
JL80863 6/23/2020 10:02:40 AM (No. 453860)
Years of acrimony? I never heard of the issue before.
21 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
pixelero 6/23/2020 10:04:10 AM (No. 453861)
If it were justified by fact rather than feelings I guess I can see such a change; I can even entertain the notion that such a change might make some people feel better— but taken altogether it just seems absurd: like Ionesco absurd, not real, sort of gaslighting ridiculous. How far should a society go to appease a mindless mob?
11 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
bpl40 6/23/2020 10:04:19 AM (No. 453862)
Just like removing the Confederate flag from the State House, this is something the people should determine. not Governors.
8 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Troutgreen 6/23/2020 10:10:56 AM (No. 453875)
Pluto isn't a planet. Rhode Island isn't a State...it's more like a county.
18 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
TLCary 6/23/2020 10:11:01 AM (No. 453876)
Open the debate, get the Senate to consider it - and use the forum to dissolve the State. No State, no state name. The big state/little state protections apply to Wyoming / California. But The Plantations is a liberal city state that merges into the surrounding liberal states. Then buy Greenland so we don't have to mess with Old Glory. Problem solved with a "green" solution. Ta Daaaa
6 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
chance_232 6/23/2020 10:15:19 AM (No. 453885)
Im 59 years old and until about 2 years ago, I was unaware of the state's actual full name. Anyone triggered by this is looking to be triggered.
21 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Ribicon 6/23/2020 10:15:32 AM (No. 453886)
New York is named in honor of one of the biggest slave traders of them all. Ha ha, that can't stand! Rebrand!
7 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
snapper451 6/23/2020 10:15:50 AM (No. 453888)
A wise friend, not from RI, but who has lived there for years, says “Rhode Island is not a state, it’s a state of mind”. I grew up there, served as a legislator (stupid and young as a Democrat) and have not lived there since the late 70’s. A liberal cesspool with politicians who purport to “Care” like all liberals. High taxes and holding down the poor and disenfranchised so they can lord over them.
13 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
reefdiver 6/23/2020 10:35:07 AM (No. 453911)
They can name it Mob Island.
7 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
chickadee 6/23/2020 10:37:06 AM (No. 453916)
Historically, plantation also meant colony. Where I grew up in Maine some townships were originally called plantations because they were owned by people living in Massachusetts and had nothing to do with slavery. This will be very confusing to students from now on as there were no cotton fields in the colonial Maine.
14 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
planetgeo 6/23/2020 10:40:28 AM (No. 453920)
Good move. For accuracy, I suggest they rename it, “The State of Rhode Island and Democrat Plantations.”
11 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
TJ54 6/23/2020 10:40:58 AM (No. 453921)
The word plantation refers to a religious settlement. What morons
10 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
hotcorner 6/23/2020 10:44:02 AM (No. 453929)
There is little reason for Rhode Island and Delaware to be states. They're a joke and they inflict us with idiots like Biden and those fools from RI.
13 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
Strike3 6/23/2020 10:46:33 AM (No. 453938)
Why don't we just name our states with numbers, One through Fifty-Seven to avoid all impropriety? Many states named after dubious founding fathers and possible slave owners could be on the chopping block, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, Virginia. Then there are the many cities that will be offensive, Jefferson City, Clarksburg, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Charleston, Jacksonville, Leesburg. These morons could be busy for years just renaming things. Google Maps will be downloading updates forever.
8 people like this.
Um, RI was among the first states to outlaw slavery.
To my knowledge, the "Providence Plantations" was founded by Quakers and Puritans and had nothing to do with slavery. It was just a plantation.
Be like banning VWs because Hitler liked the VW bug.
9 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
Nimby 6/23/2020 10:58:52 AM (No. 453962)
How many of these maroons hold a real job?
7 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
DVC 6/23/2020 11:02:23 AM (No. 453972)
They really are insane.
5 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
marbles 6/23/2020 11:07:30 AM (No. 453982)
No mention of slaves or slavery. A plantation is a large estate. " Plantation " has no connection to Floyd, unless you want it to. What about " Hilton Head Plantation".....will they be changing their name ..................and how about " plantation shutters", will that have to be changed too? And then there is the town of Plantation, Florida. Enough already.
7 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
Rather Read 6/23/2020 11:23:12 AM (No. 454002)
People are so touchy. Samuel Morse was a nasty anti-Catholic. So do I think we should ban Morse code? Of course not - I am sensible unlike a lot of people I can think of.
5 people like this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
LC Chihuahua 6/23/2020 11:37:56 AM (No. 454020)
Apparently the well of stupidity is bottomless.
Delaware is named after Lord Delaware. Pennsylvania is named after William Penn. Washington and Washington, DC of course. There are other states as well. Where does it end?
People are running their mouths and expecting to be taken seriously regardless of what they are saying. No! It doesn't work that way.
This is all BS and should be treated as such.
7 people like this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
padiva 6/23/2020 11:44:22 AM (No. 454029)
I was in Westerly, RI in January. I was so lost. Very few street signs.
2 people like this.
Reply 22 - Posted by:
MickTurn 6/23/2020 11:59:24 AM (No. 454059)
Hmmm, How about Rogue Island...
5 people like this.
Reply 23 - Posted by:
MickTurn 6/23/2020 12:00:59 PM (No. 454063)
#7, I vote for New Jerk, in honor of their Gov. Andrew 'Murderer' Cuomo!
4 people like this.
“Whatever the meaning of the term ‘plantations’ in the context of Rhode Island’s history, it carries a horrific connotation when considering the tragic and racist history of our nation,” Metts said...
Yet another example of the systemic ignorance addressed in another article here this morning.
4 people like this.
Reply 25 - Posted by:
NorthernDog 6/23/2020 2:01:49 PM (No. 454200)
Based on current estimates Rhode Island will lose 1 of its 2 Congressional districts, and 1 electoral vote, after the 2020 census. About time !
5 people like this.
Reply 26 - Posted by:
StrikingViking 6/23/2020 2:34:07 PM (No. 454247)
Illinois, the Dakotas, and other entitiies with Indian place names will have to be renamed. These Indians were constantly at war with each other. They killed, pillaged, raped, and took slaves. Rename them all. I recommend using serial numbers as identifiers.
4 people like this.
Reply 27 - Posted by:
lazlototh 6/23/2020 2:36:30 PM (No. 454252)
The funny thing is that for years I've commented to my wife that given RI's idiotic politics, and its history of electing morons like Senator Whitehouse, I was surprised the formal name of the state has never come up. If they want to do it it's fine...probably costs a LOT of money over time to change letterhead, legal documents, etc. along with making sure that renaming doesn't adversely affect older documents. It's not like anyone outside the state will really take notice.
2 people like this.
Reply 28 - Posted by:
crashnburn 6/23/2020 3:23:42 PM (No. 454292)
George Floyd was killed is false.
He died of a drug overdose.
He had 3X the lethal amount of fentanyl in his system at the time of his death.
The article deteriorates from there!
4 people like this.
Reply 29 - Posted by:
JimBob 6/23/2020 4:10:42 PM (No. 454340)
Ribicon (#7).... Ya Beat me to it!
New York.... named for Duke of York.... held the exclusive English license to import slaves into the American colonies and sell them.
How about it, New Yawk?..... WHEN are YOU going to change YOUR name?!
0 people like this.
Reply 30 - Posted by:
anniebc 6/23/2020 4:37:17 PM (No. 454382)
Drag her out of office, please!
0 people like this.
Reply 31 - Posted by:
mizzmac 6/23/2020 5:08:26 PM (No. 454414)
First I've EVER heard of the Providence Plantations part of the name. Maybe it's a moot point?
0 people like this.
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Comments:
A modest first step! The novel "It Can't Happen Here" covers this turf; all state names removed, renamed into zones after the Tolerant Liberals take over and reveal themselves as the fascists they were the whole time. Into the gulags, comrades.