Should racist symbols (ie, Maryland's state song) be changed?

[SemiCharmedQuark]

Such a lovely state song exalting the virtues of the Confederacy and the hatred against Lincoln. Before anyone argues for the preservation of history, this song, while written at the time of the Civil War, wasn't adapted as the official state song until 1939. That seems like a direct slap in the face to any progress made by the war. How can a state song speak for only part of its citizens?

Here's a snip:

I hear the distant thunder-hum,
Maryland, My Maryland!
The Old Line's bugle, fife, and drum,
Maryland, My Maryland!
She is not dead, nor deaf, nor dumb-
Huzza! she spurns the Northern scum!
She breathes! she burns! she'll come! she'll come!
Maryland! My Maryland!

[MisterP]

1. did the Lege even realize that Md. was in the Union?

[Stand and Fight]

2. Progressive moral values would

Progressive moral values would have gotten rid of this bullshit song a long time ago. Yes, it should be changed.

[chalky]

3. "She breathes! she burns! she'll come! she'll come!"

Sorry, I know this is a serious topic, but...I love that line. Can we keep that line?

[MADem]

4. HUH? That TOTALLY SUCKS...but it gives me an idea!!!!!!!!!

http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/song.html

Stupid, really, and inaccurate, since you're over the Mason-Dixon at that point. That song disses a shitload of people that some wacko who, except by birth, was from Louisiana, happened not to like. The tune isn't awful, but hey, it is a Christmas song, at the end of the day, the words are pure hate. Above link gives more history.

Those shitty lyrics GOT TO GO. Probably best to just trash the whole thing and start new. Anyway.....

Here's my idea: get a petition going to have the governor, that sleazy republican who used Fox News helicopters to go from campaign stop to campaign stop, change the song. He will probably refuse to take action. Then, Bob's yer uncle, you have yet another "wedge issue" to use against him. Get that Dem who is gonna run for gov behind the effort, play it up in the southern counties...this could be helpful in taking back a state house.

And it would give kids a song to sing that they could be proud of....
There is an MD forum, yes? You might want to crosspost this or link to it.

[Spider Jerusalem]

9. Maryland is actually SOUTH of the Mason-Dixon line...

the Mason-Dixon line was surveyed to establish the exact border between Pennsylvania and Maryland, because inaccuracies in various land grants to Lord Calvert and William Penn led to conflict over WHAT the boundaries were.

[MADem]

10. Shows what I (don't) know!!!

I was partially educated (or miseducated) outside the US...it shows, I see!

[Historic NY]

5. Perhaps but Maryland remained in the Union...........

during the Civil War, one of the only slave states to do so. Marylanders fought against Marylanders during the war and so the state was divided. Randall poem of 1861 showed his distain that Union troops marched through Baltimore w/o much show of resistance. One of the more moving memorials at Gettysburg is the Maryland Memorial it truly shows the rift between brothers & the attempt to aid one another.

http://usa-civil-war.com/Gettysburg/g_md.html

[Charon]

6. Maryland remained

The Maryland legislature was expected to pass an ordnance of Secession. Abe Lincoln had enough of the secession minded legislaters arrested to prevent a secession vote.

[tabasco]

13. When Lee marched into Maryland the first time ...

vicinity Frederick, he expected a friendly welcome from the Marylanders, but his army was not welcomed. Maryland was divided much like Virginia. The western part of the State was strongly pro-Union.

A terrible shame that the Union did not exploit success at Antietam. The war might have been much shorter.

If Maryland had indeed seceeded, we might have West Maryland as the 51st state right now. Being a resident of W.Md., I think that would be cool. This is Steelers territory, but we had to pay taxes to help build the Ravens stadium. BOGUS !

I like the part about the Old Line in the State song. Of course, that references the defensive action fought by Maryland troops covering General Washington's withdrawal fom New York.

But that BS about north-south has to go ! Quite disgusting.

[blindpig]

15. actually there was some resistance

When the Federal troops from Mass. (the 6th or 7th)were marching on Pratt street between rail roundhouses they were set upon by a mob. Shots were fired, the result being 6 dead Yanks and 12 dead Baltimoreans.

Marshal war was declared in the city. A Confederate flag was briefly flown over city hall, replaced with the state flag. The local county militias were mustered, these were overwhelmingly pro southern. A major rail bridge crossing the Gunpowder river was burned, breaking direct rail service with the North. The City of Baltimore declared itself in a state of "armed neutrality".

This state of affairs lasted about 2 weeks, ending on a night of extreme thunderstorm. The Union general Banks(I think)ran a couple of batteries of artillery, hell bent for leather, through the downpour to Federal Hill(now called), highest point in the City at that time, and the game was over. The mayor, marshal, and others were imprisoned without charges, bring on the habeas corpus crisis.

(this is all from memory, hope I got it right)

[arwalden]

7. Oh Brother! That's Pretty Bad! I Can't Believe MD Voters/Lawmakers...

... haven't done something about that already. I'm astonished. This Marylander finds lyrics like that to be an embarassment.

[ultraist]

8. Yes, racist symbols and/or lyrics should be changed

They should not be displayed, sung, or celebrated in any fashion except for being shown in exhibits in museums, so we don't ever forget.

[MADem]

11. And we can shake our heads in wonderment....

astonished that they could have sung that crap to the tune of Oh Christmas Tree!!!

I really do think this could be an issue if someone brought it up.

[NoPasaran]

12. Perfectly good alternative lyrics already exist

The workers' flag is deepest red
It sheltered oft our martyred dead
And ere their weary limbs grew cold
They dyed the Red Flag's every fold

So raise the scarlet banner high
Beneath its folds we'll live and die
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer
We'll keep the Red Flag flying here!

[Domitan]

14. This is EXTREMELY IRONIC!!!

Considering that Maryland has one of the powerful, if not the strongest Deaf Community in the USA and even the Western World. It helps that Maryland is just next door to the world's only University for the Deaf (Gallaudet University).