Current Events > Rhode Island set to shorten it's name due to history with slavery

(+) Yeah! (+)

ZT6 posted...

What exactly is the history of slavery in this case?

Slavery in Rhode Island was banned in 1652, but badly half-assedly enforced.

Rhodey McIslandface

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eston posted...

I actually didn't know that was the full name. Good for them

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Questionmarktarius posted...

Slavery in Rhode Island was banned in 1652, but badly half-assedly enforced.

Yeah okay but the word plantation was just in the name of the colony. It wasn't a plantation using slave labor. It was a place founded for religious freedom.

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s0nicfan posted...

Nebraska: Battle for Middle Earth

South Carolina V: Skyrim

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ZT6 posted...

Yeah okay but the word plantation was just in the name of the colony. It wasn't a plantation using slave labor. It was a place founded for religious freedom.

Y'know what? Looking into it more, yeah, this seems pretty misguided.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Williams

Dude was the founder of Rhode Island (and Providence Plantations), and

he organized the first attempt to prohibit slavery in any of England's North American colonies.

I don't think it matters much either way, but I don't like the principle of how this is being handled. It's like, the... inverse? horseshoe theory opposite end of those racists defending racist statues, where people want to remove a proper thing for sounding like an improper thing.

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SmidgeIsntBack posted...

South Carolina V: Skyrim

Alaska: Far From Home

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They should ask the internet about just renaming the state, can't wait to call it Boaty McBoatface.

Guide posted...

I don't think it matters much either way, but I don't like the principle of how this is being handled. It's like, the... inverse?

Probably the same general situation as Aunt Jemima. It's likely been in the works for years, but there was never any way to get past the inertia and bureaucratic gatekeepers until about two weeks ago.

Guide posted...

I don't think it matters much either way, but I don't like the principle of how this is being handled. It's like, the... inverse? horseshoe theory opposite end of those racists defending racist statues, where people want to remove a proper thing for sounding like an improper thing.

It's literally the lowest hanging fruit for pretending like you're doing something to actually help. At the end of the day they'll pat themselves on the back without ever actually making any meaningful change.

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ZT6 posted...

It's literally the lowest hanging fruit for pretending like you're doing something to actually help. At the end of the day they'll pat themselves on the back without ever actually making any meaningful change.

Yup. That's neoliberalism in a nutshell. Pretend like you are making a difference in things that ultimately don't matter while important issues get ignored.

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This is one of those "oh!" moments.

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DrizztLink posted...

I didn't realize they had a longer name.

Was trying to figure out if "Rhode" or "Island" was racist.

Same lol. I was gonna be all like "oh my gawd, what are the pansies offended at now"

Didn't realize the name was that long lol

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Lol at people being offended by something they weren't even around to experience.

Btw, nobody calls Rhode Island that. They just call it "Rhode Island."

Dyinglegacy posted...

Same lol. I was gonna be all like "oh my gawd, what are the pansies offended at now"

Didn't realize the name was that long lol

And did you figure out what part is offensive?

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Super Maryland 2: 6 Golden Coins

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ZT6 posted...

And did you figure out what part is offensive?

Of course I did. It's Rhode

Although island is also pretty damn offensive, ngl


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Wisconsin and the Secret Rings

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Alteres posted...

Damnit, I wanted the state to be named "Island".

This. I had no idea Rhode Island had a longer official name, though.

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never knew. oh well.

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Florida Combat Evolved

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Rename it to 'Road Island'

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Another useless gesture but at least some people can feel good about themselves for a fleeting moment.


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JBaLLEN66 posted...

Lol Im related to the founder of rhode island

Which means you owe

[Reads topic title]
That's fucking stupid-

"The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations"

That's fucking stupid (meant differently...)
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Ah a pointless feel good gesture

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Yep TIL. Good move tbh, if not to avoid the connotation of the word plantation, then to just update the name to be more relevant
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ExtremeLuchador posted...

There are grown adults who pronounce Island like Iss Land.

https://youtu.be/m3vHPypLRLY
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The only thing this functionally changes, is the answer to "which state has the longest name" trivia.

You know its not even an island bunch of liars too.


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They could have done this without telling anyone and no one would have known.

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TheBiggerWiggle posted...

Last few posts made me remember Virginia is officially the commonwealth of Virginia, not just Virginia. That one may be more common knowledge than Rhode Island though idk

There are actually four states that are officially Commonwealths, I believe. Virginia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Kentucky, IIRC.

Mississippi's Creed: Brotherhood

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ConfessPlease posted...

Am i dumb for not knowing some of these things? I had no idea thta was the official name

I didn't know either until I looked up a few years ago on Wikipedia to figure out why it was called Rhode Island.

My honest-to-God first reaction was "They're gonna just call it 'Island' now? Wat?"

Makes more sense now, though.

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This has been making the rounds locally for a few years now but has largely failed to pick up steam, glad its finally happening, even if its just a hopeless attempt at our wildly unpopular corporate hack governor to score brownie points.

ZT6 posted...

What exactly is the history of slavery in this case? The word plantation?

The word plantation, albeit not inherently tied to slavery, takes on unsavory connotations when all 10 of the 10 biggest slave traders in US history are from the state.

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ZT6 posted...

It's literally the lowest hanging fruit for pretending like you're doing something to actually help. At the end of the day they'll pat themselves on the back without ever actually making any meaningful change.

YellowSUV posted...

Yup. That's neoliberalism in a nutshell. Pretend like you are making a difference in things that ultimately don't matter while important issues get ignored.

For Christs sake, shut up you two. This is something people have been pushing for locally for years and it is FAR from the only thing being done, it is not people pretending to make a difference. Smart people can think about and work towards one thing at a time, you know.


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People not from here really need to shut the fuck up about a pointless gesture lol, people have been pushing for this change for some time

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