Maryland Senate OKs state song changes, cuts 'Northern scum'

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Maryland Senate OKs state song changes, cuts 'Northern scum'

Brian Witte, Associated Press

Updated 2:15 pm, Thursday, March 17, 2016

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland lawmakers took a step Thursday toward scrubbing references to "Northern scum" and other Civil War-era phrases from the official state song.

The Maryland Senate voted 37-8 for the changes, while also recognizing "Maryland, My Maryland" as the state's historic song. Supporters of the measure, which now goes to the House, said it was a compromise that removes offensive language and recognizes history.

"They keep the historic song. It's still there, but this bill is an excellent compromise to move forward, so that our children and our children's children and so that all Maryland can be proud of our state song," said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, a Democrat. "At the present time, all of Maryland cannot be proud of our state song, and so that's the reason I'm voting green."

Maryland, which is below the Mason-Dixon Line, was a slave state with strong southern sympathies, but nevertheless refused to secede from the Union.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Maryland-Senate-OKs-state-song-changes-cuts-6895752.php

[forest444]

1. Well, that certainly took long enough.

I lived in Mississippi for years, and trust me: to most Deep South fundamentalists, anyone from Maryland is northern scum.

It's amazing, isn't it Judi? The things that are overlooked, and how long they often stay that way.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Crazy! Didn't know that! Well, one normally doesn't get much more southern than Mississippi, here.

"Southerner than thou."

What could be odder?

[Glorfindel]

2. State songs and national anthems are not always great poetry

This verse to "God Save the Queen" has been around since 1745:

"O Lord our God arise,
Scatter her enemies,
And make them fall:
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix:
God save us all."

[Judi Lynn]

6. "Knavish tricks?" My gosh, who knew! Didn't ever know the lyrics. How silly!

It's true, national songs are not always as great as people seem to think. They should take far longer to write them, even until they aren't so whipped up about kicking other countries' asses, and murdering their people.

I guess if they did take a long time to ponder the lyrics, admitting to themselves all the crimes against humanity already committed, the lying, cheating, stealing, outright dirtiness, they might not write them at all! Nothing to say, in the end, other than they hope things get better some day, and they hope the rest of the world won't come after them for their evil deeds.

[center][/center]

[JoeOtterbein]

3. I grew up in Baltimore, MD

And for the past 22 years, I've lived in York County, PA. which is north and contiguous with Baltimore County.

The people up here feel proud to be considered "northern scum" by the people they call the "Baltimorons".

[Judi Lynn]

7. Outstanding! Great name. Thanks for the info. Welcome to D.U. n/t

[JoeOtterbein]

10. Thanks, for the nice welcome Judi

I like it when someone on DU welcomes me. Obviously, I don't post much but my first post on DU was back in the early 2000's. Really! Check it out:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/02/010216_faking.html

[keithbvadu2]

4. Thank God republicans won that war back in the 1860s.

[alarimer]

8. I nominate Joe Pug's "Oh My Cheseapeake".

[BumRushDaShow]

9. I think they sing that at the Preakness every year. nt

[kwassa]

11. Been here twenty years, and didn't know we had a state song.

I did know about the Civil War politics. The statue of the Confederate soldier in Rockville is getting moved.