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RI's Past Could Be on the Ballot

Chris Boardman

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Rhode Islanders may get a chance to
shorten the state's longest-in-the-nation formal name over its ties
to colonial slavery.

Officially, Rhode Island is called the State of Rhode Island and
Providence Plantations.

But the House Judiciary Committee approved a resolution Tuesday that would allow residents to vote next year on whether to drop the words "Providence Plantations" from that name.

The issue now heads for a House floor vote.

Supporters say "Providence Plantations" conjures painful images of colonial slavery. Rhode Island merchants grew wealthy off the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Others argue that changing the state's name wipes away part of
its heritage. Providence Plantation was the settlement founded by 17th-century religious dissident Roger Williams, who supported the separation of church and state.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Saturday, Oct 31 at 4:08 AM Susan M. wrote ...

So ridiculous to want to change the official name given our State by Roger Williams himself. The word plantations refers to an agrarian colony...a farming place. It had absolutely nothing to do with slavery. Perhaps we should also change the state of Indiana to Native Americana so not to affront our native population.Native Americana

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Thursday, Oct 29 at 1:35 AM RH Warwick RI wrote ...

WOW where erasing are past not just here with this name in which its historical but in other areas of are heritage God help us for thinking such things

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 6:31 PM Patricia Pereira Tiverton RI wrote ...

Changing the name won't change anything, and it is foolish for any one person or group to think eliminating "Plantation" will make past slavery any less "painful. Grow up and move on. I'm so tired of people whining about history...it is what it is, get over it.

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 6:29 PM Patricia Pereira Tiverton RI wrote ...

First of all I agree it's a huge waste of time, money and energy in a state that has so many REAL issues to deal with. Secondly, what's next?? shall we just chnage all the dictionaries and history books to eliminate words and history that is "painful" to someone? People should wake up and stop being so overly sensitive to everything. Our history should be celebrated for how far we've come, not agonizing over what our ancestor's did a couple of hundred years ago.

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 5:12 PM Frank wrote ...

what a waste of time and money for the state what ever happend to save our history

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 12:15 PM Frank wrote ...

Why is the state wasteing time on this wow to please a few again?Has anyone ever asked the real black americans how they feel i mean the commen ones who work and pay their taxes? This is a who cares issue I for one would be voteing now if this ever came up I hate changeing history to please the few once again. If you don't like it to bad Rhode island as more to work out I wish they would let us vote on term limits for all elected postings. wow imagine that.

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 12:11 PM The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation!!! wrote ...

The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation!!! That sounds sweet to my ears, if anyone objects to that then they can just move to Mass. or Ct.

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 12:07 PM suckers wrote ...

you people voted for those buffoons sitting there.... how about voting them out!!! make a change and stop complaining...

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 10:38 AM Leave it alone wrote ...

This is the name of our state. If someone doesn't like it they have the option to leave. What if some don't like the nation's name, the U.S.A? Will we change that as well. Get over it, and leave our name be, as it was conceived.

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 10:03 AM Anonymous wrote ...

This is ridiculous, I cant even believe that this issue is being raised, I cant agree more with the above comment and this obviously in question because some random person or group has raised some concern over it. Please, divert your energy and attention to issues that are more positive and that can improve our beautiful state and it's capital.

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 9:25 AM Here is a way to create jobs wrote ...

Help small businesses by helping people businesses to engage in part-time salary reduced jobs while they are on unemployment without deductions. This is better than extending unemployment benefits and sitting on it. Obama style policies so far showed not much yeild to the ailing economy. Banks are still having problem and mortgage modification is a myth for many. The State has to mandate some laws that are for job creation and stick to it. Encourage businesses to hire even on temporary basis.

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 9:17 AM Work on unemployement wrote ...

It's high time to set aside everything else and do job creation as the feds are so hung up with some impractical and immoral health care reform stubbornness. Rhode Island must opt out health care reform to show fiery protest that the feds are not doing enough for job creation. This is a small state with high unemployment and it's time that we got to look after ourselves ignoring feds whimps and fancies.

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 9:13 AM TFRANK wrote ...

It does not "conjure painful images of colonial slavery" with me or anyone I know in RI or elsewhere. To me the "plantations" refer to the mainland part of the state while "Rhode Island" refered to the large island in the Bay. I like the long name and don't think we should change it because a few people choose to dwell over a possible alternate meaning of the word "plantation".

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 8:56 AM Anonymous wrote ...

DITTO!!!!!!!!!

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 8:47 AM Anonymous wrote ...

Seriously?!?!? This state has MUCH bigger issues than its name!!! How about high unemployment, outrageous taxes, government corruption...on and on! I say while we're voting AGAINST changing the name of the state, let's also vote against these clowns in the General Assembly who come up with these ridiculous referendum questions...get some people in there that might actually get something done about the REAL issues in this state!!! Changing the name is not going to change the past. Move on!

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Wednesday, Oct 28 at 8:44 AM WasteTime wrote ...

Couldn't they find something more important to debate, like the 12% un-employeement!?

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