When I was in fourth grade I learned that Rhode Island is the smallest state with the longest name and the shortest motto. Our name was officially “the state of Rhode Island and providence plantations” I used to take pride in the longest name part, only because

I thought it was cool. I now take pride in the states steps to change with the times. In the last 400ish years the word plantations has taken on a meaning not necessarily meant by our founders. I believe they’d be proud of us for changing it to reflect modern day

So as the state takes the steps to remove providence plantations from its name, I feel a tinge sad that I can no longer gloat about having the longest name. But having the longest name is a dumb reason to keep words with racist connotations in it.

Someone (who I don’t want to tag because I feel weird tagging an old dude on my stan Twitter) put it best when he said the swastika had spiritual meaning, until the nazis took it and made it the symbol of hate we know it to be now.

If a state had a swastika on its flag prior to hitler’s creation of the nazis, you bet your ass they would’ve removed it as soon as it became associated in such a way.

This begs the question of why didn’t Rhode Island remove plantations from its name when the word became strongly associated with slavery, especially after slavery was abolished.

The more I think about this comparison, the more I’m upset with the states leaders for not making such a necessary anti racist change awhile ago. As I write this thread that tinge of sadness I mentioned has faded away. Just goes to show the work that still needs to be done.