With a significant amount of attention being directed at South Carolina's flying of the offensive, racist and traitorous Confederate Rebel Flag over the state capitol, it's also an appropriate time for those in other states to reflect on themselves and clean up any lingering Confederate nastiness.
Here in Maryland, where, at least currently, we still issue Confederate flags, thanks to the Sons of Confederate Veterans, on our license plates, and here in Baltimore City where we still have a park named after the traitor Robert E. Lee, we also have an official state song that is pretty fucked up too.
While the whole of the song is pretty messed up and we should probably scrap it, we at the VERY LEAST need to fix these Confederacy-sympathizing lyrics in our official state song immediately.
The despot's heel [Lincoln] is on thy shore,
Maryland!
His torch is at thy temple door,
Maryland!
Avenge the patriotic gore
That flecked the streets of Baltimore,
And be the battle queen of yore,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Dear Mother! burst the tyrant's chain,
Maryland!
Virginia should not call in vain,
Maryland!
She meets her sisters on the plain-
"Sic semper!" 'tis the proud refrain
That baffles minions back amain,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Thou wilt not yield the Vandal toll,
Maryland!
Thou wilt not crook to his control,
Maryland!
Better the fire upon thee roll,
Better the blade, the shot, the bowl,
Than crucifixion of the soul,
Maryland! My Maryland!
I hear the distant thunder-hum,
Maryland!
The Old Line's bugle, fife, and drum,
Maryland!
She is not dead, nor deaf, nor dumb-
Huzza! she spurns the Northern scum!
I vote we should dump the whole song for a new one, and I recommend Starbuck's "Moonlight Feels Right."
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