The rampaging hordes of the politically correct are at it again! This time it is a group of highly offended fourth graders asking that Maryland change the lyrics of its state song Maryland, My Maryland. Specifically, they want the verses that make mention of spurning “Northern Scum” changed to something more palatable to their young sensibilities. The progressive tykes even managed to draft a letter to their representatives asking them to change the song. Apparently, the grade school vote is particularly strong this year because a bill to change the song was introduced last Friday.

     The poem that later became the state’s official song was written in 1861 as an urge for Maryland to secede and join the Southern Confederacy. It was written by a Marylander by the name of James Randall who at the time was teaching in Louisiana. Randall penned the poem after a close friend was killed in the Baltimore Riots. The riots occurred at the beginning of the war in protest of the movement of Federal troops through the city, which was heavily pro-Confederate. The poem was soon set to the tune of “O Christmas Tree” and became immensely popular in Maryland and the rest of the South. It was adopted as the official state song in 1939. While Maryland never joined the Confederacy there was a large portion of the state’s population that supported the Southern Cause. This Confederate sympathy is the root cause of the proposed change.

    Delegate Pamela Beidle who is a Democrat introduced the bill to change the current lyrics to those of another poem called “Maryland, My Maryland” by John T. White which was written in 1894. The new lyrics devote much attention to Maryland’s natural characteristics, especially it’s “Wooded Hills” and “Gushing rills” but is devoid of any nasty and unimportant things like history and mention of Maryland’s heroes of the Mexican war. Those things were deemed far too dangerous to expose to our impressionable 21^st century youth.

     Instead of using this opportunity to suggest that, the state’s educators should actually try teaching the youngsters about the state’s past; Ms. Beidle decided she would rather just appease the rug rats who took the time between recess and snack time to write about their concerns. I for one am glad that Maryland’s legislators have time to worry about things like erasing history and sanitizing their state song in between bouts of dealing with the state’s predicted $513 million dollar budget deficit. Rest assured Marylanders your state’s fiscal stewardship and children’s education is in safe hands.

Webmaster – GoodOldRebel.com

Maryland, My Maryland

lyrics by James Randall

The despot’s heel 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!

Hark to an exiled son’s appeal, Maryland!
My mother State! to thee I kneel, Maryland!
For life and death, for woe and weal, Thy peerless chivalry reveal,
And gird they beauteous limbs with steel, Maryland! My Maryland!

Thou wilt not cower in the dust, Maryland!
Thy beaming sword shall never rust, Maryland!
Remember Carroll’s sacred trust, Remember Howard’s warlike thrust,-
And all they slumberers with the just, Maryland! My Maryland!

Come! ’tis the red dawn of the day, Maryland!
Come with thy panoplied array, Maryland!
With Ringgold’s spirit for the fray, With Watson’s blood at Monterey,
With fearless Lowe and dashing May, Maryland! My Maryland!

Come! for thy shield is bright and strong, Maryland!
Come! for thy dalliance does thee wrong, Maryland!
Come to thine own heroic throng, Stalking with Liberty along,
And chaunt thy dauntless slogan song, 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 again, Maryland! My Maryland!

I see the blush upon thy cheek, Maryland!
For thou wast ever bravely meek, Maryland!
But lo! there surges forth a shriek From hill to fill, from creek to creek-
Potomac calls to Chesapeake, 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!
She breathes! she burns! she’ll come! she’ll come! Maryland! My Maryland!