A group of fourth graders in Glen Burnie, Maryland, were surprised by some lyrics in "Maryland, My Maryland," the state's official song. They exercised their civic duty, writing a letter of protest to legislators. Now, they may see their request become law, as the Maryland house of delegates considers a bill to alter the lyrics.
Spurning "the Northern scum" is no longer politically correct, it seems, in the onetime border state between North and South. The song's lyrics, from a poem by James Ryder Randall, were written in 1861 to express anger at Union troops maching in Baltimore. Though never a Confederate state, Maryland was home to some slaveholders and Confederate sympathizers, and did not outlaw slavery until 1864.
Del. Pamela Beidle, a Democrat from Linthicum, introduced the bill (pdf) on Friday in the
Maryland House to change the lyrics of the state song to pay tribute to Maryland
rather than express "Confederate sympathies."
The proposed rewrites don't please everyone, however.
"I hate it when parts of our history are pushed aside for political
correctness," said Jane Durden, the president general of the Daughters of the Confederacy, expressing her artistic differences with the new lyrics to the Capital News Service.
Below are the current lyrics in full (skip to the end for the "northern scum"):
Maryland My Maryland
By James Ryder Randall
The despot's heel is on thy shore,
Maryland, My Maryland!
His torch is at thy temple door,
Maryland, My 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 Maryland!
My Mother State! to thee I kneel,
Maryland, My 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, My Maryland!
Thy beaming sword shall never rust,
Maryland, My 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, My Maryland!
Come with thy panoplied array,
Maryland, My 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, My Maryland!
Come! for thy dalliance does thee wrong,
Maryland, My Maryland!
Come! to thine own heroic throng,
Stalking with Liberty along,
And give a new Key to thy song,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Dear Mother! burst the tyrant's chain,
Maryland, My Maryland!
Virginia should not call in vain!
Maryland, My Maryland!
She meets her sisters on the plain-
"Sic semper!" 'tis the proud refrain
That baffles minions back amain,
Maryland! My Maryland!
I see the blush upon thy cheek,
Maryland, My Maryland!
For thou wast ever bravely meek,
Maryland, My Maryland!
But lo! There surges forth a shriek
From hill to hill, from creek to creek-
Potomac calls to Chesapeake,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Thou wilt not yield the vandal toll,
Maryland, My Maryland!
Thou wilt not crook to his control,
Maryland, My 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, My Maryland!
The Old Line's bugle, fife, and drum,
Maryland, My 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!
Maryland: Still a little bit Confederate
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