Correcting a misconception

So, Joey makes a pretty common mistake in this post. Where he says this,

"Going south of the Mason-Dixon line is sometimes like going back in time a hundred years."

Now, as someone who was born and raised in Maryland, I must take some exception to the phrase. See, what Joey really meant to say was the Potomac River, not the Mason-Dixon line.

The Mason-Dixon line seperates Maryland from Pennsylvania, the Potomac river seperates Maryland from Virginia. DC, btw, is on the northern side of the Potomac. The Potomac was the dividing line during the Civil War, and while Maryland is technically below the Mason, it's not really part of the South.

A few facts to prove my point:

1) Untill this last election, Maryland has had a Democrat as govenor since Agnew left the office. Hell, our last Lt. Govenor was a Kennedy for christ's sake!

2) DC was one of the first cities in the country to elect an African-American mayor.

3) DC is also the place where gogo was born. And is home to the legendary DC punk scene. Including such bands as Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Fugazi, The Make Up, Jawbox, The Dismembermant Plan, and a whole slew of other great bands (it also must be noted that Black Flag didn't really hit it's stride untill they hired DC native, Henry Rollins for vocals. I blame the rest of Rollins' carrear on living in LA) Not to mention Dischord Records

4) The first time I ever saw, future mayor of Baltimore, Martin O'Malley, his band, O'Malley's March, was opening up for Shane MacGowan, of The Pogues fame. So, OK, his band is a bit light for my tastes, and they ALWAYS open for Shane when he plays Baltimore (it's getting old) but name me another mayor who can boast opening for the legendary Shane? (And for Joey, O'Malley's March does indeed include an accordion player.)

So, please, in the future, don't lump Maryland in with the rest of the Southern states. Thanks. :)

Of course, even Marylander's are not immune to this mistake. Years ago the Baltimore band, Lake Trout used to play an instrumental called Mason Dixon. When a friend and I asked about the song title, their drummer told us that they named it that because people below the Mason Dixon didn't seem to like it. He felt kind of dumb when informed that we were in fact below the Mason Dixon. :)

And of course, this is all in good fun. Hell, I even find myself currently living on the bad side of the Potomac (Northern Virginia). Course I'm moving back to Maryland as soon as I can. It's kind of like a NY/NJ kind of relationship. :)

Posted by Matt at May 2, 2003 12:25 PM