Stereotypes. The mere mention of the word will send both sides of the aisle ducking for cover. Despite a wide-spread attempt to equate stereotyping with legitimate crime -- an undertaking whose ethicality is left up to the reader -- there's no denying that many people still expect certain things from certain groups.
Take Texas, for example. The general assumption is that most Texans are flag-wavin', beef-lovin', gun-totin' cowboys whose state is as red as the stripes on Old Glory! Meanwhile, a common view of California residents is that everyone is a clean green vegetarian with a Prius and a socialist streak. While millions from both states defy these labels, every state has one.
What about Maryland? Maryland is associated with three things: the Chesapeake Bay, seafood, and government. Yes, the Old Line State is thought to have a government for the government, by the government, and is stacked right up there with Massachusetts and New York. This truth is disappointing when one considers the history of Maryland.
Maryland was one of the first colonies to draft laws of religious liberty in 1649, and had its own Annapolis Tea Party in 1774. During the Revolutionary War, a group of 400 brave Marylanders gave their lives as the "Maryland Line", hence the nickname "Old Line State," so Washington and his army could escape the British. Maryland was also the first to call for a convention of states in 1786 that led to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, and the seventh state to sign that constitution. Maryland is home to Fort McHenry, the inspiration for the Star Spangled Banner, as well as ground zero for some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, in which it remained loyal to the Union despite being south of the Mason-Dixon line.
All of this and more make up the history of the Free State, and yet some argue that such a moniker is no longer appropriate because Maryland's representation has become practically non-existent. To illustrate, consider the voting districts of Kentucky:
Or Arizona:
Or Minnesota:
Now, compare Maryland:
Due to this intense "gerrymandering", many Marylanders now find their vote to be rendered practically useless, vastly overruled by others in an entirely different county, with entirely different lifestyles and beliefs. This also makes dislodging Congressmen incredibly difficult, as challenging candidates have to travel for hours all over their contorted districts to speak with voters, a task that requires plenty of time and plenty of money. This, of course, was the plan all along. Those district lines are drawn by career politicians from both sides who will do anything to keep tight hold of their wealth and your voice.
All this adds up to a warped, misunderstood view of Maryland by the rest of the union. They say we're a lost cause, that we're too far gone, too swamped by the Swamp. It's time to change that. It's time to put boots on the ground, the same ground that Revolutionary forces walked upon in 1776! This state was a leader in the founding of the United States of America, and it should be a leader in the resurrection of America! If the citizens of the Free State stood up and compelled their legislators to pass the Convention of States Resolution, Maryland would take back her rightful place as a beacon of patriotism and liberty in this nation. So when they say that Maryland will never call a convention of states, we must look them in the eye and say, "You watch us rise."
