The Wall Street Journal thinks there’s a vote today in someplace called “Carolina.” Good thing I know reporters have nothing to do with headlines. Because Valerie Bauerlein, who’s name is on this story, knows better.
As for the copy desk up there, lemme ‘splain: There’s no such place. Occasionally you’ll hear such a mythical land referred to, but only when you’re in that hermaphroditic city, Charlotte. It’s metropolitan area straddles two entirely different states, states that have little to do with each other politically — we’re no more alike that other state than we are Georgia, and no one accuses us of that.
So, rather than refer to both states, folks in that market say “Carolina.” But down here, it’s not a place we know.
Down here, we have a greater sense of place than that. We don’t want to be mistaken for North Carolina, and I’m quite confident they don’t want to be mistaken for us.
OK?
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If I may – SC to Media: Enough Already! I’ve lost track of the times during the run up to this primary I’ve heard our state referred to as NC, Spartanburg called “Spartansburg,” the o dropped from Carolina by “cute” non-natives and of course the lazily generic Carolina. Today reporters have been asking why we moved the capital from Charleston to Columbia. Forget the history books, I have the real answer. We did it to keep every 21st century political correspondent in the country from getting a trip to Charleston on the company dime.
Several weeks ago, I heard a Fox News radio broadcast where they said Governot Beverly Perdue announced her support for Mitt Romney.
Beverly Perdue? Who’s she? I had to Google her name. Oh, she’s a Democrate and governor of North Carolina.
Major fail for Fox News confusing SC Governot Nikki Haley (R) with NC Governor Beverly Perdue (D)
I’ve been advocating for years that we leave our past behind, and drop the “South” from our state’s name. It would move NC into the lesser Carolina status (i.e. VA/WV) and strengthen our hand when recruiting foreign investment and new businesses. It would also create an instant business boom for cartographers, return address label and check printers, license plate makers, collegiate licensed apparel makers, etc. etc. etc.