Mississippi lawmaker: Change Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America

Guess it’s a slow day in Jackson:  Mississippi State Rep. Steve Holland, a Democrat, has introduced a bill calling for the part of the Gulf of Mexico that is bordered by Mississippi to be renamed the “Gulf of America.” The measure, known as HB 150 and introduced to the state House Marine Resources Committee, says ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.

Guess it's a slow day in Jackson

Guess it’s a slow day in Jackson

Mississippi State Rep. Steve Holland, a Democrat, has introduced a bill calling for the part of the Gulf of Mexico that is bordered by Mississippi to be renamed the “Gulf of America.”

The measure, known as HB 150 and introduced to the state House Marine Resources Committee, says the body of water will have its new name beginning July 1.

The bill doesn’t give any reason for the change, but one Latino Republican group is proposing changing the name of the Mississippi River in retaliation. 

Also, nobody tell Holland, who probably decorates his office with "American carpets" and refers to his highest quality dishware as "the good America," but arguing over Gulf nomenclature is a longtime Middle Eastern preoccupation.

HT: Nick Miroff

Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

Tag: Mexico

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