What’s Wrong With “Ward 9″?
In a story about Prince George's County's emergence as the top producer of basketball talent in the country -- Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, every worthy Hoya and scads of other blue chippers came out of PG -- I called the county "Ward 9."
That's a nickname for the county I'd heard forever -- it's been showing up in City Paper stories for at least 13 years. But a reader going by "Mos82" ranted in the comments section that nobody who actually lives there dares use "Ward 9," and that referencing the county as another DC neighborhood is insulting.
I meant no disrespect. But, a simple Google search would have revealed that Mos82 ain't the only one bothered: The Urban Dictionary calls "Ward 9" a "derogatory reference" to PG.
I thought PG enjoyed being thought of as part of the city: I don't remember hearing any county natives complaining about the Washington Redskins, Washington Capitals, Washington Bullets using the city's name while calling PG home.
And even one of the top AAU teams mentioned in the story, the PG-based DC Assault, wears its ties to the city on its chest.
But it appears I was wrong. So, why so touchy, county people?
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9:48 am
I once heard Rep. Albert Wynn himself refer to the area as Ward 9.
11:43 am
Many PG residents are touchy about being DC Government employees but living in suburban PG.
Many PG boosters don't like being linked to contiguous but crime-heavy Wards 7 and 8.
When in NYC and LA, all PG residents say they are "from DC." Go figure.
12:26 pm
I say, "I live in Prince George's County, just outside D.C."
It's just a bit of civic pride at work--if you like where you live, you don't want it to be dismissed as a mere appendage to some other place.
12:59 pm
I also know that, for some reason, "PG" itself is offensive to some Prince George's residents. In fact, I know that at the Post it's forbidden to use "PG" unless it's in a quote.
2:12 pm
Yeah, ditto on what Steve said. I think the reason people object is that it's such a big county, and what happens in, say, Suitland, has about as much to do with Greenbelt as it does with Alexandria. So when all the problems of the county get wrapped up into "PG County", residents get touchy. I guess I can see their point, but I think they're being oversensitive and are more venting about the problems of the county, not the way it's called.
But when it comes to Ward 9: as I've understood the term, it has meant to reference the population of the county (primarily the ex-DC residents) who try to exert control over the politics of DC, despite the fact they don't live there (e.g., church double-parkers, anytime the issue of DC government employees comes up period). So I think the term is meant to communicate the inapropriate influence P.G. County residents and politicos have over DC affairs (and finances). So when it's used correctly, it is derisive, but necessarily so.
When it's used to describe a bunch of basketball players, it doesn't make sense at best.
7:23 pm
Perhaps those that live on the borders (meaning they can step 5 ft. across the street into either jurisdiction) may not mind that term.
But for the "Black Elite" living below the line of De-snob-ation that starts at Hampton Mall (for us old school residents)and moves down Central Ave. to Woodmore and beyond, that term negates their 'comeuppance'. After all, those are the same folks that voted for Al Wynn and Geechi Jack Johnson...I'd bet they would rather have AD for Mayor NOW rather than either of those two seeing how he and Rhee are making moves to eliminate 30 plus years of ineptitude and cronyism in the DC government.