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January 22, 2009 04:34 PM

Why is using "PG" for Prince Georges County, MD, negative when it seems that DC and LA are not negative?

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January 23, 2009 04:00 PM
I would suggest it's a question of economics. Prince Georges County is in close proximity to the poorer sections of DC, has high crime rates (Total Crime Risk is 1.62 times the national average - WashPost), high foreclosure rates, and poor graduation rates. DC doesn't have a ghetto per se, perhaps PG subs for "ghetto"? YMMV
Source(s):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/local-explorer/map?scheme=crime&am...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/metro/md/princegeorges/index.h...



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January 22, 2009 06:09 PM
I don't think I fully understand the context of the question, but what comes immediately to mind is that in movie ratings, "PG" means "parental guidance". It is not exactly positive to suggest that a particular town or county requires parental guidance.

There's a similar case up in Massachusetts in the city of Lynn, famed in the rhyme "Lynn, Lynn, city of sin, you never come out the way you went in." It's cute, it's funny, but over the years there've been plenty of people trying to make the case that "city of sin" is not what they'd like to be called.


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May 07, 2009 05:08 AM
The sensitivity to the use of "PG" for Prince George's County, Maryland comes from several current county council members, including Chair M. Bland and ex-chair S. Dean. The County has an inferiority complex when it comes to neighboring Montgomery County and Anne Arundel County. The schools are better there, more businesses invest, etc. PG County has gotten very bad press due to its out of control police department, which is being federally investigated, and which has paid many settlements over recent years to victimized people. So the County leadership is trying to restore its image. And they've latched on to the PG thing, as if to say the full name somehow changes the reality. It has gotten so absurd that recently (April 2009) M. Bland interrupted several distinguished speakers at a hearing to tell them to use the full name of this county.

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