James Spann said he’s shortening the name for the Gulf of America – formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico until President Donald Trump pushed for the new name on his first day back in office.

“Most of us around here just call it ‘the Gulf,’” Spann, the chief meteorologist for ABC 33/40 in Birmingham, wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday. “Unfortunately, if we go beyond that it has now become political.

“I guarantee you I will slip from time to time and call it the ‘Gulf of Mexico,’” he added. “Understand I have been in this business for 47 years, and it has always been called that. Habits are hard to break.

“If that happens, please consider some grace and not spew vitriol.”

Last week, the U.S. House embraced the official renaming of the body of water, a move toward codifying President Trump’s executive order. It’s now on to the Senate.

The national push has been buoyed by a wave of legislative support sweeping through coastal states – except for Alabama and Mississippi, so far. In the Alabama Legislature, a bill recognizing the name change has yet to progress through the state Senate.

Spann asked for viewers to provide grace and “hold off on the anger and rage” as meteorologists and the National Weather Service adjust to the changes.

“Please consider kindness before attacking meteorologists for words or graphics that describe ‘the Gulf,’” Spann said. “We are just trying to forecast the weather and tell you when dangerous storms are coming.”

In his post, Spann added that he has no interest in politics.

“Seems like a decent percentage of people in the country have been turned into mindless lemmings (both left wing and right wing) that can’t think for themselves,” he said, “and are ready to hurl very harsh verbal attacks on any person that just might have a different opinion.”