West Virginia is a joke

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dad is a West Virginian. It's a beautiful state. I went to WVU and had the time of my life (and have a great career now).

But but but....for many years I've tried to defend it and have finally made peace with the fact that the stereotypes and negative impressions are mostly true. MTV's Buckwild was the last straw for me.

I'm in an interacial marriage. I would love to visit WV as I've heard some parts are truly beautiful, but I fear going there with my family.

*sigh* WV is not a racist place. There are lots of AAs, Hispanics and even Asians in WV.

So, if we went to the Appalachia we wouldn't get stared at, have racist comments thrown at us?

No more than you do around here. Now, if you try to find some snakecharming pentacostal church, then I'm not making any promises. But, dude, I grew up in WV and one of my family's closest family of friends was an interracial family. They didn't have issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dad is a West Virginian. It's a beautiful state. I went to WVU and had the time of my life (and have a great career now).

But but but....for many years I've tried to defend it and have finally made peace with the fact that the stereotypes and negative impressions are mostly true. MTV's Buckwild was the last straw for me.

I'm in an interacial marriage. I would love to visit WV as I've heard some parts are truly beautiful, but I fear going there with my family.

*sigh* WV is not a racist place. There are lots of AAs, Hispanics and even Asians in WV.

So, if we went to the Appalachia we wouldn't get stared at, have racist comments thrown at us?

White (non racist) person here: I wouldn't travel to WV if I were not white. They are very racist still. I hear racist phrases all the time that I've never heard in VA/DC.

Really? Where in WV do you go and hear these racist phrases? When were you there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in WV. you are perfectly safe going to West Virginia. No one is going to stare at you, we've all seen black people before. The only way you'll get comments is if you are rude to us first. If you smile and say hello, we will always be polite and friendly. If you are rude and gruff, we might very well put on the redneck show you're looking for just to entertain ourselves.

Black person here. I campaigned for John Kerry in WV back in the day. Yes the people are poor and vote against their own interest. However, for the vast majority of the people I spoke to, they were polite and friendly as they said repeatedly, "No, Bush is a God fearing man who will look after us, I'm voting for him". I did not feel fear as a Black person in what appeared to me as a strange land. I did feel despair because these people, both Black and White (Sorry, I did not encounter any Asians), were so poor and they were voting for someone who wanted to cut their financial resources and give a tax cut to the rich.

You do realize WV went to Kerry in the election?

Not true.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2004

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in WV. you are perfectly safe going to West Virginia. No one is going to stare at you, we've all seen black people before. The only way you'll get comments is if you are rude to us first. If you smile and say hello, we will always be polite and friendly. If you are rude and gruff, we might very well put on the redneck show you're looking for just to entertain ourselves.

Black person here. I campaigned for John Kerry in WV back in the day. Yes the people are poor and vote against their own interest. However, for the vast majority of the people I spoke to, they were polite and friendly as they said repeatedly, "No, Bush is a God fearing man who will look after us, I'm voting for him". I did not feel fear as a Black person in what appeared to me as a strange land. I did feel despair because these people, both Black and White (Sorry, I did not encounter any Asians), were so poor and they were voting for someone who wanted to cut their financial resources and give a tax cut to the rich.

Black person here. Went to W VA on a whim and was shocked by how friendly they were to us.

I hope that taught you to maybe not stereotype so much based on socioeconomic class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Glad to see posters here who are dispelling the stereotype of WV being cruel to blacks and other minorities.
Unfortunately, this is a stereotype being advanced by those with an agenda and those that want to marginalize the wonderful people of WV.
Everyone I have ever met from WV has been polite and kind. And, very concerned about their neighbors and friends.
And, I love the poster who pointed out that their priorities are not about money.
Some DCUM posters should take note.
There are more important things in life.

So, as an interracial couple/family, we wouldn't get rude stares/comments there?

No. But I will say this -- and I'm not accusing you personally of this -- oftentimes WV'ians (which includes me) expect better manners than the usual DC/Bethesda/Arlington type. There's a general "I'm too busy and important to be polite/friendly/respectful" vibe that comes with DC types often. To the extent that people may get some hard looks in WV, it may well be because they're using their DC manners. I very much doubt it would be because of race. I find that when I go back home and I'm still in "hurry and don't make eye contact" mode, it takes me a couple hours to readjust to being patient and friendly. And suddenly everyone's nicer to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, you gotta watch The Wild & Wonderful Whites of West Virginia, it will blow your DCUM mind. (The Whites refer to a family)

"I'm the sexy one of the family."

What blows my mind is that someone thinks reality television is a good way to learn about West Virginia. They don't make money by filming normal people.

Yep! And New Jersey is all like Jersey Shore. Should I be afraid someone's going to break a bottle over my head if I go to New Jersey????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lived in WV for a short period a few years ago. I think the most of the stereotypes are true. People there are largely uneducated/ignorant (but not all of them are rude) and places look like dump. A new theater built was advertised like a Disney theme park came to town. Pathetic!
There is no way in hell I would raise my kids in that kind of environment.

Interesting. No one wants you there, I'm sure, but my parents raised me in WV. I got a better education than my kids are currently getting in a "good" MCPS school, and I ended up at Harvard. So, yeah, it was hell. The kind of hell where you have a huge yard and a nice house, good friends, BBQ's on the weekends, beautiful outdoor places to camp and fish, and actually learn how to do stuff for yourself. It was essentially the "free range kids" paradise. I have friends who are still there (they're doctors, lawyers, business owners), and I'm jealous. If I could move my job there, I would raise my kids there in a heartbeat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lived in WV for a short period a few years ago. I think the most of the stereotypes are true. People there are largely uneducated/ignorant (but not all of them are rude) and places look like dump. A new theater built was advertised like a Disney theme park came to town. Pathetic!
There is no way in hell I would raise my kids in that kind of environment.

Interesting. No one wants you there, I'm sure, but my parents raised me in WV. I got a better education than my kids are currently getting in a "good" MCPS school, and I ended up at Harvard. So, yeah, it was hell. The kind of hell where you have a huge yard and a nice house, good friends, BBQ's on the weekends, beautiful outdoor places to camp and fish, and actually learn how to do stuff for yourself. It was essentially the "free range kids" paradise. I have friends who are still there (they're doctors, lawyers, business owners), and I'm jealous. If I could move my job there, I would raise my kids there in a heartbeat.

NP... it must depend on where you lived. What part did you grow up in PP? Maybe the more "city" area is not ignorant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dad is a West Virginian. It's a beautiful state. I went to WVU and had the time of my life (and have a great career now).

But but but....for many years I've tried to defend it and have finally made peace with the fact that the stereotypes and negative impressions are mostly true. MTV's Buckwild was the last straw for me.

I'm in an interacial marriage. I would love to visit WV as I've heard some parts are truly beautiful, but I fear going there with my family.

WV girl here. You do not need to be afraid of WV. There are parts of VA and MD that are far more racist than WV. Honestly, you should be much more afraid of many southern states. Are there some backwoods collections of freaks in the mountains? Sure. But that's true all over the place. Go to the Eastern panhandle, the northern panhandle, or near Charleston. It's fine.
I didn't see overt racism until I *left* WV and went to Boston. Seriously.

Well Boston is Boston; ever wonder why you see no blacks at a Red Sox game?

Exactly. But you don't see people on DCUM saying they fear taking their family to Boston. Because it's not cool. It's just cool to make ridiculous stereotypes of poor people. Nice.

Typically, urban cities tend not to be as racist because they are usually multi-ethnic, like LA, DC, NY, and I would include Boston.

I'm the "inter-racial relationship" poster. We have been to Boston, and never had an issue. The only reason I questioned WV is because of, yes, the stereotype that they are majority white and rural so they are not used to interracial couples ,and second, a friend of mine who is Hispanic, took a trip up there with some friends who were black and white, and they got stares and comments. OK, so that was one person's experience, but it did make me wonder.

Where in WV were there? And what kind of "comments" did they get? I'm not unable to believe there are racists there, because I'm pretty damn sure there are racists everywhere, but I've seen if anything less of it in WV than in other places I've been (Philly, DC, Boston). (FWIW, my husband is Hispanic, and we spend a lot of time w/ my family in WV. Over 14 years, never had a single issue. The only actually racist comment he's received in my presence was in L.A.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in WV. you are perfectly safe going to West Virginia. No one is going to stare at you, we've all seen black people before. The only way you'll get comments is if you are rude to us first. If you smile and say hello, we will always be polite and friendly. If you are rude and gruff, we might very well put on the redneck show you're looking for just to entertain ourselves.

I drove through WV on the way to KY once.

The first gas station we stopped at after crossing the MD border, there was a huge ass cross with a dude recreating the rebirth or christ or some shit.

my friend and I were the only non-whites to be seen for miles.

I was disturbed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in WV. you are perfectly safe going to West Virginia. No one is going to stare at you, we've all seen black people before. The only way you'll get comments is if you are rude to us first. If you smile and say hello, we will always be polite and friendly. If you are rude and gruff, we might very well put on the redneck show you're looking for just to entertain ourselves.

I drove through WV on the way to KY once.

The first gas station we stopped at after crossing the MD border, there was a huge ass cross with a dude recreating the rebirth or christ or some shit.

my friend and I were the only non-whites to be seen for miles.

I was disturbed.

Cool story bro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lived in WV for a short period a few years ago. I think the most of the stereotypes are true. People there are largely uneducated/ignorant (but not all of them are rude) and places look like dump. A new theater built was advertised like a Disney theme park came to town. Pathetic!
There is no way in hell I would raise my kids in that kind of environment.

Interesting. No one wants you there, I'm sure, but my parents raised me in WV. I got a better education than my kids are currently getting in a "good" MCPS school, and I ended up at Harvard. So, yeah, it was hell. The kind of hell where you have a huge yard and a nice house, good friends, BBQ's on the weekends, beautiful outdoor places to camp and fish, and actually learn how to do stuff for yourself. It was essentially the "free range kids" paradise. I have friends who are still there (they're doctors, lawyers, business owners), and I'm jealous. If I could move my job there, I would raise my kids there in a heartbeat.

Uhm sounds like WV is the most prosperous state in the nation.
Wonder why it's like a dump if everyone is so successful?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lived in WV for a short period a few years ago. I think the most of the stereotypes are true. People there are largely uneducated/ignorant (but not all of them are rude) and places look like dump. A new theater built was advertised like a Disney theme park came to town. Pathetic!
There is no way in hell I would raise my kids in that kind of environment.

Interesting. No one wants you there, I'm sure, but my parents raised me in WV. I got a better education than my kids are currently getting in a "good" MCPS school, and I ended up at Harvard. So, yeah, it was hell. The kind of hell where you have a huge yard and a nice house, good friends, BBQ's on the weekends, beautiful outdoor places to camp and fish, and actually learn how to do stuff for yourself. It was essentially the "free range kids" paradise. I have friends who are still there (they're doctors, lawyers, business owners), and I'm jealous. If I could move my job there, I would raise my kids there in a heartbeat.

NP... it must depend on where you lived. What part did you grow up in PP? Maybe the more "city" area is not ignorant?

Yes, I'm certain the proportion of educated people is higher where there are more jobs. But it is not the case that "uneducated" = "racist". I did not grow up near any "city". I grew up in the Eastern Panhandle, which is one of the more economically healthy parts. But so is the area around Morgantown and Charleston. I just think it's rather amazing the total lack of self-consciousness with which people decide to stereotype and dismiss broad swaths of people because of their economic status. Just completely arrogant. I've lived in DC, Boston, Philly, and some other places. I have a Harvard Law degree. I'm deeply unimpressed by many of my law school classmates. I grew up with many people far smarter than they are. Trust me, the big cities do not have a monopoly on intelligence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lived in WV for a short period a few years ago. I think the most of the stereotypes are true. People there are largely uneducated/ignorant (but not all of them are rude) and places look like dump. A new theater built was advertised like a Disney theme park came to town. Pathetic!
There is no way in hell I would raise my kids in that kind of environment.

Interesting. No one wants you there, I'm sure, but my parents raised me in WV. I got a better education than my kids are currently getting in a "good" MCPS school, and I ended up at Harvard. So, yeah, it was hell. The kind of hell where you have a huge yard and a nice house, good friends, BBQ's on the weekends, beautiful outdoor places to camp and fish, and actually learn how to do stuff for yourself. It was essentially the "free range kids" paradise. I have friends who are still there (they're doctors, lawyers, business owners), and I'm jealous. If I could move my job there, I would raise my kids there in a heartbeat.

Uhm sounds like WV is the most prosperous state in the nation.
Wonder why it's like a dump if everyone is so successful?

No one said everyone was so successful. They have a huge problem with a dying industry. But "no way in hell would you raise your kids there" makes you a fool. If you have an education, it's a great life there. In part because we don't have ignorant, arrogant, rude people like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lived in WV for a short period a few years ago. I think the most of the stereotypes are true. People there are largely uneducated/ignorant (but not all of them are rude) and places look like dump. A new theater built was advertised like a Disney theme park came to town. Pathetic!
There is no way in hell I would raise my kids in that kind of environment.

Interesting. No one wants you there, I'm sure, but my parents raised me in WV. I got a better education than my kids are currently getting in a "good" MCPS school, and I ended up at Harvard. So, yeah, it was hell. The kind of hell where you have a huge yard and a nice house, good friends, BBQ's on the weekends, beautiful outdoor places to camp and fish, and actually learn how to do stuff for yourself. It was essentially the "free range kids" paradise. I have friends who are still there (they're doctors, lawyers, business owners), and I'm jealous. If I could move my job there, I would raise my kids there in a heartbeat.

Uhm sounds like WV is the most prosperous state in the nation.
Wonder why it's like a dump if everyone is so successful?

No one said everyone was so successful. They have a huge problem with a dying industry. But "no way in hell would you raise your kids there" makes you a fool. If you have an education, it's a great life there. In part because we don't have ignorant, arrogant, rude people like you.

You sound like too sensitive and lack of security. Have you graduated from Marshall University yet?