New York transplants asking about the general politics of the DC area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richmond needs to end it's ties with Philip Morris

Like others have said, there's a strong nanny state/"I want to control what you do because I know better than you" element in this area. This post is case-in-point.

As an LGTBQ family, you will feel very welcomed here (I'm LGBTQ too). You're unlikely to have anyone in your face complaining about you, but some older black residents in older neighborhoods might not be embracing you with open arms (I say that from personal experience; most are awesome but some are just not very accepting). However, nobody under 40 in any area around here will care that you are gay. LGBTQ people here are very visible and most straight people are extremely affirming and supportive.

The biggest thing that I can add to the great posts in this thread is that in the District, most residents are disengaged in local politics except for NIMBY matters. Crime and corruption barely register a blip but remove a tree and the wrath of the community comes out in full force. It's weird but a byproduct of the transience and that many people living here are more invested in national-level matters that they came here to work on. There's a lot of liberal guilt in this area that honestly challenges my own liberalism. I live in a neighborhood with a lot of older people who have strong activist traits. They are the kind people who go to every public water board meeting, every ANC meeting, ever liquor license review. Nobody I know under 70 does that.

Don't let anyone worry you about Virginia. Northern Virginia is extremely diverse and highly educated. Even Richmond has a very lively LGBTQ community. The only backwards people in Virginia live far away in the sticks and don't have much clout in political issues anymore.

So true and interesting! Add schools to the list with the trees.

I actually disagree with part of this. I've lived in DC for a very long time. In the city. I love local politics. I think one of the reasons that people don't really get involved is that the media here totally focuses on national politics and it's hard to be engaged in local politics. I remember when you could not wait until the Thursday metro section because it was thick with so much local news. Now - it's pathetic! The Washington City Paper is a tiny version of its former self. The Washingtonian magazine has always been a joke, but is worse now.

PP here and I agree that local news coverage is very weak, but I still believe that most people are unusually disengaged in local political manners. I've lived in many places but this is the only place where my diverse circle of friends seem to have literally no idea of what's going on in their own backyard. But, many of them can talk your ear off about insurgence in Syria...