West Virginia is a joke

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Gee, OP, so do you have any useful ideas for how to help WV citizens improve their lives or did you just come on here to blast a particular state?

Let's please keep in mind that this state has historically been basically run by the natural resource (read: coal) companies who employ a huge percentage of workers in the state. Literally, donations by the coal companies have governed elected officials' actions, while the state itself has been decimated by the environmental ramifications of mining coal. We're talking toxic water and groundwater, major flooding that occurs in valleys (where the population is) due to mountaintop removal coal mining, terrible air pollution due to emissions from coal burning (not to mention the enormous percentage of ex-miners who now have black lung) and companies seizing private land, all so you can keep your lights on at night.

Here's a suggestion: DIVERSIFY YOUR ECONOMY and actually INVEST in your people. Something is wrong when 3/4 of your state cashes a check by the gov't every 2 weeks.

Newsflash - One third of people nationwide are receiving some kind of government assistance. WV is not alone in having people reliant on the government.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/08/29/census-figures-show-more-than-one-third-americans-receiving-welfare-benefits/

Newly released Census data reveals nearly 110 million Americans – more than one-third of the country – are receiving government assistance of some kind.

The number counts people receiving what are known as “means-tested” federal benefits, or subsidies based on income. This includes welfare programs ranging from food stamps to subsidized housing to the program most commonly referred to as “welfare,” Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

This is about WV not the USA. Try to stay on topic.

Stay on topic?! You mean encourage someone with the intelligence of the OP who writes off an entire state as a joke?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just because you got a law degree from Harvard State University, doesn't mean you went to Harvard Law. Anybody can start a bullshit college online these days.

Go to bed, son. Your idiocy is showing.

[Anonymous]

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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.

Why didn't you go to WVU? Isn't that where all of the smart kids in WV go to?

Did you go to your state U? IF not, does that mean your state is a shithole? I went to a college that was a better fit for me than WVU. But many of my friends (and my dad) did go to WVU. They're doctors and lawyers, like I said. They work less than 40 hours per week and make $300k and buy houses bigger than my $1.2 mln house for $300k.
Does that mean that WV doesn't have huge economic problems? No. It sure as hell does. And we ought to be fixing them (and believe it or not, there are people trying to), but it's a "shithole" full of racists? That's just stupid.

Harvard law graduate making less than 300k and buying a 1.2m house?

[Anonymous]

Montani Semper Liberi

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Montani Semper Liberi

I doubt even 1% of the WV population are literate enough to understand it.

[Anonymous]

I used to be on faculty at WVU's b-school.
What amazed me was that almost half of a business quant class had no idea on how to solve a simple equation with one unknown, which my 9-year old son can easily do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Montani Semper Liberi

I doubt even 1% of the WV population are literate enough to understand it.

I think it's interesting that blatant stereotyping of places like WV is still widely accepted. I'm from the DC area but went to school at WVU; I had excellent test scores and other options but I liked the school. I got a full ride to an excellent graduate program after graduation, so it didn't seem to harm me. The people I met from WV were generally significantly nicer than the folks I find in the DC area. Certainly nicer than me! Obviously there are some ignorant and racist people there, but that could be said of any place.

[Anonymous]

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????

[off-topic]Just dropping by to mention than the vast majority of the Jersey Shore cast was not from New Jersey.

Carry on.[/off-topic]

[Anonymous]

Liberals just love to hate working class Whites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Montani Semper Liberi

I doubt even 1% of the WV population are literate enough to understand it.

Every West Virginian knows this, dude. It is pounded into us the way snobbery was pounded into you since birth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Liberals just love to hate working class Whites.

it's because they need to check their privilege

[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. You see tons of interracial couples in the south!

- A southerner

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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. You see tons of interracial couples in the south!

- A southerner

The PP has asked this question about four times in four different ways in this thread. Just tell her yes - because she expects it and will report that she did get rude stares and comments. What she will not realize is it's because what she was giving off, not because of race.

[Anonymous]

Went there on a business trip in 2004. Scenery absolutely beautiful, cute college towns.

But but but...as everyone already stated...look, I'm from the 3rd world country. I wasn't expecting to see such poverty and downright dereliction there. This was clearly a state that was hurting for help. People I encountered outside of college towns were uniformly friendly but looked like they came from another universe with different expectations...obese, poor teeth, smoking habits I haven't seen outside of the Middle East. It's really a different world out there. We have no idea how they live.

[Anonymous]

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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.

I'm from WV and grew up in WV. Some of the most racist slang terms I heard weren't until i moved out of WV when I was 24 yo and they were coming from my Pittsburgh boyfriend.