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.

And yet the boy, Gandy, who died was one hell of an entrepreneur re: candy. He worked hard but playing hard killed him

Anonymous wrote:Not the University, but the state itself. Did you know that 75% of the population is on welfare??? Jesus Christ, its like those people don't even try to get a damn job. If not for Mississippi, WV would be the worst and poorest state in the union.

Shhh! It's a red state.

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.

+1 Many people don't realize it but its true with many cultures - if you project an attitude based on stereotypes toward people they (GASP!!) will not smile and shake your hand and go out of their way to disprove your prejudiced assumptions they're going to frown and be unfriendly and treat you like the idiot you are.

I have nothing to add other than I love West Virginia and I love West Virginians, even if I frequently disagree with them politically.

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Anonymous wrote:The war on coal.

They need to diversify, figure out some other way to create jobs, not just lament days gone by when coal was king. And the irony is that they mostly vote Republican, known for cutting welfare.

For a looooooong time, Democrats ran the state. Joe Manchin, Earl Ray Tomblin, Jay Rockefeller aren't exactly Repubs, even though 2 of them sort of lean that way.

Let's not forget Bobby Byrd, former top appropriator when earmarks ruled Washington. This wasn't a state starving for funds, just lacked the will and opportunity.

Unions. Democrat policies.

They should charge no state taxes for corporations and bring in Delaware style corporate law. They would be a USA Hong Kong.

Anonymous wrote:Not the University, but the state itself. Did you know that 75% of the population is on welfare??? Jesus Christ, its like those people don't even try to get a damn job. If not for Mississippi, WV would be the worst and poorest state in the union.

Do some research. That 75% figure is completely inaccurate.

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.

Hey, my tax dollars are making sure those people don't end up on the street. The least they could do is get a job. Doesn't have to be at a fortune 500 company, but at least find some work.

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.

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?

Not the PP, but its WV, what do you think would happen?

Anonymous wrote:Not the University, but the state itself. Did you know that 75% of the population is on welfare??? Jesus Christ, its like those people don't even try to get a damn job. If not for Mississippi, WV would be the worst and poorest state in the union.

Highly skeptical of this figure. Certainly I would expect a higher percentage than much of the rest of the country but 3/4 of the population? I doubt it. I've just googled it and I'm having difficulty finding a stat of the sort you've published, OP.

On another note, I noticed that you just assumed that the problem is with people who don't want to get jobs. You're assuming the jobs are there to get. I think you're a little naive about the isolation of rural poverty. I'm sure there are deadbeats just like anywhere else who don't want to work but I'm confident that there are also a lot of people who would love to have a job but there's nothing near them and they don't have a car. These people have enough problems without the snobs on DCUM looking down on them.

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?

Anonymous wrote:Did you know that 75% of the population is on welfare???

What is the source for that statistic?

Anonymous wrote:The war on coal.

False.

1. Coal mining jobs have been declining for 30 years, mostly due to automation.




2. The West has found cheaper coal and lower sulfur coal. Good old capitalistic competition.



3. West Virginia has mined all of the easy to reach coal.

4. Natural Gas is DIRT CHEAP.