Saturday, August 19, 2006

Way Too Richmond; Way Too Virginian

Years ago our beloved weekly magazine Style Weekly hosted an annual contest called "You Are Very Richmond." The magazine invited submissions on what defined our community - good, bad, and otherwise. I almost won twenty years ago. Actually, I did win but when they discovered I had submitted it, I was disqualified. (My mom worked there at the time.) I'm still healing.

I had two You Are Very Richmond moments this week.

ONE: A woman said to me, "So, you are from Richmond. Where'd you go to school?"

And I proudly replied, "Fox."

YOU ARE VERY RICHMOND IF YOU CLAIM FOX ELEMENTARY AS YOUR ALMA MATER BEFORE UVA OR WILLIAM AND MARY.

TWO: I was reading the editorial page responses to the George Allen "Macaca Debaca". As people attacked him for his comments, his sorry excuses for apology via "explanation", and his cowboy boots (the only part of him I've ever liked), several closed their withering comments with derision over his birthplace.

YOU ARE VERY RICHMOND IF GEORGE ALLEN'S BIGOTRY OFFENDS YOU SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE FACT THAT HE WAS BORN IN... GASP... CALIFORNIA!

Proving yet again that round these parts you can live here for decades, serve as governor, represent us on Capitol Hill, but if you weren't born here... you ain't one of us.

1 comment:

Chalicechick said...

Damn right.

CC
Haycock Elementary in McLean