I live in Virginia for 17 plus years... [View all]
My entire time there, I always felt safe and secure as a person of color. The state really is a place where all kinds of cultures and races are welcome and can live together in peace. It's a state with open arms all of the time.
It's home to one of the largest immigrant communities in the country, it's unofficial motto is "Virginia is for lovers," it's a place where anyone, no matter who you are, can find a home. All of this is possible because Virginia has the largest population of Federal employees in the entire country and is also home to one the largest population of military members in the country.
It has prestigious universities and a well educated population. It's a state with a high livability factor, both culturally and economically.
All in all, I still consider Virginia my second home. And in spite of the fact of its Confederate history, attitude wise, collectively it's about as far away from a Confederate mindset as you can get. It's far from backward. When I spent a few months in Alabama for temporary duty, the comparisons weren't hard to see.
I just saw the vid the racist rally organizer being ran out of town... THAT is the Virginia that I know and love. They have no time for this bullshit. The racists fucksticks miscalculated and they lost badly. I'm so very sorry that lives were lost because of them. From the anti-racist protester, Heather Heyer, to the two VA State Troopers Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen & Berke Bates, it was a shame that they all lost their lives because of those racist fucksticks.
I'm proud of how all Virginians, from Gov. McAuliffe on down to ordinary citizens, fought hard and held out against white supremacist terrorism. They all deserve our gratitude and support.
May the rest of us follow their example.
FDT.
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