hagerstown? (Frederick, Rockville: living in, professionals, price)

[treegirl17]

What is hagerstown like? I'm planning on moving there in the summer. I'm 18 and I want to take a few classes while working at the post office. I'm low mantince girl and not a lot makes me happy. if i have a pc, tv, food, and heat. im okay.

so is it a good city to live in or should i just move back to jersey?
my dad says that town is racist. is it true?

[chipmunk226]

I am mixed and my husband is AA and we've never experienced any racism out here. We both moved here from Philly and experienced more racism there then in Hagerstown.

But everyone has there own experiences. There are those who SEEK out racism. They assume that b/c they are different then the majority that anything could happen and they would say "oh, they must be b/c i'm _________" fill in the blank. IMO

[UrbanWatchDog]

First of all the town is much more diverse than it was when I moved here in 1998. At that time you didn't see any Hispanics at all and you didn't see a lot of Black people as you rode through downtown-unless you turned on Jonathan St. The new breed of Whites that have moved in are a little more progressive in their thinking-but most of the old breed, ie, born and raised there and never left are very racist-not all-but the vast majority are very narrow minded. It's almost like they're stuck in a 1950's time warp that never progressed. The town is certainly not as diverse or open minded as it's neighbor Frederick. Most of the Whites in Hagerstown would probably say they are not racist but use the N-word relentlessly when referring to Black people and constantly use Black-racist jokes and think that it's an innocuous act. I am so grateful that so many more educated Whites have moved into the area-and as that "old breed' slowly dies out and more educated Blacks and Hispanics and Whites move in-it will become a great place to live.

[westsideboy]

Let's see, the bigoted attitude of the natives towards others is offensive and reproachable, but the attitude that the families that have lived in the community for generations need to "die out" and be replaced by suburbanites and minorities is not only acceptable it is encouraged. Essentially you are advocated cultural genocide. What about educating, providing more economic opportunties, and interacting with the natives to help win them over to your point of view. I guess it is easier to flood and price them out with subdevelopments and Washingtonians than it is interact with them.

UrbanWatchDog, this is exactly the kind of attitude that makes natives so suspicious and unwelcoming of newcomers. When you move to a new area, you need to accept that fact that there are families that have been in the community for generations, that have their own way of life and their own believes. Should you stand up against injustice when you see it? Of course. Should you use your education and perspective for positive purposes to better everyone in the community? Of course. But hoping for the elimination of the natives that make communities unique and special while advocating their replacement by surbanites makes you guilty of the same kind of lack of bigotry you seem to find in others.

[cutgarden]

Westsideboy, right there is a money post! Hating on people because of their racial views is fundamentally the same as hating on someone because of their religious or political views.

[Katie1]

I have lived in the area for 32 yrs & the only race remarks I have ever heard is the narrow mindness of people on this forum!! There are more mix raced kids and adults in the area than people on here want to admit...no one has ever discrimanated against them!! Welcome to Hagerstown treegirl!!

[Mont. Co. Princess]

Is the area becoming more like Montgomery County in terms of more educated, white collar professionals or is it overwhelmingly working class?

If anyone living in Hagerstown commutes to Montgomery County (Rockville area) during rush hour, how long does it take?

[UrbanWatchDog]

Racism of any kind is wrong and not in keeping with god. Continue to be racist if you will, you'll have to answer to god at the end of your earthly life.

[UrbanWatchDog]

How does racist attitudes make a community unique and special ?

[westsideboy]

Watchdoggy, here is your quote -

"most of the old breed, ie, born and raised there and never left are very racist-not all-but the vast majority are very narrow minded. It's almost like they're stuck in a 1950's time warp that never progressed."

You paint with very broad brush strokes when you say things like that. You are basically saying that 70-80 percent ("vast majority" was your term) of the natives are racist bigots. I know that isn't true.

Racism, the attitude, does NOT make a community unique, but the native residents, the people, you hoped would "die out" do. You can change people's attitudes and beliefs without eliminating them.