Relocate from Montgomery County MD to Blacksburg, VA--Any jobs? (buying, school)

[saganista]

No one's keeping you from moving, and no one's asked for any less honesty. At the same time, assuming that those who live and work on a daily basis in the same general vicinity as you do and yet have very different impressions and experiences to report are all a bunch of phonies and self-deluded folks seems a little...well, misguided. Respect, meanwhile, is often something that needs to be earned...as opposed to assumed, expected, or demanded. At least from my experience...

[SmerkyGrl]

Last I checked, this was an information board where people trade info and knowledge for areas in Virginia. It would be pretty preposterous to judge someone based on their beliefs, standards, and expectations and expect that they "earn" your respect. Some people are less comfortable with race relations than others and you know what, that's life. As my mother once said, "If you can be helpful and have something to say, say it. If you're just saying something so you can feel good about yourself, keep your mouth shut."

[saganista]

I don't have any problem with information and knowledge. Some are looking for those, others can provide them. Hence, the existence of the board at all. But even allowing for the wide range of personal experience and point of view that must exist in an area as large and diverse as metro DC, I have to raise an eyebrow (and apparently so do some others) when I see something reported that is all but entirely contradictory to my own rather broad and long-standing experience here. I would see that not as judging or even taking issue with any particular poster, but rather as part of an obligation to third party readers. If opinion on a particular point were divided 99-1, and a spokesperson for the 1 were to post, I would not see it as in any way objectionable to point out that while yes, that opinion does exist, rather more people (99 in this case) would see the same situation in a quite different manner.

As for respect, the point was with regard to an expectation upon oneself. If one expects to have to earn respect from others (rather, say, than simply to command it), one is likely in fact to end up receiving more of it than one might otherwise. And if we're into motherly sayings, I'll pass on one that I don't recall my own mother saying, but she was a good woman, so she might have when I wasn't around, and that's that respect is something like friendship -- the only way to get more of it is to give away as much of it as you can...

[Stonecoldharbours]

Anyone? We got a troll on the loose here!

Nothing new here.

[bargainmom]

Thank you for support, folks. I think it is preposterous to say that people need to "EARN" the respect of strangers on the street. Just because you are one of the "lucky ones" who has not been the victim of racism does not mean that it does not exist.

[Twinkle Toes]

After today's news you may want to reconsider moving to Blacksburg!

[richmondpics]

What a disgusting post.

[seanpecor]

Blacksburg didn't breed the abomination that was unleashed today upon the students of Virginia Tech. The tragedy that played out today speaks most about the cultural condition of our nation, and least about the wonderful town of Blacksburg.

Sean

[bargainmom]

HI Sean,

I do agree, this is but a symptom of a much deeper cultural disease. There is a deep rage in our young men. I feel that our young men are being emasculated and have been robbed of the experience of manhood and masculinity to the point that they are turning the rage inward toward themselves and committing suicide, and/or using drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes. Also these violent video games really do warp the minds of our children. A steady diet of this garbage combined with overprescribed ADD and depression meds plus many other factors results in these kinds of tragedies.

[bargainmom]

Twinkletoes, I do see your point. I was thinking that I wanted to move to Blacksburg to get AWAY from the violence of DC area...and then this happens literally days after my first post! At the same point, I think the chances of this happening again are rare. It is like a freak meteor storm that killed many, not the same as moving to the east coast of NC and then being surprised by hurricanes each year.