In an attempt to respond to a McCain surrogate saying NOVA is not the “real Virginia”, Daily Kos gives us this:
What’s worse are some of the ignorant comments left on Raising Kaine, but I’ll leave those be for now.
The map is inaccurate. When talking about “real Virginia” and “fake Virginia” the split isn’t so far southwest. At best it’s the northern border of Stafford County, worst case scenario the northern shore of the Rappahannock River.
It’s all about Northern Virginia.
I have yet to find anyone outside of Northern Virginia who is insulted by the “real Virginia” comment. Please, if there is someone, step up and let me know.
But here’s the thing: Norther Virginia is NOT like the rest of Virginia. At all.
There are many reason for that. One is that it’s been growing leaps and bounds up north and that’s been good for the state. But you now have a small area that is top heavy with people who either have not been in Virginia very long or do not care about the rest of the state on the whole. Their focus is on the DC region, not Virginia.
Now this is not to say they’re not “real Virginia” but they’re not the same. For better of for worse. And this is not a distinction that the McCain camp has just pulled out of thin air. The Washington Post and Northern Virginians (particularlly the “progressives” and other left of centers) are pushing this NOVA/ROVA (Rest Of Virginia) split that has created an us vs. them mentality.
You’ll have folks try and paint this as a ignorance or racial thing. It’s a matter of the more educated, urbanized Virginians showing those podunks in the middle of nowhere how to truly live. Well, it’s certainly bigotry, but not how they’re describing it.
It’s elitism. It’s a “me first” mentality. And it’s disgusting.
The 2008 battle for Virginia is merely further highlighting this split that is happening between Northern Virginia and the rest of Virginia. NOVA is very quickly taking over the reins of the state at the expense of the rest of Virginia. Issues relevant to Northern Virginia aren’t so to much of the rest of the state, but as they are the population and economic center of the state you can expect their needs to take a front burner to those of elsewhere in the state. Military bases are closing in southeast Virginia, jobs are bleeding out of southwest Virginia, but we’re focused on the critical need of a transportation plan that mainly benefits NOVA, nevermind it may cost the entire state to pay for it.
This is turning into a split that is only going to get worse. 2009 will further highlight this and drive the divide.
Thing is, this is not a shared belief among all people in Northern Virginia. Typically this divide is hammered by “progressives” and Democrats in Northern Virginia. They want to highlight their superiority to the rest of the state and the ignorance of the rest of it. But that’s because they don’t get the rest of Virginia, a Virginia with real needs and beliefs that are different than those held by the urbanized elite.
The “real Virginia” argument was started by these elitists. These are the same “progressively” minded folks who firmly believe the rest of Virginia is full of racists and bigots and must be dragged to the light. They have a strong misunderstanding of who makes up the rest of Virginia. As long as that continues the “real Virginia” argument, the NOVA/ROVA argument will continue to exist as long as it serves their political purposes.
If Obama loses Virginia or even if he wins but loses the “rest of Virginia,” expect to hear a lot of shouting from Northern Virginia’s “progressives” about how awesome they are and how backwards the rest of us are. Expect them to carry that standard into 2009 legislation and elections. Expect them to keep hammering this divide.
And expect them to be insulted when you highlight this false divide that they themselves have created in a way that doesn’t suit their wants.
