Speaking of which have you people not from the Maryland area seen those stupid “choose civility” bumper stickers? Has that scourge spread your way? They started a few years ago in Howard County Maryland, Columbia MD in particular. They originally started as a campaign by the library to promote reading of the book by the same title. They have since spread to the upper middle class liberals that rule this area. Columbia MD, which is where I currently work (and run 3 days a week), is possibly the most politically correct city on the east coast. They like to think themselves the most tolerant people out there. Of course they are tolerant only of anyone that agrees with their whacked-out ideas. They are California liberal without the good tans, good looks, good food and beaches. It’s a very phony and sad city. Totally planned out by the Rouse company years ago to be ‘inclusive’. Every type of housing there is all mixed in together. Now you might want to live down the street from low-income and public housing but I’m fine just where I am.
Even the churches are all PC loving stale places. The local Catholic Church meets in buildings that are shared with others. There are 4 ‘interfaith centers” in Columbia. For example, The Meeting House Interfaith Center, has 6 different congregations meeting there. You’ve got 2 different Jewish congregations (one reformed and one reconstruction...whatever all that means), a Baptist church, a Lutheran church, a Church of Christ and St. John the Evangelist Catholic church all sharing a community meeting place and holding their services there. This in a large wealthy city. 85,000 residents with an above average income. One of the tenets of the city when it was planned was: “Columbia was designed to eliminate racial, religious, and income segregation”.
After working here for awhile and running through the neighborhoods and going to the stores and restaurants, it's pretty much like any other lousy suburb. Lots of Apple Bees and Home Depots and Best Buys etc...But sadly it comes with a premium price and a lot of superior attitude.
Thankfully a backlash against the stickers has started and someone is now making a bumper sticker that is an antidote to those obnoxious ones.
5 comments:
Hi Rob ~ I grew up in Columbia...luckily we are moving to Bowie this week so you can set me straight ;P
Have you seen the Choose Insanity site?
Partay of 8 - So what was it like growing up in columbia? i've been working there for 4 weeks (i was in Laurel for the past 2 years - yuck) and i swear half the cars i see are either volvo's or prius' with that annoying bumper sticker on it.
of course i grew up and still live in Bowie so i shouldn't really talk ;)
I ran my your soon to be house last week. i get over that way a few times a week so watch out for a short bald midget running by
anon - great site thanks. i'll have to look for pictures to take while running around columbia on my lunch hour
Well, we moved there when I was 12 and I lived there until graduation from hs, I was 17. From what I remember, everything was "lame", and there was "nothing to do". But isn't that anytown USA for that age? Now that I look back, it did have a "kumbaya" feel to it. There were very little racial or economic barriers. A lot of my friends from hs are liberals who are unmarried and still working on their careers. I am the mutant who got married and had kids early in life.
Let me know when you run by the house. I'll have the kids set up a finish line and cups of gatorade for you :)
P.S.~ We went to the Interfaith Center in Wilde Lake!
We went to a Holy Thursday Mass at one of those interfaith centers years ago . . . it was strange. Anyone who wanted to, could get their feet washed. It did not feel like mass at all. The set up of the room was strange as well.
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