About the Virginia I grew up in

[Va Lefty]

I have lived in Virginia all my life. I am a straight, white male who graduated HS in '80 and College in '84. In grade school, we had some African-Americans, enough to say we were desegregated. Living in a rural area, there just were not that many in the area. My High School had one, that's right, one African-American in my graduating class of around 100. Suffice to say, there was very little interaction between the races. There were many derogatory jokes about blacks, but honestly no more than there were about the Polish, the Jews and "dumb blondes". I am ashamed to say I laughed at many and repeated the ones I thought amusing. I wish I could go back and smack myself in the back of the head for this behavior.

This was a different time. I say that not to excuse it but it was. My parents both voted for Wallace in '68. I don't recall them using the N word, but in truth that was probably just because I was within earshot. The "Rebel" flag was ubiquitous and I was ignorant as to what it really meant and the feelings it could arouse. When I was 16, I saw nothing wrong with wearing a Lynyrd Skynyrd belt buckle with the bands letters displayed as stars in the Confederate Flag to school. (see image below) I thought it was "cool".




It was not until I went to College that my eyes were opened. My Freshman year I became friends with an African-American. We quickly became best friends and I slowly began to become ashamed of my behavior and see how much of what I was taught and believed was wrong. I attended MANY parties during my College years and never saw or heard of anyone wearing "blackface". Virginia has changed since the mid-80's but still has a long way to go. The revelations of the past week have been shameful for many here. They have undoubtedly hurt many Virginians and greatly damaged The Democratic Party here, perhaps irreparably. I hope that healing can happen and people can learn from their own and others mistakes. Thank you for reading this an allowing me to share.

[bpj62]

1. Grew up in NOVA

I also grew up in Virginia at the same time. Arlington is now a very diverse county but in the 70s it wasn't. Most of my black classmates were bussed to school as the result of desegregation. Arlington had a large African American community in South Arlington and although there were several Junior Highs and one High School that served the south of the county, many kids were bussed to the North side of the County to fulfill the required quotas.
Growing up I heard my share of derogatory and racist jokes from schoolmates. I am guilty of retelling some of those jokes when I was younger. However I learned on my own that they were wrong and offensive and I stopped telling them.
As with you I went to college and because I dated a girl who was involved in a lot of diverse groups I was exposed to different cultures as well as different lifestyles. However as you know the Southern part of Virginia has been reluctant to change. For example in Southampton County they have two roads one called Hanging Tree Rd and the other called Blackhead Signpost Rd. Nat Turners decapitated head was stuck on a sign post afterche was hung for inciting a slave riot that killed 60 white people. Thus the name of the road. Still there today and no one is going to change it.
Virginia's history both past and present is still clouded by racism.

[nitpicker]

2. Alexandria renamed Jefferson Davis Highway

To Richmond Highway, matching Fairfax County.
https://www.alexandriava.gov/JeffersonDavisHighway

Arlington County is trying to get rid of the name too, but as a county it is currently blocked by the General Assembly from doing so:
https://dcist.com/story/18/11/16/with-amazon-coming-arlington-county-is-again-trying-to-rename-jefferson-davis-highway/