Letters to the Editor
Posted on April 13, 2006

Backwoods characterization of Harrisonburg erroneous, unfair

While Monday’s House Editorial made a good point regarding the lack of racial diversity at JMU, I must take issue with some of the characterizations of Harrisonburg.

The ‘Burg may have a chicken-processing plant, but it hardly typifies the town. There are some thriving local businesses that apparently are under the author’s radar. To name just two:  Fairfield Language Technologies, ranked as the world’s leading language software company, headquartered in the ‘Burg; the Green Valley Bookfair, a top destination for thousands of booklovers. Many of them, surprisingly, are from our very own area, which brings up the author’s comment about local education.

I am not sure what “the educational divide” is to which the editorial refers. Both the city and county schools turn out more than a few graduates who go on to colleges and universities even more select than JMU! Other graduates choose to enter the trades, for which I am grateful. When I have an electrical problem at home, I am glad there is someone other than a physics professor to call. 

The editorial’s tone judges local people by Northern Virginia standards. It is not unlike the old argument made pre-civil rights era, when some whites made themselves the standard by which other races were judged (and found wanting). That “gown” attitude comes across as mighty superior. I think some of the “farmers and mountain people,” might take offense as they mosey on over to Super Wal-Mart for their overalls and viddles (thanks, JMU students, for making that superduper Wal-Mart a reality).

The author had good intent, but the editorial instead served to reveal his/her own prejudice regarding the local population.

Barbara Bowman, Broadway