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Inside the Beltway
Author: BobR    Date: 2013-09-19 11:01:35

Stereotyping is one of those things that is so easy to recognize in others, and so easy to miss in yourself. It's a shorthand way to dismiss a large group of people based on some shared characteristic by assuming some other shared characteristic. I think about how ignorant this is every time I hear some generalization about "inside the beltway" thinking. For the uninitiated, the "beltway" is I-495 that circles Washington, DC as well as parts of Virginia and Maryland.

Technically, I live inside the beltway, even though I live in Virginia. This part of Virginia is also called NoVa (for northern VA) because it is as different from southern Virginia as DC is. Actually, the part I'm in was once part of the original square of DC before it was returned to Virginia.

This offhand disparaging of the DC area is made by people who assume way too much about the area. To them, it is a teeming cesspool of politicians with no redeeming values. To them, it exists almost beneath a bubble, cut off from the rest of the country, luxuriously appointed with taxpayer dollars, occupied by bureaucrats who care not a whit about anything beyond that mythical beltway.

Even those who visit the nation's capital seldom venture beyond the Mall and the Smithsonian and the various tourist spots. They, perhaps, get an inkling that there is something noble here that goes beyond politics, that these institutions have preceded us, and will be here beyond our eventual passing. This is serious stuff.

However, this is also where people live and work. Sure, there are the 500-something elected officials who meet and argue and pass laws. But there are many many more who call this place home, who live and work and play among the monuments and museums.

The recent shooting at Navy Yard likely surprised the nation that yes - there are military installations here, that are staffed by both soldier and civilian, both serving the same ideals. There was the usual snark about gun laws (as if DC's gun laws had any bearing on a military installation), but the reality is that crime (especially gun crime) has been dropping in DC for years. Despite the federal and military and city government, there are a huge number of people who live here who do not work for the government at all. They live here because it's a great place to live.

We have numerous lively neighborhoods (Adam's Morgan, Dupont Circle, Eastern Market to name just a few) with bars and restaurants and a thriving nightlife. We have parks and public transportation. We have ball teams and historic areas and - yes - museums and arts and theatre. We even have several breweries. It's a real city with real people doing real work. I have lived here for 4 years and have not yet had a job that was government-related. Some of my neighbors do - but it may surprise some that they work in offices doing normal work just like normal people. Others work for regular companies who happen to be located in the area, or teach in the local schools.

It's true that without the federal government here, none of this would have likely happened. However, it did happen, and despite the federal government, there's so much here that has nothing to do with government at all. Using the "inside the beltway" epithet tarnishes an entire city that goes about its collective daily life without revolving around what happens in government. To them, the beltway is simply a highway, not geopolitical border. It's lazy and unfair to most of the people who call DC their home.

It's time to replace "inside the beltway" with "underneath the dome". Place the criticism where it belongs, and leave the rest of us alone.
 

93 comments (Latest Comment: 09/19/2013 21:38:00 by livingonli)
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Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 12:14:43
Good morning.

This this this.

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 12:45:00


Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 12:53:05
Quote by Raine:



Arrgh! Why didn't Tom Hanks' new movie get released today? Missed marketing opportunity!

Since I failed in the past year to learn either Somali or Malay, I won't be speaking like a (modern) pirate today.

Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 12:53:55
Bobber, I couldn't agree with you more on today's blog topic.

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 12:55:15
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:



Arrgh! Why didn't Tom Hanks' new movie get released today? Missed marketing opportunity!

Since I failed in the past year to learn either Somali or Malay, I won't be speaking like a (modern) pirate today.



I'm just gonna let the BoF do it for me.


Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 13:00:33
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:



Arrgh! Why didn't Tom Hanks' new movie get released today? Missed marketing opportunity!

Since I failed in the past year to learn either Somali or Malay, I won't be speaking like a (modern) pirate today.



I'm just gonna let the BoF do it for me.



BoF? Bank of France?

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 13:02:28
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:



Arrgh! Why didn't Tom Hanks' new movie get released today? Missed marketing opportunity!

Since I failed in the past year to learn either Somali or Malay, I won't be speaking like a (modern) pirate today.



I'm just gonna let the BoF do it for me.



BoF? Bank of France?
Book of face


Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 13:04:29
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:



Arrgh! Why didn't Tom Hanks' new movie get released today? Missed marketing opportunity!

Since I failed in the past year to learn either Somali or Malay, I won't be speaking like a (modern) pirate today.



I'm just gonna let the BoF do it for me.



BoF? Bank of France?
Book of face


Good idea!

Meletakkan kira-kira dan bersedia untuk menaiki!

Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 13:04:50
Okay, I used the Google there.

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 13:05:20
And speaking of BoF... It's sad that this was even a question.
The appeals court reversed a lower-court judge who said that simply clicking the “Like” button on a Facebook page didn’t amount to “a substantive statement” that warrants constitutional protection.

“Liking a political candidate’s campaign page communicates the user’s approval of the candidate and supports the campaign by associating the user with it,” U.S. Circuit Judge William Traxler wrote. “It is the Internet equivalent of displaying a political sign in one’s front yard, which the Supreme Court has held is substantive speech.”



Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 13:05:47
Ia adalah satu perkara yang baik untuk menjadi raja lanun!

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 13:12:44
DEAR bestest ever friends in New England -- *cough* TriSec, *cough* Rabbit.... If you happen across some of this, I believe we can pay for shipping....

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 13:13:12
Quote by Mondobubba:
Ia adalah satu perkara yang baik untuk menjadi raja lanun!
ermergherdarglebargle.


Comment by Scoopster on 09/19/2013 13:46:29
Quote by Raine:
DEAR bestest ever friends in New England -- *cough* TriSec, *cough* Rabbit.... If you happen across some of this, I believe we can pay for shipping....

Jeebus you can't even buy a case mail-order? I may hafta send our boss or salesperson on a special mission next time they go way up there..

Comment by wickedpam on 09/19/2013 13:48:11
Morning

Finally decided to get up and join the world this morning (thank God and the Unions for vacation days).

Lived in the NoVA for probably 20 years in addition to visiting my fam for 20 years before that who have lived here all my life. For all its pain in the ass qualities I still like this place

But I always forget that people do get to see this place beyond the big marble buildings and monuments. Yeah, its a city, even though it doesn't look like NY or LA, its still full of great people just living their lives.

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 13:48:29
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Raine:
DEAR bestest ever friends in New England -- *cough* TriSec, *cough* Rabbit.... If you happen across some of this, I believe we can pay for shipping....

Jeebus you can't even buy a case mail-order? I may hafta send our boss or salesperson on a special mission next time they go way up there..
that would be AWESOME.

you know, Ben and Jerry's is there as well... (Bob and I are talking about a spring trip just for those two things....)


Comment by wickedpam on 09/19/2013 13:51:47
Now I've got t' go find some breaksmartly.

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 13:52:28
Quote by wickedpam:
Morning

Finally decided to get up and join the world this morning (thank God and the Unions for vacation days).

Lived in the NoVA for probably 20 years in addition to visiting my fam for 20 years before that who have lived here all my life. For all its pain in the ass qualities I still like this place

But I always forget that people do get to see this place beyond the big marble buildings and monuments. Yeah, its a city, even though it doesn't look like NY or LA, its still full of great people just living their lives.
I don't want all cities to look like LA or NY (or chicago or atlanta... etc)

It's kinda like the assumption that all of NY is the city -- and all of NYC are fancy pants liberal elites or --

WALL STREET.

I'm glad Bobber wrote this today.

His opening was so impressive:
Stereotyping is one of those things that is so easy to recognize in others, and so easy to miss in yourself. It's a shorthand way to dismiss a large group of people based on some shared characteristic by assuming some other shared characteristic.





Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 13:57:34
Perfect.

This passed across my computer screen last night and just cracked me up:
"It all makes sense now. Gay marriage and marijuana are being legalized at the same time.

Leviticus 20:13 says if a man lays with another man, he should be stoned.
We were just misinterpreting it."


Comment by wickedpam on 09/19/2013 13:58:21
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Morning

Finally decided to get up and join the world this morning (thank God and the Unions for vacation days).

Lived in the NoVA for probably 20 years in addition to visiting my fam for 20 years before that who have lived here all my life. For all its pain in the ass qualities I still like this place

But I always forget that people do get to see this place beyond the big marble buildings and monuments. Yeah, its a city, even though it doesn't look like NY or LA, its still full of great people just living their lives.
I don't want all cities to look like LA or NY (or chicago or atlanta... etc)

It's kinda like the assumption that all of NY is the city -- and all of NYC are fancy pants liberal elites or --

WALL STREET.

I'm glad Bobber wrote this today.

His opening was so impressive:
Stereotyping is one of those things that is so easy to recognize in others, and so easy to miss in yourself. It's a shorthand way to dismiss a large group of people based on some shared characteristic by assuming some other shared characteristic.





That's one of those things I've loved about DC too. There are lots of things I would love to go to NYC and see but I'm rather intimidated by it. DC I just get the nearest metro and travel in. Granted I don't get too far past the Mall ( I love the Smithsonian) but I'm still not scared to come into the city by myself.,

Comment by TriSec on 09/19/2013 14:01:42
Bostonians share your pain.

"Tea Party"

"Minuteman"

"Patriot"

"Paul Revere"

and who knows what else....all hijacked by "outsiders" and the terminology used incorrectly for their own ends. It rankles us.

And don't call it "Beantown"!!



Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 14:03:17
Quote by wickedpam:

That's one of those things I've loved about DC too. There are lots of things I would love to go to NYC and see but I'm rather intimidated by it. DC I just get the nearest metro and travel in. Granted I don't get too far past the Mall ( I love the Smithsonian) but I'm still not scared to come into the city by myself.,




Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 14:09:52
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Ia adalah satu perkara yang baik untuk menjadi raja lanun!
ermergherdarglebargle.



It is a wonderful thing to be a pirate king! In Malay.

Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 14:11:24
Quote by Raine:
DEAR bestest ever friends in New England -- *cough* TriSec, *cough* Rabbit.... If you happen across some of this, I believe we can pay for shipping....



But...but...cans! CANS!





Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 14:12:53
Quote by TriSec:
Bostonians share your pain.

"Tea Party"

"Minuteman"

"Patriot"

"Paul Revere"

and who knows what else....all hijacked by "outsiders" and the terminology used incorrectly for their own ends. It rankles us.

And don't call it "Beantown"!!




Called it Beantown might be good way to get beaten up by angry displaced former Southie residents who've been priced out of the neighborhood.

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 14:13:17
Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 14:14:13
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
DEAR bestest ever friends in New England -- *cough* TriSec, *cough* Rabbit.... If you happen across some of this, I believe we can pay for shipping....



But...but...cans! CANS!



I have a confession to make.

I am no longer anti can.


Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 14:15:14
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
DEAR bestest ever friends in New England -- *cough* TriSec, *cough* Rabbit.... If you happen across some of this, I believe we can pay for shipping....



But...but...cans! CANS!



I have a confession to make.

I am no longer anti can.
Especially regarding pilsners...




Comment by trojanrabbit on 09/19/2013 14:17:36
Looks like Mrs. Rabbit has a job. Part time, but it's a job. Took her for her drug test this morning. Since it's BJ's it sounds like there's room to move around once she's through her "probation" period.

In an hour or so, Lucky is off to the vet so I can be taught the finer points of administering fluids to him. I'll get enough fluids to last a couple of weeks (he gets some every other day) if I finish the pouch, at that point he'll be well on his way to recovery. I do notice he's eating more, and now it's real cat food instead of people food. I know he doesn't like be cooped up in a room, but I can't let the other two cats get into his food. Let's hope I come back from my training session with all my body parts and I haven't lost too much blood.

Comment by wickedpam on 09/19/2013 14:25:32
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
DEAR bestest ever friends in New England -- *cough* TriSec, *cough* Rabbit.... If you happen across some of this, I believe we can pay for shipping....



But...but...cans! CANS!



I have a confession to make.

I am no longer anti can.



Can's are back - Fat Cat is our newest beer and it only comes in cans.

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 14:30:11
Get this shit...
Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday bought themselves more time to try to avert a government shutdown at the end of September, canceling a week-long recess that was due to begin on September 23.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor announced that the break had been scrapped after conservatives in the party rejected his plan to temporarily fund the government in the new fiscal year and stage a vote to defund "Obamacare" health reforms.
from a week ago, right?

Then yesterday we learn that Boner did this:
Bad news for anybody hoping to avoid another budget crisis: Late Tuesday afternoon, National Review‘s Robert Costa broke the news that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) will cave to the Republican Party’s right wing and introduce a continuing resolution that strips funding for Obamacare. Senate Democrats will block this, and then … well, nobody knows for sure. If somebody doesn’t figure out something by Sept. 30, the government will shut down.

That's right, he's going to try to shut down the government to stop people from getting health care.

So -- let me get this right... They cancelled another DAMN RECESS to shut down Government but could not be bothered to come off of recess to deal with -- SYRIA?





Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 14:33:32
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
DEAR bestest ever friends in New England -- *cough* TriSec, *cough* Rabbit.... If you happen across some of this, I believe we can pay for shipping....



But...but...cans! CANS!



I have a confession to make.

I am no longer anti can.



I never though you were. I was a little surprised when I found out that there are craft beers being canned.

Comment by BobR on 09/19/2013 14:36:11
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
DEAR bestest ever friends in New England -- *cough* TriSec, *cough* Rabbit.... If you happen across some of this, I believe we can pay for shipping....



But...but...cans! CANS!



I have a confession to make.

I am no longer anti can.

I never though you were. I was a little surprised when I found out that there are craft beers being canned.

Canning technology is much better than it used to be. Also - since good beer is meant to be poured into a glass, you are not getting that "can smell" in your nose. Cans weigh less and are cheaper to ship, and just as recycle-able as bottles, so they're slightly more "green"

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 14:37:12
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
DEAR bestest ever friends in New England -- *cough* TriSec, *cough* Rabbit.... If you happen across some of this, I believe we can pay for shipping....



But...but...cans! CANS!



I have a confession to make.

I am no longer anti can.



I never though you were. I was a little surprised when I found out that there are craft beers being canned.
I admit to becoming such a beer snob that I gave side-eye to canned beer.




Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 14:38:13
I am so glad they are replaying this 911 call from georgia. This is SO inspirational.

Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 14:42:18
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
DEAR bestest ever friends in New England -- *cough* TriSec, *cough* Rabbit.... If you happen across some of this, I believe we can pay for shipping....



But...but...cans! CANS!



I have a confession to make.

I am no longer anti can.

I never though you were. I was a little surprised when I found out that there are craft beers being canned.

Canning technology is much better than it used to be. Also - since good beer is meant to be poured into a glass, you are not getting that "can smell" in your nose. Cans weigh less and are cheaper to ship, and just as recycle-able as bottles, so they're slightly more "green"



Ah I gotcha. The act of pouring lets the volatile aromatics a chance to bloom so the beer smells as well as taste right?

Comment by Scoopster on 09/19/2013 14:42:19
I tell you what.. if I had to lug all that beer back to RI and it was in bottles, I'd have been in SERIOUS trouble.

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 14:47:16
I being a person that likes to know everything found myself amazed and shocked that the Booby is NOT extinct!

http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/654*368/blue-footed-booby.jpg


Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 14:49:02
Quote by Scoopster:
I tell you what.. if I had to lug all that beer back to RI and it was in bottles, I'd have been in SERIOUS trouble.
I do hope you are still enjoying your Burberry Beerberry bag, complete with packing tape.


Comment by Scoopster on 09/19/2013 14:52:18
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
I tell you what.. if I had to lug all that beer back to RI and it was in bottles, I'd have been in SERIOUS trouble.


I do hope you are still enjoying your Burberry Beerberry bag, complete with packinig tape.

Indeed! I've added it to my contingent of reusable shopping bags.

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 14:54:19
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
I tell you what.. if I had to lug all that beer back to RI and it was in bottles, I'd have been in SERIOUS trouble.


I do hope you are still enjoying your Burberry Beerberry bag, complete with packinig tape.

Indeed! I've added it to my contingent of reusable shopping bags.
Once again -- you amaze me.

you managed to get that tape off? I am really regretting not taking a picture of it.



Comment by Scoopster on 09/19/2013 15:04:17
Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 15:05:30
Quote by Raine:
I being a person that likes to know everything found myself amazed and shocked that the Booby is NOT extinct!

http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/654*368/blue-footed-booby.jpg



I think you are confusing boobies with dodos, which are extict

Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2013 15:06:24
Quote by Scoopster:
GODDAMNIT...



Well that sucks.

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 15:09:21
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
I being a person that likes to know everything found myself amazed and shocked that the Booby is NOT extinct!

http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/654*368/blue-footed-booby.jpg



I think you are confusing boobies with dodos, which are extict

I think you are correct.

Thus proving I am terribel at trying to know everything about

well -- as it turns out, nothing.

Comment by BobR on 09/19/2013 15:12:17
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Scoopster:
GODDAMNIT...

Well that sucks.

So can the appeal verdict be appealed further up-court?

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 15:12:36
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Scoopster:
GODDAMNIT...



Well that sucks.
Woudn't it be nice if all american enjoyed this:
While DeLay was sentenced to three years in prison, he remained free while his case went through the appeals process.


You know, especially people like I dunno:

Troy Davis?


Comment by Scoopster on 09/19/2013 15:16:21
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Scoopster:
GODDAMNIT...

Well that sucks.

So can the appeal verdict be appealed further up-court?

Not sure.. the decision dismissed all prior verdicts and replaced them with a full acquittal. And it's in the Texas judicial system, not federal. So even if it was appealed to the state supreme court that would go nowhere.

I thought all this shit was a federal case..

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 15:24:48
This is a brilliant line of questioning.



Comment by Raine on 09/19/2013 15:31:30
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Scoopster:
GODDAMNIT...

Well that sucks.

So can the appeal verdict be appealed further up-court?

Not sure.. the decision dismissed all prior verdicts and replaced them with a full acquittal. And it's in the Texas judicial system, not federal. So even if it was appealed to the state supreme court that would go nowhere.

I thought all this shit was a federal case..
I thought so as well.

what a clusterfuck.