I recently came across a couple of articles that alluded to an effort on the part of some counties in the states of Maryland and Virginia to leave those states and become part of West Virginia. West Virginia is my home state, and I currently live in one of the Maryland counties in question, and thus this was news that captured my interest. I wanted to spend a little time reflecting upon that now.
West Virginia was a bi-product of the Civil War - it separated from Virginia on June 30, 1863, largely over the issue of slavery. Many people on both sides of the spectrum as to whether or not this should have happened have stuck to the same story line - West Virginia was formed in opposition to the established institution of slavery in Virginia at the time. Pro-Southern people often say that West Virginia exists illegally (which I find both insulting and disagreeable) while pro-Northern people seem to think West Virginia is a legitimate protest against Southern racism (which also is not the case). However, what both sides fail to mention is what we West Virginians ourselves think, and quite honestly, when you talk to us we have always been a little different than our neighbors to the east.
West Virginia is not western Virginia, a well-meaning but stupid mistake that people in other parts of the country commonly assume. I am amazed at how ignorant so many people are about West Virginia as a state - when I lived in Florida for 27 years, the ignorance could be actually nauseating to me sometimes, and for those who knew my home state existed, they were so caught up in stupid stereotypes about our people that honestly I wanted to physically harm them for even suggesting it (some of these were New Yorkers too - you know, the same morons that elected Bill De Blasio and Andrew Cuomo to public office; who's stupid now??). This ignorance on the part of ill-informed people did chafe my chaps a bit, but after a while, you learn to just grate your teeth and take that nonsense with a grain of salt; many of them were products of their own faulty secularized education systems anyway, so they could not be totally faulted. I know that sounded a bit harsh, and if you can look past that and get over your hurt feelings (for those guilty of what I just described that is) you might just learn something, so read on.
Now, let us talk about the counties in other states who now want to be part of West Virginia. Yesterday, I came across an article on my Yahoo News feed talking about this, and that is where I wanted to weigh in first. The three counties in question are all three in western Maryland - Washington, Allegheny, and Garrett. Maryland is a small state, but it is not monolithic by any means. Outside of the Baltimore-Washington Beltway, there are two other distinct regions of Maryland that are very different. The first is the Eastern Shore, on the Delmarva Peninsula that borders Delaware. That part of Maryland is very much identified with the South in its thinking and mindset - it is heavily Republican, very conservative, but it is also one of the most lucrative tourist areas of the state due to Ocean City. The second part of Maryland that this discussion centers on is the western section of the state, comprising the three counties of Washington, Allegany, and Garrett. These three counties are part of the Appalachian region, and they frankly have more in common with neighboring West Virginia than they do with suburban Baltimore. And, although not as populous, the region does include two large population centers - Hagerstown in Washington County, where I live, and Cumberland in Allegany County. The two cities and their outlying areas have a combined population of around 100,000. Washington County also has historical significance, as Antietam National Battlefield and the C & O Canal Trail are both in the county. Garrett County, the most mountainous region of the state, has its own attributes, especially with recreational tourism - Deep Creek Lake Ski Resort, for instance. In other words, both western Maryland and the Eastern Shore are lucrative areas, but despite that they are often overshadowed by Baltimore and the larger communities of the Beltway and don't get much representation in the state's affairs. This may prove costly for Annapolis, as the exodus of those areas may have economic consequences for the state and the bureaucrats in Annapolis know that. That means the two regions would probably have a dogfight on their hands if they wanted to break from Maryland. However, the union of the western counties with nearby West Virginia would be a boost to the latter's economy, as it would add both revenue and population to West Virginia. And, the appeal of being part of West Virginia is not limited to these Maryland counties either - it seems to also be a thing in Virginia.
A few months back, I remember reading an article about Winchester and some other areas of Virginia talking about joining West Virginia as well, given at the time the racist Democrat Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam, was exercising authoritarian measures in regard to COVID-19 as well as gun ownership on his state, and the western part of the state was not too happy about that at all. Western Virginia, much like West Virginia, is largely rural, Appalachian, and also politically conservative, as compared with the more elitist liberal leadership in Richmond and the eastern part of the state. Many western Virginia counties are also culturally indistinguishable from their West Virginia neighbors, and there are even families who share members on both sides of the state line in the area. If this were to happen in Virginia, it would essentially mean the northern Shenandoah Valley, roughly from Winchester to Harrisonburg, would also become part of West Virginia. This area has a stable population, as well as a rich agricultural economy, and thus it would enhance West Virginia - the Shenandoah Valley is one of the richest agricultural regions in the country, and if this plan succeeded, West Virginia's borders would actually extend eastward to the Shenandoah. A combination of the western Maryland counties and these western Virginia regions would expand West Virginia's boundaries by 25%, and it would also reshape the economic picture in the region too. Sure, eastern Virginia and the Baltimore/Washington Beltway would still be prosperous and expensive like it is now, but it would be an advantage for them as well in that both of those areas could elect all of the progressive elitist Democrats they wanted and no one would care in those areas - the conservative regions would not be part of it anymore, and the liberals would be able to exercise their agendas to their little hearts' content. Bottom line, this would be a good proposal for all concerned then.
So, what would an expanded West Virginia look like? To be honest, I think it would be a good thing for both the state as well as for the regions that want to join it, and it would be mutually beneficial to all. People in the western Maryland counties and the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia would be afforded more freedom, less taxation, and also would have a more effective participatory voice in state affairs, unlike now where they are often overlooked and ignored by Virginia and Maryland with their liberal Democrat-led governments. Economically, West Virginia would benefit from a larger tourist base, as well as the economic benefits these areas could bring - Winchester, Cumberland, and Hagerstown would all provide a business base to enhance the economic stability of the state, and given there would be little change in the infrastructure of those areas, they would probably be very cooperative with doing so. And, it would also change the political map - West Virginia would become more staunchly a red state with the addition of more red counties, and it would also balance things as far as Annapolis and Richmond are concerned - a little less leverage may actually humble both Annapolis and Richmond to be less aggressive, and in time perhaps seeing how their western neighbor operates would lead to positive changes there too. These are just some of my thoughts.
Conclusively, there is a growing discontent with Establishmentarian politics, particularly in recent years. People are sick of seeing progressive liberals dismantling institutions, and as with any pressure cooker, there is a boiling point, and it is about to be reached. The counties of western Maryland and the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia are the fruits of that, and the statement they are making should make career bureaucrats in DC, Annapolis, and Richmond take notice - people want change, but not what the "woke" establishment is proposing. The change the average person in these counties being discussed is restorative - the people want their fundamental freedom, and they are sick of mandates and bad public policy, both on a state and national level. And, it may take an alteration in the maps to get the point across. Let's hope it succeeds - after all, the title "Hagerstown, West Virginia" doesn't sound too bad. Thank you for allowing me to share, and will see you next time.
