[Your Perception of Richmond- SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE ?]

On 8/5/2019 at 10:49 PM, eandslee said:

Thanks for the shout out!  I think Henrico Weather hits the nail on the head...I just cheer real loud because I’m trying to get others to do the same.  I think Richmond has a lot to cheer about, but like Henrico Weather mentioned, there are many who are self-defeating and don’t believe Richmond can do anything great. I wonder if that sentiment has been passed down since the end of the Civil War after, presumably, “all was lost?”  Terrible how that feeling still resonates - it shouldn’t. Richmond is a great town - many great things going for it and has tons of potential...many don’t see it because of either the past or they haven’t been outside the state in a long time.  I just want Richmond to achieve its potential. I’m grateful for people in town who have great vision just like those in support of this huge Navy Hill project!  This is what Richmond is capable of and should continue to do. Richmond needs to capitalize on what it CAN do and not wallow in what it has failed to do in the past.  Richmond is a very different city today than it was even 5 years ago!!  It CAN achieve so much more!  BELIEVE IT!!

I've lived right near or in Richmond for the past 40 years. I appreciate the fact that many natives are passionate about their home town. It's good to feel pride and excitement for the place you live in. But, I fear that this blind, rose-tinted view of things can have a damaging effect where people tend to ignore what's in front of them. Navy Hill didn't work out, redesigning the Diamond didn't work out, bringing any pro team here never works out, Disney wanted to go to NoVA but nobody wanted that, schools and roads are still terrible, etc etc etc etc etc

 

At some point, it's like .. what is Richmond's deal? Is it a fear of growth? a fear of white people coming to build things? Constant corruption all over the place and all I hear from natives is that it's a great city because there's a river. I want to like my home city but I simply can't do it anymore.