With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, there is a lot to love about West Virginia. This is my valentine to West Virginia containing a few of my favorite things.
Our Wild And Wonderfulness
Firstly, West Virginians truly live in a natural playground. When it comes to getting outdoors, the options are nearly endless, so much so, that the Ascend West Virginia program makes West Virginia’s outdoor recreation a key selling point for the state. West Virginia is a destination for rock climbing, whitewater rafting, winter sports, mountain biking, ATV riding, and world-class golf.
Our College Fandom
With no professional sports teams in the nation’s big five sports leagues, West Virginians’ taste for sports falls mostly on our two Division I schools: West Virginia University and Marshall University. As professional sports teams quarrel with their host cities, sometimes leaving them altogether, we have no worries that our universities will always be in the place they belong. Meanwhile, the block M’s with Marco’s head and the Flying WV will always be reliable ways to pick fellow West Virginians out of a crowd.
Our Shared Experience
Additionally, only West Virginians understand being West Virginian. We understand what it means to be the butt of the joke while seldom seeing positive news about our state. Rarely ever is West Virginia’s natural beauty, close-knit communities, or storied history highlighted. That may be why my wife insists she hears a change in my voice when I’m dealing with West Virginians versus folks from anywhere else. We share a common thread.
West Virginia’s Positive Qualities Make Governance All-the-more Important
West Virginians: we have something special, and that makes who we elect and the policies they support all-the-more important. Times have not always been easy on West Virginia. From the labor disputes that color our history through rapidly changing economic conditions, some natural and some manufactured. West Virginia must be placed on a track towards success in the 21st century. That will involve making freedom and liberty a priority in our lawmaking.
Jacob McCoy is a Contributor to the Cardinal’s Nest Blog.