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I am a resident of a Western PA small town, much like the Magic Negro describes. There are burnt-out steel mills 10 miles to the north and 10 miles to the south.

Yet, somehow my little burg has near full employment, churches that are full every Sunday, great public schools, little to no crime, and a wonderful sense of community. I bought a three-bedroom house on 2 acres a decade ago for less than six digits, and it is just about paid off. My salary is enough to allow my wife to stay home and raise our three kids.

Tell me one urban area in the country where such a lifestyle is possible if you are not already independently wealthy?

Finally, I don’t recall getting any notices for Klan meetings recently - in fact, blacks and whites here (yes, even the few Mexicans we have) seem to get along just fine.

That being said, we do like our guns here. If people like the Magic Negro ever attempt to interfere with our Second Amendment rights, he and his ilk will find out just how far we are willing to go to preserve our wonderful way of life.

Now, if we could just annex Philly to New Jersey, Pittsburgh to WVA, and Erie to New York - followed by dumping Harrisburg into the river - PA would be perfect (well, except for the weather...:-) )

I too live in a small, western PA town. My family, my neighbors (black, white, and SE Asian) work in high techie jobs at Westinghouse (ok, Toshiba); UPMC; and PPG. My Catholic Church has overflow masses in the old school cafeteria (I guess for us Clingons who don't arrive an hour early); our highly accredited public school district plans an in-service day on the first day a-hunting season, but that is the only concession I can think of to our 'rural' roots. Who knew I should be humming the theme to Deliverence because I live in the Commonwealth. Maybe its because I drive a Chevy 4-wheel drive (for the PA winters)...hmmm.

All I can say is I hope to hell that Ed Rendell (and/or his minions) take this little quote and run with it...the condesention just oozes...like the gin from one of Terri H. Kerry's raisins.

Finally, OO, you are right about Philly and Harrisburg...but come on...we got keep Pittsburgh...can't give our Pens to WV...no way (but they want a pro baseball team?)