Amnesia

While commenting on an upcoming convention on John Scalzi’s website, I mentioned that depending on finances I’d probably drive to Detroit to attend and sleep in my car. Then, realizing it was near Detroit, I mentioned that it was probably not a good idea since my car would most likely be stolen; with me in it.

Someone immediately took offense that I was making fun of his hometown even though I was half joking. (The area around and including Detroit has consistently been in the top 20 places in which your car would be taken from your possession illegally according to the NICB.)

To make a long story short, I couldn’t understand why someone would get so picky over a comment made about their hometown.

Until I saw this:

Ms. Princess Leia wanna-be, makes fun of my birthplace and the town in which I currently reside. Watching this video, I found myself getting rather defensive! For all you non-Enfield, CT residents out there, sure, we do have a correctional institution, but there are a lot more establishments in which you could find a job. Hell, it’s not like she’s stuck here by any means. A lot of the people who live in Enfield, work in other towns or cities. Enfield is a mostly upper-middle, middle-middle, class town situated between Hartford, CT and Springfield, MA. 2 hours away from both Boston and NYC, it’s perfect for a budding artist or songstress to find work and still live relatively close to home.

Yes, our mall might suck ass, but every Tuesday you can go see a movie at the cineplex for $5.00, all day! There is a Best Buy across the street next to a Kohl’s. Cheng’s Garden has some of the best Chinese food I’ve ever had! The Enfield Public Library is also a great place to hang around if you’re the literary type! We have an ice skating rink as well, along with some of the nicer public schools in the area. Every July 4th, Enfieldians celebrate the birth of their country and pride of their town with a 3 day weekend celebration including a parade and fireworks on the town green.

We even have an outdoor holiday celebration with the lighting of a decorated tree. In two weeks, we’re having a multicultural celebration at our middle school.

I guess what ticked me off is that Ms. Organa felt the need to limit herself in her environment. I don’t know her background in education, but aside from being a corrections officer at the local prison, she could have been a teacher, a retail manager, opened up her own medical or dental practice…anything, really.

I can see wanting to escape the only place you’ve ever known for bigger and better things, but try not to belittle the people who work and live there while doing it. The way she made it sound was that we had a few singly spaced houses, surrounded by hundreds of miles of fields, and a prison.

Enfield has been and will be so much more than that.

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