As someone born and raised in Springfield, VA, a suburb of D.C., I am disappointed by Alyssa Juan's characterization of Northern Virginia ("There's no place like NoVa," Sept. 20). I agree with her headline, but for none of the reasons she lists in her article. As I'm sure many in the suburbs feel, I love the way you can be close to the city and reap the benefits of having lots of resources nearby, but at the same time, you can still have that sense of community and closeness with your neighbors. I don't know where the author lives that people aren't nice to each other, but to generalize and say that people from an entire region are not friendly with strangers or neighbors alike is ludicrous. Northern Virginia may be just another collection of suburbs outside of a city, but being that the city in question is Washington, D.C. makes it a truly special place. There is a unique social and political awareness that exists in and around the city that shapes its residents and how they think and act. Juan would have made a better argument for the distinctive nature of the area, and a more interesting article, if she chose to discuss these aspects of Northern Virginia, rather than simply reinforce negative stereotypes.
Elizabeth Waring\nCLAS IV
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