By Patrick Appel
A few salvos by dish readers. From the pro-NYC contingent:
The "disneylandization" of NYC is narrowly applied to Times Square and that is it, which is understandable as it used to be a den of shall I call it "sin". And, yes, while people in DC may be experts on politics, policy and perhaps even history and law, in NYC everyone is an expert in fashion, art, business, money, popular culture, and "cool." If you want gritty, leave times square and the city will probably try to steal your wallet. All this and I haven’t even gotten to the sense of being better than everyone else being here gives you.
Another reader counters:
I lived in NYC for 6 years, and I’m going on two here in DC. One of the things I like about DC is that, unlike New York natives, people from the DC area don’t act like growing up here makes them better than everyone else. And before you say "what about Tucker Carlson?" – I’ve already anticipated that argument. He’s the exception that proves the rule.
Yet another reader, writing over at Suderman’s place:
This is not a perennial debate. I’ve never heard anybody in NYC talk about DC with any more passion, good or bad, than they talk about Philadelphia, Boston, LA, etc. Northeasterners who had to move to DC for gummint work half heartedly argue amongst themselves. And, if big city living was your thing, DC was a backwater that couldn’t even get remotely close to NYC until 20-25 years or so ago. Which is about the same time the last remaining native DC families realized their little southern town wasn’t coming back and moved to Loudon County (et. al.)
The Dish 