783 replies to this topic

[Chesapeake Pirate]

hoobo, on Jun 16 2005, 08:03 PM, said:

My bad.  According to the 2000 Census, P-town was in fact 51% African-American.  Norfolk had no majority.  Hampton technically had no majority (if you don't round).  NN and Suffolk were barely a white majority.  Chesapeake was about 2/3 white and 1/3 black.  VB was 70% caucasian.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not meaning this as anything on rusthebuss or hoobo, but I was just wondering how everyone else feels about referring to the City of Portsmouth as "P-town"?

Is anyone using that term a resident of Portsmouth?

If not, would you use it if you were?

I know this term has some history, and I think most would agree that the connotation and intention is not positive.

I would love to see this board be proactive in ending the use of "P-town".

Chesapeake Pirate

[urbanvb]

Personally I was just using it as in an abbreviated version.. like some folks say 'vaaaa' beach or even Nova for instance. My intentions were not to offend and I hope it was not taken as such.

[rusthebuss]

Chesapeake Pirate, on Jun 17 2005, 08:39 AM, said:

Not meaning this as anything on rusthebuss or hoobo, but I was just wondering how everyone else feels about referring to the City of Portsmouth as "P-town"?

Is anyone using that term a resident of Portsmouth?

If not, would you use it if you were?

I know this term has some history, and I think most would agree that the connotation and intention is not positive.

I would love to see this board be proactive in ending the use of "P-town".

Chesapeake Pirate

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What makes you think that P-town is a negative name?????? I know people who live in P-town that call it P-town so what the big deal. No different than calling Atlanta A-town. Your questioning this makes no sense at all. No one has said anything derogatory to that city, if anything everyone was excited that the 6 towers were annouced. Give us a reason for thinking that P-town is negative!!!!!!

[PeninsulaKiddo]

rusthebuss, on Jun 17 2005, 07:59 AM, said:

What makes you think that P-town is a negative name?????? I know people who live in P-town that call it P-town so what the big deal. No different than calling Atlanta A-town. Your questioning this makes no sense at all. No one has said anything derogatory to that city, if anything everyone was excited that the 6 towers were annouced. Give us a reason for thinking that P-town is negative!!!!!!

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Lol I did a google search on "P-Town Virginia" and I found urbandictionary.com:

"P town is the most kick ass city in Virginia located in the seven cities!!"

Hahaha.  I too don't understand it's negative connotation, but it's all good.  Va Beach, NNews, NOVA, etc.  I don't think anyone meant it in a derogatory way, chesapeakepirate, and if it was taken that way, then let us know why you think so?

[willy]

If you search Bad News Virginia on urbandictionary.com one of the finds is Newport News.

It says,

1 of the 7 urban cities of Virginia's Hampton Roads...Also known as Bad News for its high crime rate

Located North of Norfolk

Lets hit downtown Bad News after dark and get mugged!

[Chesapeake Pirate]

PeninsulaKiddo, on Jun 17 2005, 10:07 AM, said:

Lol I did a google search on "P-Town Virginia" and I found urbandictionary.com:

"P town is the most kick ass city in Virginia located in the seven cities!!"

Hahaha.  I too don't understand it's negative connotation, but it's all good.  Va Beach, NNews, NOVA, etc.  I don't think anyone meant it in a derogatory way, chesapeakepirate, and if it was taken that way, then let us know why you think so?

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I disagree, but respect these other opinions.  I will continue to have the same opinion unless more folks from Portsmouth post here and say they like their home city being referred to as "P-town".  The people I know from Portsmouth don't like the term, but then again they also don't refer to Portsmouth as a "kickass city".  If you would be happy living in Portsmouth and saying that you were from "P-town", then you look at this differently than me.

Chesapeake Pirate

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Chesapeake Pirate, on Jun 17 2005, 08:27 AM, said:

I disagree, but respect these other opinions.  I will continue to have the same opinion unless more folks from Portsmouth post here and say they like their home city being referred to as "P-town".  The people I know from Portsmouth don't like the term, but then again they also don't refer to Portsmouth as a "kickass city".  If you would be happy living in Portsmouth and saying that you were from "P-town", then you look at this differently than me.

Chesapeake Pirate

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I just don't see the significance to either of us because neither of us actually live in Portsmouth.  I live in York County, for example.  I, personally, don't see it as any different from calling New York "NYC" or Philadelphia "Philly" or any other shortened form of any other city.  If I wanted to, I think I could hit Portsmouth with something worse than "P-Town", but I don't.  I don't live there and have never set foot in the city, just driven through it numerous times.

[willy]

On most of the urban radio stations they call it "party down P-Town", and Newport News is almost always called Bad News. I would be kind of offended if I lived in Newport News and someone called it Bad News, but not P-Town. It's not like it stands for something derogatory.

Houston is sometimes referred to as "H-Town".

[urbanvb]

I think I heard Chicago called C Town as well.

[Chesapeake Pirate]

PeninsulaKiddo, on Jun 17 2005, 10:38 AM, said:

I just don't see the significance to either of us because neither of us actually live in Portsmouth.  I live in York County, for example.  I, personally, don't see it as any different from calling New York "NYC" or Philadelphia "Philly" or any other shortened form of any other city.  If I wanted to, I think I could hit Portsmouth with something worse than "P-Town", but I don't.  I don't live there and have never set foot in the city, just driven through it numerous times.

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I'm interested because Portsmouth is a sister city amongst the Seven Cities of Hampton Roads in the Tidewater region of southeastern Virginia.  Portsmouth has historically struggled and been bad-mouthed by a lot of people locally, but like all cities they are trying to do their best to improve.  While I live in Norfolk, I can see Portsmouth from where I live, and I know many who live there.  They have never said "I live in P-town" or "come on over to P-town to visit", and they consider the term to be negative.  I think Portsmouth and Hampton Roads are both better served if the City of Portsmouth is not referred to as "P-town".

Chesapeake Pirate

[PeninsulaKiddo]

willy, on Jun 17 2005, 08:49 AM, said:

On most of the urban radio stations they call it "party down P-Town", and Newport News is almost always called Bad News. I would be kind of offended if I lived in Newport News and someone called it Bad News, but not P-Town. It's not like it stands for something derogatory.

Houston is sometimes referred to as "H-Town".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Haha, virtually any high schooler that I know that goes to a Newport News school calls it "Bad News".  I think many are more amused by it than offended, of course if I was selling a home in Newport News I doubt I'd go out of my way to put this in the add:

"2500 s/f, 3 bedroom rancher located in the heart of BAD NEWS"

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Chesapeake Pirate, on Jun 17 2005, 08:53 AM, said:

I'm interested because Portsmouth is a sister city amongst the Seven Cities of Hampton Roads in the Tidewater region of southeastern Virginia.  Portsmouth has historically struggled and been bad-mouthed by a lot of people locally, but like all cities they are trying to do their best to improve.  While I live in Norfolk, I can see Portsmouth from where I live, and I know many who live there.  They have never said "I live in P-town" or "come on over to P-town to visit", and they consider the term to be negative.  I think Portsmouth and Hampton Roads are both better served if the City of Portsmouth is not referred to as "P-town".

Chesapeake Pirate

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I do not know your age or occupation or anything of the sort, but many of the shortened names (Bad News, the YC, P-Town, etc) are names derived from pop culture (50 Cent's song referring to Bad News) or teens/kids, so far as I've seen at least.

[willy]

Quote

I don't live there and have never set foot in the city, just driven through it numerous times.

You should, the city is coming alive. A lot of renovations going on, similar to what is happening in Norfolk, but just on a smaller scale. I have no problem with Portsmouth and enjoy visiting. Sure, it's got some crime problems, but the city is slowly trying to correct that.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

willy, on Jun 17 2005, 08:56 AM, said:

You should, the city is coming alive. A lot of renovations going on, similar to what is happening in Norfolk, but just on a smaller scale. I have no problem with Portsmouth and enjoy visiting. Sure, it's got some crime problems, but the city is slowly trying to correct that.

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I rather like the city, actually, from what I've seen of I-264 lol.  It has a beautiful downtown waterfront and is one of few truly walkable areas around.  It does have a rather negative history and a lot of problems, but I agree--it's working to fix itself and with the new projects in the city it has a lot of potential.  I just don't see P-Town as bad, but I suppose in the future I will refrain from using the term

Edited by PeninsulaKiddo, 17 June 2005 - 09:02 AM.

[vdogg]

Chesapeake Pirate, on Jun 17 2005, 08:39 AM, said:

Not meaning this as anything on rusthebuss or hoobo, but I was just wondering how everyone else feels about referring to the City of Portsmouth as "P-town"?

Is anyone using that term a resident of Portsmouth?

If not, would you use it if you were?

I know this term has some history, and I think most would agree that the connotation and intention is not positive.

I would love to see this board be proactive in ending the use of "P-town".

Chesapeake Pirate

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow. I've always thought of P-town as a local nickname. I've heard many people from the city itself use it that term so i really don't think there is anything derogatory meant by it. It's more an affectionate nickname (like one that a family memeber gives to another) than anything else i think.

[Chesapeake Pirate]

PeninsulaKiddo, on Jun 17 2005, 10:55 AM, said:

I do not know your age or occupation or anything of the sort, but many of the shortened names (Bad News, the YC, P-Town, etc) are names derived from pop culture (50 Cent's song referring to Bad News) or teens/kids, so far as I've seen at least.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not sure what my age or occupation has to do with this, but I am 51, a certified public accountant, and CFO of a distributor of building supply products trading in Virginia and North Carolina.  My wife teaches in a Norfolk middle school and we are very aware of today's culture.  The term "P-town" is not a recent invention, and has long been associated with negative commentary about Portsmouth.

I don't think I ever said anyone here was intentionally speaking bad about Portsmouth by referring to it as "P-town".  I was and continue to suggest that Portsmouth and all of the Hampton Roads area would be better served if that term died a natural death.

Chesapeake Pirate

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Chesapeake Pirate, on Jun 17 2005, 09:19 AM, said:

Not sure what my age or occupation has to do with this, but I am 51, a certified public accountant, and CFO of a distributor of building supply products trading in Virginia and North Carolina.  My wife teaches in a Norfolk middle school and we are very aware of today's culture.  The term "P-town" is not a recent invention, and has long been associated with negative commentary about Portsmouth.

I don't think I ever said anyone here was intentionally speaking bad about Portsmouth by referring to it as "P-town".  I was and continue to suggest that Portsmouth and all of the Hampton Roads area would be better served if that term died a natural death.

Chesapeake Pirate

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perhaps the death of "P-Town" could better serve our area, I agree.  But I also agree with Vdogg in that it's more of a nickname.

Nevertheless, my only intentions with using the name were that it was shorter than writing out "Portsmouth".

I wasn't aware that P-Town was and is a long-standing term used for Portsmouth.  As far as The YC and Bad News and other nicknames like that, those are mostly names brought forth by my generation, that was my point.

[Chesapeake Pirate]

vdogg, on Jun 17 2005, 11:17 AM, said:

Wow. I've always thought of P-town as a local nickname. I've heard many people from the city itself use it that term so i really don't think there is anything derogatory meant by it. It's more an affectionate nickname (like one that a family memeber gives to another) than anything else i think.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wonder if Portsmouth Mayor James Holley or Director of Economic Development Steven Lynch would share the "affectionate nickname" thought?

I don't see it used on the city website  

Chesapeake Pirate

Edited by Chesapeake Pirate, 17 June 2005 - 09:27 AM.

[lammius]

P-town is a local nickname.  I'm from there.  I never found it to be derogatory itself.  It's just when suburbanites say "OMG P-town is so ghetto!"  If we didn't have the P-town name they'd just say "OMG Portsmouth is so ghetto!"  Regardless of the nickname the rep. remains.

As a note, anywhere outside Hampton Roads, P-town is Provincetown, Mass.  I had a P-town sticker on my car and people from NC to NY have asked "Cape Cod?"

[rusthebuss]

Chesapeake Pirate, on Jun 17 2005, 11:19 AM, said:

Not sure what my age or occupation has to do with this, but I am 51, a certified public accountant, and CFO of a distributor of building supply products trading in Virginia and North Carolina.  My wife teaches in a Norfolk middle school and we are very aware of today's culture.  The term "P-town" is not a recent invention, and has long been associated with negative commentary about Portsmouth.

I don't think I ever said anyone here was intentionally speaking bad about Portsmouth by referring to it as "P-town".  I was and continue to suggest that Portsmouth and all of the Hampton Roads area would be better served if that term died a natural death.

Chesapeake Pirate

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No offense Pirate but you are not in our age group and i don't see anyone that age calling it. I know people my age that live in P-town say P-town. Your age seems to be the reason you are offended. I grew up in Norfolk and have always heard Portsmouth as P-town. You have yet to explain why P-town sounds bad for the city.