Mercersburg Archives - The Citizen's Story

The Roads I Knew:

When I first started driving, I feared Route 30 and I-76 more than any other roads. Route 30 is called Lancaster Avenue in Southeastern Pennsylvania. To get to any doctor’s appointment or dinner place, I would have to weave through its infinite lights and avoid its impatient suburban drivers. I-76, on the other hand, connected my hometown to downtown Philadelphia. Forever busy, it never felt like much of a highway.

Growing up, these roads both symbolized my sheltered suburban life and the path to leave the bubble, if only briefly. On my journey from Mercersburg to Pittsburgh, I traveled Route 30 and I-76 again. The places and paths they took me to and on, though, were quite different.

Continue reading Same Roads, New Places

Darla is a life-time resident of Mercersburg, PA. As I was wandering around yesterday, I had a chance to speak with her about respect, generational differences, and why political judgement goes both ways.

On why she’s a good citizen:

I try to treat people with respect and dignity, regardless of who people are, where they’re from, their race, or how much money they have. We’re all here for the same thing, and I’m going to treat you the way that I want to be treated.

Why she feels like the biggest citizenship gap is across generations:

The older generation in Mercersburg are good citizens. But I think there’s a generational gap. The younger generation, though, seems more entitled. There’s a lot of focus on instant gratification. It’s really hard to see kids not working hard, not going to work when they’re supposed to. Maybe it’s social media. But they just don’t know how to go out and socialize with people, which really constricts them (as citizens). Continue reading A Generational and Political Divide?