So says the Virginia Department of Tourism. “Live passionately” is part of the new slogan:
” ‘Virginia is for lovers’ is our brand, and ‘live passionately’ is our call to action,” she [Tamra Talmadge-Anderson, spokeswoman for the tourism unit] said. “They go hand in hand.”
Hmm. I don’t know about this one. Your thoughts?
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Considering that “passion” comes from the Latin “passio,” which means “suffering,” (as in “The Passion of Christ”), I think I’ll pass.
I still can’t believe that we ever adopted “Virginia Is For Lovers” in the first place. Didn’t like it then, don’t like it now. It sounds “cheesy”. Adding “passionately” to it just adds to the not so subtle prurient appeal. All of these constitutional amendments and ad campaigns in Virginia about people’s sex lives is making me wonder whether Dr. Ruth should be the next Governor…or whether we should just spend less time being concerned with people’s sex lives.
I’d stick with the current slogan: “Virginia Is for Lovers … Some Restrictions Apply.” I’d say that’s more than insulting enough to loving same-sex couples excluded from Virginia’s Bill of Rights — Virginia doesn’t need to rub salt into any wounds (though that’s definitely suffering, as in Latin “passio”).
When one considers our “abuser driver fees”, republican do nothing legislature, marriage amendment, Pat Robertson, traffic and highway gridlock, perhaps “Live Passionately” is the correct slogan… It certainly reflects our suffering!
I have no problem with the hand symbol for their new slogan. So we are going to let a negative (the ‘gangsters’) ruin a positive. Let the bad guys ruin it for the good?! ‘Live Passionately’ is a MUCH better slogan than VA is for Lovers. I’ve always disliked it since it strictly implies only one thing…sex! At least this way all ages and all creative and historical passions are included. I believe the heart symbol –whether created by hand or not– has always had a positive attached to it before this so-called gang used the symbol and turned it into a negative. Only a fool would believe that it would ”send the wrong message”. And if young people DID believe that….then I believe we parents are not doing our job and are letting the culture raise them. Keep the hand symbol in the ad. It’s the best ad yet!
As for the ‘suffering’ idea mentioned in the above posts…Here’s the definition I’m thinking the slogan refers to: 1. intense emotion: intense or overpowering emotion such as love, joy, hatred, or anger—plenty of that in our state’s history and the birth of our nation.
Let’s use our heads, think about this, and not act like a bunch of whiners here, shall we? Ah, well…I suppose it’s for our freedom to whine that many men gave their lives for, right? (insert rolling eyes here)