DIVERSITY

My neighborhood is quite diverse ethnically speaking. Some folks think this is a good thing. I am reserving judgment. I will now, for your reading enjoyment list the pros and cons. A good thing about living in an ethnically diverse neighborhood would be the possibility of experiencing different cultures thereby expanding your own personal knowledge and....... (insert further PC blather). The problem, realistically, is that newcomers to this country are afraid, mistrustful, or slightly intimidated by contemporary American natives (to put it bluntly, whites and blacks). I suppose this is understandable, as I would probably try not to draw too much attention to myself if I were a newcomer to a strange country. However, this does not make for a friendly environment. I think everyone feels a little out of their element. The things that make a particular ethnic group charming as a whole are swallowed up by the void of a melting pot. In neighborhoods where each house must conform to a certain look, bright spots of Mexican color or Asian kitsch glare out at you and remind you that the owners are Different. Very hard to be Zen in the 'burbs. So I walk through my neighborhood at night, jealously sniffing the enchiladas, barbecue, and curry chicken, knowing that I will never experience any of it in its native state unless I save some neighbor's life, or perhaps fall violently ill and become the object of pity (worth it if those enchiladas are half as good as they smell).