Oh--just because my community is diverse does not mean that there isn't bigotry. But I do think, that living so close together helps the problem--generally speaking. I have no choice but to shop at the puerto rican super market, buy fruit from the West Indian stand, go to the "halal bodega"
The $1 store is owned by the Hindu Indian family and the Vietnamese monks are down the block water flowers. If I take public transportation, it is unlikely that we will hear English spoken before we hear another language.
I also find, at least here, that bigotry is between other people groups rather than between caucasion and another group. We have on numerous occassions, been treated preferentially because we are white. But there is a long standing fued between Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, between the Hindu Indians and the Africans who come into their store etc.
I just keep telling my kids that bigotry is not how God wants us to think. That people, nice or not, are that way because of themselves, not the color of their skin.
We have been the recipients of racism but only because of the radical group called "the Nation of Islam" who preaches on the corner. They spit at us when we walk by. (If you're not familiar with this group, let me just point out this is not "normal Muslims" and although I'm not terribly famliar with Islam I would venture to say that they say lots of things that most muslims would not agree with. Misty you are free to correct me if I'm off.)
Multi-Cultural Communities
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