Cherishing, not criticizing diversity

Every now and then I hear (or overhear) an offensive comment from someone that irritates the daylights out of me. Late Monday afternoon this happened when a person make the following obnoxious comment:

“It’s getting to be like the intersection of Singapore Street and Calcutta Boulevard around here.”

Really? How very 17th Century of you. Just because people are different, may do things differently than you, or have different opinions, doesn’t mean they are wrong. Nor does that give you any right to be derogatory.

Live and let live. It is the beautifully vast diversity of cultures, people, ideas, art, and beliefs that make living in the college town (and on this planet) so very wonderful.

Sadly, far too many people are trapped in their xenophobic attitudes and have no idea of all the wonderful things they are missing out on. If they would just take a moment, step back, and absorb the amazing wealth of diversity around us, they might learn to cherish all the blessings found on the lovely sphere that we all inhabit.