Tolerance in America

2004-12-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

For the last two days, I've been reflecting on my recent trip to Hawaii. Like others who have visited Hawaii, I found Maui (in particular) to be breathtaking--pristine beaches and beautiful sunsets. I especially enjoyed the food prepared by the native Hawaiians. Similar to Los Angeles, Maui embraces its ethnic diversity through music, dance, and art. It is truly a special place.

One would assume that the unique experiences in a culturally dense community might encourage greater tolerance of diverse groups, but as we experience time and time again, people are lead by their perceptions (often misperceptions) of those who don't share the same values, beliefs, and traditions. So this is what happened: I was sitting on a bench on Front St. in Lahaina and noticed a group of natives walk my way (of dark complexion). I greeted them with a smile and we exchanged pleasantries. Moments later, a Caucasian family of three (father, mother, and child) approached the bench and after looking at us, the father said abruptly "let's cross here!" The natives and I looked at each other in amazement and one said "do you believe that!?" My question to you is, do you believe this? How can a rapidly evolving multicultural society be unwilling to embrace diversity? Will America ever become color blind or will we remain in denial over our unwillingness to embrace difference (race, gender, and sexuality)?

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Tolerance in America