As the Olympics wind up this weekend, I am completely enamored with the diversity of people from around the world. There is great beauty in the differences between our cultures and customs, and indeed, the colors of our skin. I see this every couple of years in these games, but especially in the summer Olympics (because I watch them more closely).
If I had to choose one thing about my career that I love the most, it's the diversity of the people who work in my field. You must view the world differently when you work with people from China, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa. It has always been so interesting to hear about the places that they come from, the things that their families do as traditions, etc. It's so interesting to me.
My world growing up was definitely not that of a typical white kid, because I grew up in the midst of desegregation in Cleveland, and my neighborhood was primarily Puerto Rican and to a lesser degree, Lebanese. But it wasn't until college, then work, that I learned about the largeness of the world. It's so fascinating when I think about how different my day to day was while I grew up.
So you can imagine my frustration and confusion when I look at the extraordinary proliferation of xenophobia in the United States. I don't understand the fear. Even more, I don't understand the accusation that my feeling is "virtue signaling," as if appreciating people of diverse backgrounds should be something that shouldn't be virtuous. I can assure you that the sentiment is not performative.
It's part of the general disbelief that half of the American electorate is drawn to people who are only interested in tearing others down, supporting people who falsely believe that they are under attack.
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