Re: Mixed or Unmixed Environment?
From my experience, growing up in a “mixed enviroment” was an asset, not a detriment. My parents never “shielded” us from the big, bad outside world. My father read to us from the Bhagavad Gita, Old Testament, New Testament, Torah etc so that we would not only understand another religion’s point of view, but also be able to explain/defend our own faith accurately. I am from the Deep South, the heart of the “Bible Belt”, there were all of oh, maybe 4 brown families when my parents landed in 1972. We did not have the conveniences and safety nets that established desi/muslim communites now enjoy. And I cannot be more grateful! I am a very adventurous person, I love to try new things, go to new places, learn new languages, religions etc. It’s easy to tolerate differences when you’ve been exposed to diversity.
I am using this practice with my own kids. I do not discourage them from befriending children of other faiths/backgrounds because I am confident in the upbringing at home and the morals/values that my husband and I teach them. As they get older, I want my house to be “the fun house” where all their friends are welcomed, that way they can have their friends, and I can keep a watch on what they are doing/saying without the fear of “sending them out”.
It actually disheartens me a great deal when I see families who have immigrated here in the last 10-15 years or so..they came into built up, established communites and refuse to leave their comfort zones. Assimilation does not mean abandoning your roots/faith/culture. It means broadening your horizons and embracing a learning opportunity.
I realize in this post 9/11 world, things have changed a little in the US,however, I still firmly maintain that “tunnel vision” and sticking to “our own kind” is doing a disservice to our Muslim community.