Cranford, NJ vs. Westfield, NJ (Newark, Elizabeth: low crime, safe neighborhood, high income)

[veuvegirl]

CuCullin-- reading your post again sounds to me like you are extremely racist; forgive me if I am wrong. But if one says "why do you want diversity? To show your children how nice we are to each other?" This to me is extremely ignorant.

[CuCullin]

Originally Posted by veuvegirl

CuCullin-- reading your post again sounds to me like you are extremely racist; forgive me if I am wrong. But if one says "why do you want diversity? To show your children how nice we are to each other?" This to me is extremely ignorant.

LOL

That wasn't my post, I quoted it.

What does diversity mean? Its subjective. Whats important about it to you?

How does my not caring about diversity make me a racist? I'll live in a town thats nice, that fits my needs, without regard for race, religion, or "diversity". So it makes me racist that I don't care if I live next to someone who is black, jewish, gay, or otherwise "diverse"?

[Older&Wiser]

Originally Posted by veuvegirl

Why would I want diversity? Easy. I want my kids to grow up knowing different cultures and traditions. I don't want my children to be ignorant, I want them to be excepting and understanding of other cultures.


Wouldn't we learn different cultures by reading or visiting that country if we are interested. I don't think to be "excepting and understanding" we have to have different folks in our neighborhoods speaking the language of their homelands and walking around dressed in their native garb. So if your child does see an Eskimo walking and talking around your town he/she cannot accept them? When I travel abroad I try and use the language of the country to the best of my ability but I do NOT ask these people to speak english. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

I find it facinating to learn about other people, possibly adopt some of their traditions. How boring it would be to live in a town that everyone has the same, traditions, thoughts and mentality.


Their "traditions, thoughts and metality" are theirs, NOT ours. We are American they are _ _ _, and there is nothing wrong with that, but this is America, again "When in America, do as the Americans do". Sorry but if you consider me a racist so be it. That is your opinion and you are welcome to it. We have a democracy here in America with something called free speech which will not last very long at the rate we are going. If we keep changing to accommodate all of these other countries customs we will soon lose our identity. Oh, by the way I am not a racist.


I know this is not for everyone, but this is important to our family. As for my friends doing the research before they moved there; apparently not enough.

And that's the way I feel. I imagine that you and I disagree. That is the nice thing about the USA; a lot of these other countries that send its people here are NOT allowed to disagree and that is why those folks are here - to be like US - not them. Have a happy day. Enjoy life

[veuvegirl]

Sorry Cucullin!

Older & Wiser--- it is probably best that we agree to disagree!

[kalim2008]

Originally Posted by E-TOWN-R.I.P.

My move from Elizabeth to Westfield had nothing to do with colorful or boring. It had to do with a need to live in a town where the primary language spoken was still English.

Tu necesidad aprender espanol, muchacho.

Especially since a decade or so from now, the spanish speakers might be the largest cultural group in the USA.

[Alex07860]

Originally Posted by kalim2008

Tu necesidad aprender espanol, muchacho.

Especially since a decade or so from now, the spanish speakers might be the largest cultural group in the USA.

::::clearing throat:::: ok, first of it's TU NECESITA no tu necesidad, and hey, nothing wrong w/ learning new cultures, I myself speak a few languages other than English.

[E-TOWN-R.I.P.]

Originally Posted by kalim2008

Tu necesidad aprender espanol, muchacho.

Especially since a decade or so from now, the spanish speakers might be the largest cultural group in the USA.

I understand it perfectly, partner, I am half-Hispanic.

I also happen to speak both languages.

But I was born, raised and reside in the United States of America - where the primary language, last I checked, was still English ... and that's what I want to hear when I go to the store, gas station, movies, etc.

[CuCullin]

Originally Posted by Alex07860

::::clearing throat:::: ok, first of it's TU NECESITA no tu necesidad, and hey, nothing wrong w/ learning new cultures, I myself speak a few languages other than English.

Same here (but likely poorly, even after 7 years of instruction). Still, it wasn't a factor in moving. I still just don't understand why "diversity" is such a critical factor in a move, or even what "diversity" in a town is supposed to mean. I guess it kind of reminds me of the South Park episode regarding the town flag...

[Alex07860]

Originally Posted by CuCullin

Same here (but likely poorly, even after 7 years of instruction). Still, it wasn't a factor in moving. I still just don't understand why "diversity" is such a critical factor in a move, or even what "diversity" in a town is supposed to mean. I guess it kind of reminds me of the South Park episode regarding the town flag...

I don't know why but for some strange reason "West Side Story" just came into my mind.

[kalim2008]

Originally Posted by E-TOWN-R.I.P.

I understand it perfectly, partner, I am half-Hispanic.

I also happen to speak both languages.

But I was born, raised and reside in the United States of America - where the primary language, last I checked, was still English ... and that's what I want to hear when I go to the store, gas station, movies, etc.

If people want to speak their own language to one another, I have no problem with that. I'm not sure why people are so threatened by seeing Spanish spoken by people around them. It bespeaks of some inferiority complex or hidden fear about being "overwhelmed".

As you can see, Spanish is a secondary language to me and I'm not completely fluent, but I like being able to communicate with people using it and it actually is a better language in that it sounds just like it is written. If the nation ever switches to spanish as a co-language, i'd havew no problems with that. Both are just languages after all, and they both will change completely or disappear sooner or later.