Re: Most homogeneous city?

DaveHatunen (hatunen@netcom.com)
Mon, 14 Oct 1996 04:24:52 GMT

In article <53qk0a$mus@news2.cais.com>,
Charles Packer <packer@cais.cais.com> wrote:
>At a food festival here in Washington, D.C. I was struck by
>the racial and physiognomic diversity of the crowd, even
>though, as a long-time resident, I've come to take the
>multicultural nature of the city for granted. Now, I wonder,
>where in the U.S. or Canada could one have the _opposite_
>experience, that is, be in a crowd in which everyone looked
>alike? My guess is that it would most likely be on an Indian
>reservation, or possibly in some small city in the Midwest or
>South founded by some close-knit immigrant group. Can anybody
>suggest specific candidates for the most homogeneous city in
>USA/Canada?

A lot would apparently depend on what you mean by "city". Few
communities on Indian reservations qould qualifie as a "city" despite
the names of places like Tuba City Arizona.

There are several African-American communities large enough to be small
cities. I think Marin City California might qualify. But for a real
look at such a thing, try shopping here at our Pacific Super Market,
which is an Asian market, born as a Safeway. When I run in there for a
gallon of milk I am usually one of the only non-Asian faces there.

But this is where a crucial glitch in your question arises. Almost
everyone in Pacific Super is Asian, and most are Filipino, but not all.
Someone not used to being in the midst of Asians might think it to be
quite a homgeneous crowd, but the fact is that there are Japanese,
Chinese, and even Samoans there, too, and they do not look homogeneous
except for a similarity of skin tone.

Somthing of the same problem exists with Africans, who can range from
Masai to Pygmy to Ethiopian, groups which are quite distinct in
appearance except for skin tone.

Maybe you'd care to hone a somewhat sharper question.

-- 





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