Racist??

We were out with friends the other evening, talking about the new neighborhood we're moving into and how everyone on our block is foreign-born. Afterwards, I felt like my comments sounded so racist. I feel like I'm stereotyping in a different way. And maybe it is racist, I don't know. But is this type of stereotyping really horrible? Not sure.

So this is the email I sent to the friends we were out with.

I felt really bad after I reflected on the comments I made to you about our new neighbors. I probably sound like a flaming racist!

It's not the skin color or the accent or the way people dress that matters to me at all. And in fact, I have absolutely no reason to think that these families will be anything but great, respectful neighbors.

It's a commonality of interests and language and sense of humor that will be missing for me, something that we've enjoyed so much in the little area we live in now. And it's not really a big deal, really more just an observation about the make-up of the neighborhood.

So I apologize if I said anything offensive.