April 2, 2014:  Diversity and Choice as Threats (1980s)

For a moment set aside our preoccupations with race or ethnic relations, the black and white divide, economic disparity and the issues of superiority.  Most of us idealistically want all groups and individuals to be at peace and get along (unless you are a true believer or "chaos theory" --  today we can look at diversity, whether by race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexuality, as part of our decision to address "equality for all" as a basic American principle of democracy.  It is time, historically, to move beyond the "divide and conquer" and manifest destiny in the interest of global preservation.   Last time on Beneath the Waves program's " Urban Survival and Suburban Flight (1950-60s)"  consider the market, favoritism, and policies that elevate one dominant group over others within the defined "underclass".  Today let's explore the underlining motives, like the abusive justifications of social Darwinism, in order to trivialize us into units and groups and in particular "majority and minorities".     
                                                 
 Through the decades history has been interpreted and codified through the lens of the majority or an elite minority -- quite a natural perspective when a dominant group has the tools and authority to dictate rules and hierarchy. A recent article,  "The Vision for 2050" by Dr. Leonard Greenhalgh of Connecticut:  "Census data leave no doubt that minorities (defined as current underclass Americans most often racial or ethnic) are rapidly increasing as a proportion of the total United States population. This is the result of immigration and minorities’ higher birthrates compared to Caucasians. Minorities will become the majority of the national population around the year 2050, but many communities have made the transition already."  Should we be fearful of this new majority or accept the change and move on?