All of us do not share religious or theological ideas to be sure. But we do share a concern for the quality of our common life as communities. There are many forms of threat, belligerence, and discrimination that are not legally actionable, but have severe consequences for our lives together as neighbors. They are insensitive, provocative, and ugly, but not illegal. The negative stereotypes we hold of one another, the benign ignorance and willful misrepresentation of each other these are matters of great importance, for we know that our society is shaped by the quality of our relationships and by forces for good or ill that governments simply cannot legislate.
Religions don t melt in the so-called melting pot of America.
However, pluralism is not just difference, but engagement with our differences. It means involvement and participation in common life, despite our differences. It means traffic, exchange, dialogue, and debate. Pluralism is not simply a given with our new diversity, but must be created. The makings of pluralism are surely there on New Hampshire Avenue, but without any real engagement with one another, without being attuned to the life and energies of one another, this might prove to be just a colorful example of diversity interesting, but inconsequential and maybe divisive for American society.