Some are (or have friends who are) afraid of the demographic changes in our country. Here's my comment.

You're right, every part of the country is more diverse -- for better and/or worse. What we have thought of as the "majority," i.e., white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestants, is or will soon be the minority.

While this has challenges and opportunities, I have confidence that all will soon think of themselves as "Americans" first. Most of us probably think with nostalgia of the homogeneous hometowns where we grew up.

But I really appreciate sitting at my desk in Longmont and watching the elegant, distinguished Sufi neighbor with his flowing robes and turban taking his morning walk, or the Indian (from India) teenager getting his driver's license, and the Asian family trying to figure out the most efficient way to shovel unfamiliar snow, or the smells of the Mexican neighbor's cooking, the gay women in my chorus.

These are my neighbors and my friends. I am not afraid of them or the change they bring.