Where is it that diversity has actually worked?

People such as Sherry Beasley keep writing about how wonderful and strong diverse societies are (“Extend Thanksgiving spirit beyond goods to thoughts and deeds,” Nov. 23). Maybe they are thinking of the Flemings and Walloons in Holland. Maybe the Irish and the Orange squatters in the six northernmost counties. Perhaps more like the Christians and Muslims in Sudan, the Indonesians and East Timor, the Huttus and Tutsis, the diverse peoples of the old Soviet Union or the societies of the Middle East.

Of course, the prime example of diversity has to be the strong, harmonious society of the most diverse country in the world, the one with six almost-equal populations living together: Yugoslavia. Oh … wait a minute.

This story was originally published December 12, 2017 at 11:39 AM with the headline "Where is it that diversity has actually worked?."