Well SH, though I am not so sure that the representative American would necessarily brush off the odd behavior in the manner you suggest, because I have witnessed a lot of intolerance in the States, I will agree with you that Americans generally adopt a "live and let live" attitude toward things, though I also think that when their personal space is violated they are likely to lose that attitude pretty quickly. One isolated instance, OK, they may brush it off, but if it happens repeatedly in their midst, then I think not. Plenty of examples of this: while both countries have their specific form of racism,for example, the north American version is segregationist in its structure. Americans dont mind the ways of other people so long as those other people stay on their side of the lines that are drawn in subtle ways.
Secondly, I have to remind you that a comparison between the two countries is likely to be a bit faulty, given the fact that the DR has been isolated for almost its entire history, and this isolation has bred a lack of cosmopolitanism and understanding of other cultures. Very shortly after being founded, the colony fell into desuetude due to the fact that the Spanish Empire had exhausted the resources here (primarily Gold, sugar was not such a big thing yet), and was looking for bigger conquests, it developed Cuba and forgot about DR, partly because of piracy, and last but not least the forced resettlement of the colonists around POP and Monte Cristi, in punishment for refusing to stop trading with the pirates, which really wrecked the economy. The Devastaciones, as the resettlement was called, had a bad effect all round. afterwards the colony became a real backwater, and during modern times, of course, it was in the grips of the caudillos, the greatest of which, Trujillo, pretty much clamped down on outside influences. Only in the last three decades has the island really been openly exchanging ideas, commerce, and people with the outside world in a significant way and the consequent tolerance and openmindedness you would expect to see is only very slowly beginning to take root. part of this positive change, btw, comes from the Dominican Yorks, who often are the victims of bad press but who infact contribute a lot of good to the island, and not just in the form of remesas.
On the other hand, this historical isolation is also what makes this island rather special and unique, and if you dont believe me just visit Cuba and Puerto Rico, which form two ends of a spectrum in which one finds what might have happened to DR had it followed a different path in History. Our Vod?, for example, is not yet a tourist attraction, as it is in Cuba -- santer?a and all that Afro-cuban jazz is marketed to foreigners, but here it is more underground and as such quite interesting and untarnished. This is but one example, albeit a somewhat dramatic one, of what I am talking about, but there are many others. Course, I think that along with the openness to outside influences there will also come the inevitable"Americanization" of the culture -- it is already happening and the changes are coming fast and furious. So I rather prefer to see some resistance on the part of Dominicans. I hope they dont lose their character in the years to come, even if it discomfits the expats among them!
drbill -- glad you enjoyed my post! What in particular rang true there? Cuentame!
