The "otherness" of the gated community

I would have never guessed I would be a resident of a gated community. I'm really not the type.

For one, I am not paranoid that the poor, or minorities, are after me, or my money. I pretty much trust everyone. While there are plenty of bad people to go around, I don't get stressed about it. In fact, I see about as many people willing to con me out of my hard earned dollars inside the Village as outside.

The idea of sameness is troubling to me. Gates seem to produce white, Christian, Republican, communities. Diversity is looked upon with fear and skepticism. Things seem to be going on outside the gates that are to be feared. So it is best to come together with people like yourself, of the same approximate social class, who drive the same cars, live in the same big homes, play together in places where outsiders need special permission to be. Only the home builders, maids, and yard tenders might be different.

Individual rights are forfeited for the good and the survival of the community. Everything needs to be regulated. The eventual cost of this is to lose sight of the individual in favor of the POA. The "normal" rules outside of the gates are replaced by rules and rule-makers who are loyal to the organization, not to the people. The preservation of the community becomes more important than the people who live inside the gates.

So I can hear you saying, Why live here? Or, Why not move? That would be the same "love it or leave it" mentality that has been used on persons questioning some of the things the government does in the name of justice, safety, and democracy. That mentality is exactly what happens when the above occurs. When you build a community, or an organization, that does not allow for dissent, you have built a system that will fail. That's why I would stay. To push us away from the conventional wisdom of the gated community, where everything looks the same, sounds the same, and smells like racism. Hot Springs Village could be a great place, if only......