This block is not at war.

Not to say this block don't got no problems. But no. Not since the munitions-stockpiking wannabe (read: YANKEE) "Confederates" (to judge by their flag, and deliveries left by their front door) moved out last year have I really had any neighbour trouble at all. Fancy that.

And I won't pretend I'm not *really* glad *not* to live next to a mosque — but then, I don't go LOOKING FOR TROUBLE like some people do. (Moving two doors down from *any* religious building when they were there before you's downright unamerican if all you're intending to do is stir up trouble with the members of that religion, 'cause then *you're* the new kid on the block — not them.)

*cue dreadful '80s music*

That's not to say we're one big happy family here, either — but yeah: we mostly manage to coexist quite peacably, thanks very much. We've all got far, far more in common in terms of shared enlightened self-interest than any of us have serious grievances against each other. Very importantly, we're also all on speaking terms — not usually much more than "hi" (and yes, sometimes even just that slightly awkward) but not ignoring eachother, either; or pretending other folks do not exist, and NEVER outright threatening them in *any* way, shape, form, or manner.

So. What, exactly, is "threatening"?  Assuming my esteemed reader(s) sufficiently literate to type the word in question into Google, two actual examples should quite suffice. Just like calling a pedestrian of any sex a "bitch" outside Joseph's Liquor from a fast-moving (read: "driver speeding away, scared shitless") car with three young guys *not* from anywhere around here in it, FOLLOWING ANYONE THROUGH THE ALLEY CALLING THEM A FAGGOT'S FUCKING THREATENING, YOU FUCKING PIPSQUEAK FAGGOT-ASS DEGENERATES — IT DOES INDEED TAKE ONE TO KNOW ONE — SO KINDLY DO FUCK OFF BEFORE DRAWING STILL MORE UNWANTED ATTENTION, LET ALONE COMMUNITY-WIDE SCRUTINY, TO EVERY. SINGLE. THING. YOU. EVER. DO.)

Of course I know it's not the same in the next block over — or in any of the ¾ adjacent residential blocks, really, only one of which (not ours) remains completely unaffiliated with any neighbourhood association at all. But of course — at least here on *our* block, which is suprisingly well-connected — NONE OF US WANT TO MAKE ANYONE TROUBLE ANY MORE THAN WE WANT TO BE TROUBLED.

And yes, there are plenty of gray areas of cultural difference where each of us do things I'm sure that others really desperately wish that we wouldn't. But hey. We *are* on speaking terms, at least. Are you?

I hope those other nearby blocks do get their act together, too. It's really very simply better living. But of course I've got better things to do than tell other people how to live their lives. Like chasing down the still-elusive Lapras. Seriously.

But yeah, Mankato was a better town before the klan came in (at least this latest time around). But *that's* precisely the thing to remember: they showed up here, uninvited outside agitators if there ever were such things.

Beware the ghost of the doorman at Foxes Booze 'n' Cruise. You crazy kids have no fucking idea what you're in for.