Congratulations, Tiffany & Sudesh

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you read the above, a message I saw on the sign board of a local catering hall?

Having lived long enough to remember when an Irish/Italian wedding generated a fair degree of controversy, I found myself reflecting on the cultural barriers that have begun to fall in my lifetime. I'm not naive. I know many Americans still marry within their own ethnic group. Even interfaith marriages are still unusual enough that finding a Rabbi who will officiate a ceremony involving a Jew and someone from another faith is not easy.

But when I look at the NY Times wedding section, and yes, I know New York is very different from Boise, I am no longer surprised to see in those pictures many combinations reflective of the US mosaic. When I do, as when I passed that catering hall sign, I'm proud of what we're becoming as a nation.