“Canaries of the Creative Age” discusses how certain aspects in Greenwich village-acceptance and diversity- “have become its greatest liabilities” in the eyes of the Christopher Street Patrol & Bock and Merchant Associations. This statement was targeted at the gay and lesbian nonresidents of the area. In fact, a “Take Back Our Streets” rally was held against LGBT Youth and complaints against them are often brought up in monthly community board meetings. Despite the seemingly oppositionary stance to social tolerance that these associations had taken, they were still supported even by some LGBT. Social tolerance in a region was measured by the Gay Index. As the number of gay, and to a lesser degree lesbians, in a community increased, social tolerance also increased, which in turn also means that creativity increased . A different view held by those advocating the Gay Index is that LGBT live in communities with high rates of illegal activity and run-down homes.

Question: Why is diversity seen as a liability in the Greenwich village?