Gosh! No wonder some American denizens of the cul de sac don't like immigrants in their tidy little neighborhoods: many immigrants don't like or use dishwashers. Well, we know what that means! Those hords of foreigners are obviously out to destroy the American Way of Life. (Actually, I think we native-born Americans are doing that all on our own.)

Nice article in today's Washington Post on how immigrants often do not use dishwashers for years after immigrating to the United States--long after they use microwaves, all sorts of computer systems, handhelds, DVD players, etc. It doesn't seem to matter whether the immigrants are from Bolivia or China, poor or middle class--they avoid one of America's greatest gifts to the world: the electric, automatic dishwasher.

I am not surprised at all. My partner is a Venezuelan immigrant, of middle-class upbringing. At first, he rarely used the dishwasher, especially if another Venezuelan friend was here to help clean up after a meal. Now, he does use it, but still handwashes some things that I automatically stick in the machine.

One point made in the article, I agree with: the social interaction involved with washing dishes by hand. I have seen among immigrant friends.

Still, the dishwasher is, I am afraid, a necessity to me. Read story here.