Habitat: Enlightened?

Twice now, Unte Reader has referred to my 'burb as "enlightened". Although I can't say I've been blinded by the light here, and I haven't found the road to Damascus (up New Hampshire Avenue?), it's pretty cool. The name "Takoma" purportedly comes from an Indian expression for "high up near heaven". I thought that was in West Virginia, but maybe the First People found it in here too.

From 10 Most Enlightened Suburbs — By Peter Katz and Jay Walljasper, Utne magazine March/April 2003 Issue:

1. Montgomery County, Maryland (Washington, D.C.)
A mostly affluent stretch of communities northwest of D.C.,
it’s home to probably the leftiest ’burb anywhere
(Takoma Park) and one of the very first New Urbanist
communities (Kentlands).

And in The Most Enlightened Town in Every State and Canadian Province, they write, "Takoma Park: Not your typical suburb. A truly comfortable multiracial, mixed-class, gay-friendly environment next door to Washington, D.C.".

Calling all spiritual teachers to The People's Republic of Takoma Park, AKA, "The Berkeley of the East" . . .