http://www.hudson-ny.org/2219/netherlands-abandons-multiculturalism The question is why do we even support such obviously stupid liberal ideas in the first place? Sadly enough multiculturalism is now entrenched within the american education and political institutions. It is amazing how the successful people of the european west are so intent on destroying themselves from within.
Amazing it is... the simplest of answers are overlooked just like bargain hunters stepping over dollars to get to nickels...
I'm torn. Certainly there is a very good argument that the United States is *based* on immigration and multi-culturalism. But there is now a strong perception that it isn't working. Why? I think the answer or perhaps a factor in the answer is that in our past the waves of immigrants seemed to desire to assimilate into our society. Yeah, most immigrants started out in enclaves of their own people but eventually they dispersed into every corner of the country and became "Americans" who actually promote and embrace the values of our country. Things are different now. The most recent waves of immigrants, particularly those from Mexico, do *not* desire to assimilate into our society. The seek to bring their foreign culture to America simply will not become part of our county. They want the benefits and handouts afforded to such folks but want nothing to do with our culture. Not all though, clearly some Mexicans embrace American culture and thrive here, work and pay taxes. Immigrants from the middle-east, excepting Israel, also refuse to assimilate, won't adopt our values and simply exist on our land as, frankly, our enemies. They insist we change our entire culture to fit theirs. They demand we respect their backwards values and customs however heinous they may be, honor killings for example. Some assimilate but very few. Their culture is too insular to accept any outside ideas. The netherlands is having big problems with this parituclar group and it looks like they've had enough.
Harvard Professor Robert Putnamâs research provides some insight into the failings of multiculturalism. Article: "The Downside of Diversity. A Harvard political scientist finds that diversity hurts civic life. What happens when a liberal scholar unearths an inconvenient truth?" "The study, the largest ever on civic engagement in America, found that virtually all measures of civic health are lower in more diverse settings." http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/08/05/the_downside_of_diversity/
Tough problem. I'd read some history on the immigration of Chinese people to the US. Many wouldn't assimiliate for fear of being ostracized by their former countrymen (China). they became a people who had no country. They didn't feel they belonged to the US although they were citizens, and were rejected from their homeland (too westernized). Maybe we adopt all these changes here in the US, to make them feel welcome. I don't know and really don't understand the situation. As far as Muslims, although the US has the highest per capita of incarcerated people, we have the least amount of Muslims in prisons. Weird. I suppose they abide by our laws.
Has the US ever really been a 'melting pot'? US (and Canadian) hsitories are unique, large land areas flooded with mostly Europeans, the most advanced economic and technological cultures on the planet at the time. Europeans for some reason have assimilated well to a common culture here in the states, but have a harder time in the old countries. Probably the glue that made it happen was plenty of space and prosperity, but there was a dominance from northern European cultures- which are the most successful of the Europeans. It isn't really hard to understand. Form a new country and fill it with mostly Germans and British. Guess what cultures the new country will resemble? Take a second identical new country and fill it with Pakistanis, Nigerians, and Mexicans. The left will insist that the second country should be as economically successful as the first, I think we all know the correct answer. Blacks and whites has not melted yet, maybe never will, due to a race-cultural divide and huge resentment. Hispanics from the south certainly haven't melted in, and they seem hostile to the idea. Mexicans really don't like american whites to begin with so asking them to be like us is strange to me. The two largest non european immigrant groups, some 1/3 of the population, have not assimilated yet we consider the US to be a successful melting pot? The Amish are an example of a group that hasn't blended in due to religion. But since they don't blow up other people, don't demand special group rights and government programs, stay out of the news, and are generally law abiding- we get along. The truest sense of liberty at work. There is also an encouraging mixing of far east asians and whites, I think due to mutual respect. Given world history, most all multicultural societies don't work. Canada almost split several times and they are a very advanced nation. The evidence against multiculturalism is enormous yet here we are in 2011 with the huge leftist-humanist lie foisted upon the american people is that all cultures are equally valuable and that it is a strength to live and work alongside just about anyone, even if they hate you. It is the white man's burden to accept all comers no matter how primitive and hostile, and by use of some tortured logic it is implied we in fact owe them something. So tragic that the truth of the matter will sort itself out by having to live the consequences.
Recession does not explain persistant non assimilation by the immigrant groups. The muslim ghettos of europe, the constant underperformance of blacks, and the insistance of a bi-lingual society is not due to recession. The left says it's racism by whites, I say it's a racial-cultural gap that has different economic and social values . Either way it isn't going to work. As evidence that it is not racism, I point out that east Asian citizens are actually doing better than whites economically in the US.