“By far the largest concern we hear on the right concerns culture, especially the worry that the current Hispanic influx is so large it can resist the American genius for assimilation. Hispanics now comprise nearly a third of the population in California and Texas, the country’s two biggest states, and cultural assimilation does matter. This is where the political left does the cause of immigration no good in pursuing a separatist agenda. When such groups as La Raza and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund push for multiculturalism, bilingual education, foreign language ballots, racial quotas and the like, they undermine support for immigration among even the most open-minded Americans. Most Americans don’t want to replicate the Bosnia model; nor are they pining for a U.S. version of the Quebec sovereignty movement. President Bush has been right to assert that immigrants must adopt U.S. norms, and we only wish more figures on the political left would say the same”. –The Wall Street Journal editorial page explaining Why The Wall Street Journal favors open immigration
Jul20th2006
Finally, a quote I can agree with!
Yes, assimilation is needed. And yes, Liberals are partially to blame for impeding assimilation precisely as the WSJ states. Bravo!
That having been said, I would have to be blind not to recognize that conservatives (for lack of a better word) get the lion’s share of the blame lately. Recently, it seems that state legislatures and Republicans in the US Congress are doing their very best to keep hispanic immigrants from merging into the mainstream. The current trend towards states’ denying Driver’s Licenses to illegals being one of the most obvious examples.
You see LaurenceB, were not that different after all.
I never suggested otherwise.
What exactly are American norms?
And what is wrong with multiculturalism? I’ve always perceived culture as a good thing. Should I stop my cultural customs to make European Americans more comfortable?
Why no bilingual education? I think students should be required to learn multiple languages (most other countries require students to learn at least English beyond their native tongue.) I also see no problem offering ESL classes to new immigrants.
Racial quotas are hopefully no longer ‘necessary.’
I don’t see the point in making laws that enforce “norms.” I like the idea of this being a free country where people can do whatever the hell they want. If they want to speak French and ride through the desert on a bananamobile then more power to them, as long as they don’t bug me.
I have no problem with students learning multiple languages, so long as one of those languages is english.
Lets not make this a discussion about extreme cases because nobody is arguing in favor of those. All the WSJ is trying to say here is that fostering a culture of isolationism, where neither assimilation or even mere mixing happens, is bad for the country at large.
I do not understand why so many insist that assimilation is “needed” Why do people need to assimilate? Why do immigrants they need to abandon all their social customs and replace them with the customs of the prevailing culture? Certainly, the acculturation of a incoming ethic group to a society that is culturally different in many ways is beneficial to society, but to expect people to shed all their social customs is asking too much.
Nobody is arguing for complete assimilation, atleast nobody I’ve read, but they are arguing against complete isolationism from society at large.
Total assimilation = assimilation.
Being assimilated is similar to being pregnant, in the respect that you either are or aren’t assimilated. You either adopt the prevailing social customs and shed your native customs or you don’t. Acculturation, on the other hand, is blending or modification of cultural mores with the introduction of differing cultural mores and practices and does not require the abandoning of any cultural mores or practices.
It has been my experience that some liken “assimilation” to the abandoning of their heritage, and many are unwilling (rightly so) to do that. Perhaps, it is a case of nitpicking, but we should be precise, or try to be, in our word usage.
Asking for assimilation is asking too much, if one is suggesting that immigrants should learn to communicate in English I say let the free-market reward or punish those who do not, why use some form of coercion?
I agree, precision is important: When I said assimilation, I meant acculturation.
Well, I wasn’t (at least initially) referring to you.
Either way, I am glad you said something. You’ve told me the word acculturation before and for some reason I always end up forgetting it. I’ll try to be more careful in the future.