The problem is complex. We are not living in the same country or under the same conditions that existed during former waves of immigration that essentially stopped in the 1920s and we stayed at fairly low levels of immigration, 250,00 to 300,000, for 40 years. The current huge numbers help form a critical mass that inhibits assimilation and acculturation. As an outgrowth of the Civil Rights movement, our political "betters" decided that we needed an America that looked like the rest of the world and not just Europe. Thus, we had the Immigration Act of 1965 that abolished national origins and made it easier for Third World immigrants to enter. It has changed the demographics of this country forever. In 1970, non-Hispanic whites comprised 89 percent of the population; today they are 66 percent; and by 2039, they will be 50 percent.
The 1965 Immigration Act: Anatomy of a Disaster
Our schools have become infected with multiculturalism and diversity. American exceptionalism is no longer considered to be a virtue. Our history has been revised so that we view this country as being founded by white racists and a nation that is the cause of most of the world's problems, not a force for good.
Huntington: "In the past, immigrants originated overseas and often overcame severe obstacles and hardships to reach the United States. They came from many different countries, spoke different languages, and came legally. Their flow fluctuated over time, with significant reductions occurring as a result of the Civil War, World War I, and the restrictive legislation of 1924. They dispersed into many enclaves in rural areas and major cities throughout the Northeast and Midwest. They had no historical claim to any U.S. territory.
"On all these dimensions, Mexican immigration is fundamentally different. These differences combine to make the assimilation of Mexicans into U.S. culture and society much more difficult than it was for previous immigrants. Particularly striking in contrast to previous immigrants is the failure of third- and fourth-generation people of Mexican origin to approximate U.S. norms in education, economic status, and intermarriage rates."
The education problem originates with those at the top of the system, just as the immigration problem largely originates with similar people. We don’t have to have schools that predominantly produce failures. We don’t have to have unlimited immigration and large numbers of people who don’t assimilate linguistically or culturally. We don’t have to have a permanent, uneducated, unemployable welfare class. And yet ... that’s what we have.
No, we don't the current immigration policies or schools. But unless we have engaged, informed citizens who are willing to get involved to change things, we will lose this country. Have you been involved with the Tea Party movement or other grassroots organizations that are trying to change things? If not, then get involved and not just leave the other side a free pass to continue to shape and destroy this country. We get the schools and country we deserve.