Posted on 03/03/2004 2:55:13 PM PST by MegaSilver
Racists in America must be having a field day: At long last, they have found a world-renowned intellectual -- Harvard's Academy for International and Area Studies Chairman Samuel Huntington -- to rationalize their resentment against America's rapidly growing Hispanic community.
Huntington, whose 1993 book The Clash of Civilizations was later credited for having foreseen the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, says in his forthcoming book Who We Are (Simon & Schuster) that the United States is threatened with national disintegration because of the soaring rate of Hispanic immigrants.
''The single most immediate and most serious challenge to America's traditional identity comes from the immense and continuing immigration from Latin America, especially from Mexico, and the fertility rates of these immigrants,'' writes Huntington, in excerpts of the book posted on the Foreign Policy magazine website .
''Will the United States remain a country with a single national language and a core Anglo-Protestant culture?'' Huntington asks. ''By ignoring this question, Americans acquiesce to their eventual transformation into two peoples with two cultures (Anglo and Hispanics) and two languages (English and Spanish.)'' The magazine website is
www.foreignpolicy.com.
Before I tell you why I think this is pseudo-academic xenophobic rubbish, let's look at Huntington's supporting arguments: He says Mexican immigrants differ from other immigrants in that they are not assimilating into the U.S. mainstream culture, and that they may one day reclaim the territories that Mexico lost during U.S. military invasions in the 19th century.
CAUSES OF ALARM
He is alarmed by the fact that the ratings of Spanish-language television stations have surpassed those of English-language ones in Miami, that ''José'' has surpassed ''Michael'' as the most popular name for newborn boys in California, and that Mexican Americans cheer for Mexico in U.S. vs. Mexico soccer matches.
Huntington sees ''a major potential threat to the country's cultural and political integration.'' Mexico may one day try to ''assert special rights and claims to that territory,'' he writes.
Poor Dr. Huntington. Watching America from his Bostonian observation deck, he is getting real nervous about the erosion of what he defines as America's ``Anglo-Protestant culture.''
But, as seen from Miami, where a majority of adults speak a language other than English at home, his idea that Hispanics pose a threat to America is absurd.
In Miami, many immigrants don't speak English, but their children eventually do.
You saw as many American flags as in any other U.S. city after the Sept. 11 attacks, and the city has become a center of international trade and services precisely because it is bilingual and bicultural.
And where is it written that people are biologically limited to speaking only one language?
Anybody who has traveled through Europe knows that the Swiss, Danes, Swedes and others speak two, three and sometimes four languages.
And Huntington's claim that Mexican Americans pose a bigger threat than Cuban Americans because they are more reluctant to assimilate is simply wrong.
Every time I go to Los Angeles or San Antonio I'm amazed by the number of people with names such as ''Juan Gonzalez'' who don't speak Spanish.
ASSIMILATION TREND
According to a new nationwide study of U.S. Hispanics by the Synovate market research company, the actual trend among Hispanics is toward greater assimilation, despite the new waves of Spanish-speaking newcomers.
Over the past 12 years, the number of unassimilated Hispanics -- those who don't consume English-language media -- has decreased from 40 percent to 26 percent, the study's authors say.
''Most Hispanics, about 63 percent, are bilingual and bicultural,'' says Jim Forrest, the study's director. ``These people are extremely comfortable in both languages. It's a group that has accommodated and has learned how to live in the United States taking the best from their host culture and keeping the best from their home culture.''
If you are wondering whether Huntington's arguments are just misguided, or plainly Hispano-phobic, I suggest doing this little exercise: replace the term ''Hispanic'' in the text with ''African American,'' or ''black,'' then ask yourself what would be the reaction of the black community. I assure you that civil rights groups would call for national protests against Harvard University and Simon & Schuster, as they should do in this case.
It's not really that complicated. And the red herring of "cultural pride" doesn't wash. Assimilation and cultural pride are not mutually exclusive. I know. I've lived it. My kids, all native born Americans, are living it.
Well.. Er, uh, yeah, why would anyone not be extremly concerned about millions of people entering our country illegally? Let me guess, it doesn't bother you at all right?
Why should they? They are catered to by the liberal socialists in California, where assimilation is not made easy, it is made not necessary.
When my grandparents came to the US from Poland and Germany, their kids (my parents) were forced to learn English to survive. And, they were eager to do so and proud to become an "American". Hell, I used to be embarrassed when my grandmother spoke Polish with my father when we were out in public, for fear of not fitting in. Now, speak English in Los Angeles, and you stick out like a sore thumb.
The "Balkanization" of America has begun, with no political leaders having the courage to address this issue, let alone attempt to stop it. They even fear to acknowledge the problem.
It will get much, much worse before it begins to get better!
FIRST GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOU KNOW WHERE, THEN WE TALK.
Not meaning to get off the subject but I personally don't know anyone who supports this. From what I've heard 70% of Americans polled oppose it.
Yes, if that were true, it certainly would be. But consider this quote from the article: "And Huntington's claim that Mexican Americans pose a bigger threat than Cuban Americans because they are more reluctant to assimilate is simply wrong." Even Oppenheimer seems to imply that Huntington isn't lumping all Hispanic immigrants together.
Maybe if Oppenheimer hadn't included the word "racist", his argument wouldn't been that unpalatable, but he's right on the money.
He might have been had the article not lacked coherence and not omitted important information. The article implied that there is no serious problem of non-assimilation of immigrants, and that's simply untrue.
Like the author, I live in Miami, and while its bilingual status has its benefits, there are sections where one is presumed--if not expected--to speak Spanish. I'm locked up on my college campus, so I don't see much of the radical stuff, but I hear stories of U.S.-born Hispanics who proudly proclaim their first allegiance (sp?) to their parents' countries. That's where the problems are. And they are due in no small part to our government's refusal to enforce immigration laws.
To be sure, the people I know of Cuban origin or descent are, for the most part, dedicated, loyal Americans. And the same is true of many others who trace their roots back to Latin America. It is, however, the large number of Latin American immigrants (mostly Mexican) who AREN'T willing to assimilate that Huntington seems to be talking about, and that are a cause for concern.
And now, I'll put my flame-retardant suit on...
Don't bother. You have a right to your opinions, especially speaking as a member of a Colombian American family that HAS assimilated.
Whoops...
15 States License Illegals To Drive
WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Wednesday, September 17, 2003 | By Jon Dougherty
Amid the outrage over California Gov. Gray Davis' decision to sign legislation allowing illegal aliens to obtain driver's licenses comes the stunning revelation by immigration experts that the Golden State is neither unique nor alone: 14 other states also allow illegal aliens to drive legally on their highways.
While many of those states – Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and West Virginia
Yes yes, but we should all be compasionate conservatives and welcome the millions that continue to pour in illegally. Remember, some of them may vote for our party.
I know many of them who do. But there are quite a few who don't. Probably has to do with our largely unenforced immigration laws.
I can see it just fine. And that is precisely why I want us to make the MEXICAN government deal with its citizens: we have enough problems of our own.
We should seal our borders and abolish the welfare state. That's a surefire way to make sure that only the people who want to pursue the American Dream will enter.
Your right, he's no leftist. I don't know why he'd start playing the "race card". Hispanics shouldn't be lumped into one group but we do have a big problem with illegal immigration mostly from Mexico. The folks at LaRaza and MECHA could be called racist, too. Being called a racist means nothing.
I would guess Mr. Oppenheimer may be a President Bush supporter. If so, this would be a bad time to start a battle within the Republican/Conservative opposition to Kerry.
"Hyper-paranoid about illegal aliens"? You don't see the connection between fostering and subsidizing ILLEGAL immigration, and a "deterioration of respect for law and values among our own citizens"???? You're the one who needs to get your head out of your @$$. Would that you and other illegal coddlers could get the bodies of US peace officers murdered by illegals "out of wherever they're crammed," like Oceanside Police Officer Tony Zepetella, gunned down by an illegal last June. Instead of supporting illegal immigration, people like you should be forced to have to support the families of Americans victimized by illegals.
All right. My mistake. However, when someone plays the "racist" card, that's usually an indication of leftism, hence why it rubbed me the wrong way.
Probably just what the doctor ordered. I imagine when about 5 or 10 million more enter and head to any town USA, the level of anger will be great. Those in DC will be getting their bell rung, hard.
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