Posted on 09/28/2004 7:01:26 PM PDT by MegaSilver
First of all, the Swiss pride themselves on having invented "multiculturalism" (presuming you can tell the difference between the three major language groups).
Secondly, there are millions of Americans who are eligible to be Swiss citizens simply because an ancestor was Swiss. Just show up at the correct Canton at the right time (usually on or near your 18th birthday) and make your declaration.
We could overrun the place if we wished ~ and that's just me and my cousins, and not a one of them speaks French!
The Swiss are still rather local in their loyalties, however. Their "multiculturalism" is definitely NOT the salad bowl approach we see now in the United States, but more like a main course with several items: the French mingle mainly with the French, the Germans with the Germans, the Italians with the Italians, the Romansch with the Romansch.
It should also be pointed out that the four afforementioned cultures are fairly microdiacritic. Asian, Muslim, African, etc. immigrants are definitely macrodiactitic to the native Swiss population.
Haven't been for about 12 years, it used to be paradise on earth, along with the Salzkammergut area of Austria. I did see one piece of graffiti in Zurich last time, hope it wasn't a harbinger. . .
Look, wealthy Swiss have been bringing in house servants from all over ever since they figured out how to make money off goats and waterfalls.
So the author wants us to return to the immigration policies we had in 1861? Great, I'm sold!
Its time to implement a zero-immigration policy in the United States.
Yeah or at least a 10 year zero immigration period to get the mess sorted out that is the current case. Put resumption up for a vote in 8 years.
Can you imagine the international outcry if we actually DID implement such a zero-immigration policy?
Hm.
Right there he's talking about its localized identity (i.e., the Confederacy).
Not if my parents were telling me the truth about their visit last April. They say it was absolutely splendid.
Again, look up the terms "microdiacritic" and "macrodiacritic."
I wouldn't be in favor of something like this in the US. It seems pretty provincial. But, the Swiss have long had a reputation as being provincial.
BTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Just a ban on immigration from everywhere south of the Mexican border (Latin America) would be great. A 20 year ban where the military would repel all illegal immigrants trying to jam past our southern border.
Using their rules for US, I guess only naive Americans can decide who will become citizens. If you are a descendant of immigrants, you cannot become a citizen even if you were born in US.
Nope. Aboriginals are not part of our political history. They are the losers, not the owners of the land and American heritage.
Well, you could ask the descendants of those the Swiss ascendants pushed out of Switzerland how they feel about it. But the Gauls are pretty snooty. :)
RE: Naive Americans, that's pretty silly. Why would we ask naive people anything. Might ask well ask them why they're voting for Kerry.
I was just making a point that the Swiss policy that prevent third generation of people who were born in Switzerland from getting automatic citizenship makes no sense.
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