Bowling With Our Own [effects of immigration]

City Journal ^ | June 25, 2007 | John Leo

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

Robert Putnam’s sobering new diversity research scares its author.

Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone, is very nervous about releasing his new research, and understandably so. His five-year study shows that immigration and ethnic diversity have a devastating short- and medium-term influence on the social capital, fabric of associations, trust, and neighborliness that create and sustain communities. He fears that his work on the surprisingly negative effects of diversity will become part of the immigration debate, even though he finds that in the long run, people do forge new communities and new ties.

Putnam’s study reveals that immigration and diversity not only reduce social capital between ethnic groups, but also within the groups themselves. Trust, even for members of one’s own race, is lower, altruism and community cooperation rarer, friendships fewer. The problem isn’t ethnic conflict or troubled racial relations, but withdrawal and isolation. Putnam writes: “In colloquial language, people living in ethnically diverse settings appear to ‘hunker down’—that is, to pull in like a turtle.”

(snip)

Though Putnam is wary of what right-wing politicians might do with his findings, the data might give pause to those on the left, and in the center as well. If he’s right, heavy immigration will inflict social deterioration for decades to come, harming immigrants as well as the native-born. Putnam is hopeful that eventually America will forge a new solidarity based on a “new, broader sense of we.” The problem is how to do that in an era of multiculturalism and disdain for assimilation.

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

This research demonstrates the importance of assimilation to our viability as a society.

Bush and his "open borders" sellouts are swamping our country with vast numbers of foreign nationals (the vast majority from a single culture) that are far beyond the ability of our society to assimilate, especially in the already-weakened environment created by multiculturalism and anti-Americanism.

A steady, reasonable flow of skilled immigrants are needed. Instead, our very sovereignty has been sold out to greedy businesses with an insatiable desire for dirt cheap labor whose costs are foisted onto taxpayers, and racist anti-American groups like La Raza.

[rbg81]

Though Putnam is wary of what right-wing politicians might do with his findings, the data might give pause to those on the left, and in the center as well. If he’s right, heavy immigration will inflict social deterioration for decades to come, harming immigrants as well as the native-born.

Ha! Not to fear, the Left will ignore facts and studies in favor of feelings every time.

[rbg81]

Though Putnam is wary of what right-wing politicians might do with his findings, the data might give pause to those on the left, and in the center as well. If he’s right, heavy immigration will inflict social deterioration for decades to come, harming immigrants as well as the native-born.

Ha! Not to fear, the Left will ignore facts and studies in favor of feelings every time.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

So rather than releasing his work he just leaks it out so as to “pump up” the book sales anticipation?

[squarebarb]

The elite dfoesn’t care.

The elite has its own social network, safe places to live, and the ‘old boy’ clubs.

They live in gated communities and the illegals are their cheap servants.

They’ll be just fine, thank you.

[squarebarb]

dfoesn’t = doesn’t.

Typing at a great rate today. Listening to Rush and checking in on FR as well.

Boy am I mad.

If I sent a letter to my senator by overnight mail, would she be more inclined to read it?

[RC2]

It seems that in this day and age, people are afraid to really say what they think. When I was a kid, people always let you know where they stood. You want to see ethnic diversety? Look at our big cities compared to in the ‘40’s.......do you like what you see? If not what are you going to do about it? You’ll probably do like everyone else...move out to a neighborhood that most resembles you and let the big cities, like Los Angeles, Detroit, etc, etc, fall apart.

[3AngelaD]

“Rather, people in diverse communities tend “to withdraw even from close friends, to expect the worst from their community and its leaders, to volunteer less, give less to charity and work on community projects less often, to register to vote less, to agitate for social reform more, but have less faith that they can actually make a difference, and to huddle unhappily in front of the television.” Yes, it is already like that in our large cities, and medium-sized cities are beginning to experience the same effect.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Just say NO to Illegal Alien Amnesty!! Keep calling!! It’s NOT OVER!!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[neverdem]

thanks, bfl

[Cacique]

STOP AMNESTY NOW!! WE CAN DO IT!!

[Cacique]

I have pretty much said the same thing in my essay at the start of this debacle. (link Below)

STOP AMNESTY NOW!! WE CAN DO IT!!

[The Pack Knight]

Just stumbled across the link to this on Boortz's site.

I remember Bowling Alone, and, as usual with liberal academics, his findings there were intriguing while his policy suggestions were laughable.

As for his findings here, he gets a big "No $#!*, Sherlock!" from me. I myself live in a "diverse" neighborhood, and the neighbors I get along with best are the black family that lives next door (I'm white).

You see, the problem with diversity has nothing to do with race, and everything to do with culture. Much of my neighborhood is populated by non-English speaking Mexicans (no comment on their legal status), openly practicing Muslims (complete with hijabs and dishdashas), and aging (and sometimes not-so-aging) hippies. The black family simply reflects my way of life, and the American way of life, better than the rest.

And that's really what it boils down to. It's not bigotry. If someone comes to where you live and insists upon living in a different way than the people who were born and raised there do, of course those people are going to react with distrust and alienation. It's simple human nature. Unfortunately, the author of this book almost certainly suggests in the conclusion that we are the ones that need to change our own home to accommodate the newcomers, rather than have the newcomers adapt to their new home.

Needless to say, the result of my living the left's utopian dream of diversity is that myself and my neighbors almost never speak to each other, everyone keeps their distance from one another, the police visit with surprising frequency for a middle class neighborhood, and I rarely go to sleep without both doors locked and chained and a 12 gauge near at hand. Welcome to the new America.

[happygrl]

Peter Drucker, the management guru, wrote over a decade ago that when the percentage of foreign-born in a society exceeds 5%, the ability of that society to assimilate them is significantly impacted.

Southern California's percentage of foreign-born residents has been at 25% for over a decade, maybe longer.

This is what spawned Prop 187 in the 1990s, and produces books like Mexifornia by Victor Davis Hanson.

Eventually California will become like the ungovernable urban areas noted for corruption and declining economies.

[GOPJ]

Putnam’s study reveals that immigration and diversity not only reduce social capital between ethnic groups, but also within the groups themselves. Trust, even for members of one’s own race, is lower, altruism and community cooperation rarer, friendships fewer. The problem isn’t ethnic conflict or troubled racial relations, but withdrawal and isolation. Putnam writes: “In colloquial language, people living in ethnically diverse settings appear to ‘hunker down...

This truth is from the mouth of a liberal - - he's on our side and hates it...

[GOPJ]

The elite has its own social network, safe places to live, and the ‘old boy’ clubs. They live in gated communities and the illegals are their cheap servants. They’ll be just fine, thank you.

You're right - up to a point.

Look at the Europeans - they made the big bargain for "cheap" labor - their cities burn when second class citizens/immigrants rage, and in fifty years their "oh so privileged" cultures will be dead.

Gates don't keep reality out.

[GOPJ]

bttt

[GOPJ]

Though Putnam is wary of what right-wing politicians might do with his findings, the data might give pause to those on the left, and in the center as well. If he’s right, heavy immigration will inflict social deterioration for decades to come, harming immigrants as well as the native-born.

Time Machine Bump

[GOPJ]

bump

[GOPJ]

The elite doesn’t care. The elite has its own social network, safe places to live, and the ‘old boy’ clubs. They live in gated communities and the illegals are their cheap servants. They’ll be just fine, thank you.

Truer today... they're not even trying to hide it.