Posted on 11/09/2001 1:23:19 PM PST by TopQuark
In WorldNewsDaily (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=25275), Pat Buchanan wrote, in particular, the following:
"Western peoples must begin to ask themselves questions our ruling class has kept off the table too long: Are there not some peoples, from radically different countries and cultures, who are far more difficult to assimilate in Western societies than others?"
As is often the case, Pat Buchanan misses the boat. Like he, I am outraged at mass booing (or worse) of the American flag, including that which occurred at a soccer game in Los Angeles. A similar incident in France, to which Buchanan also refers in his article --- and which, significantly, occurred after the September 11 attack --- shows that lack of patriotism on part of some recent immigrants is a problem faced by all western countries.
Pat Buchanan is both wrong and factually incorrect, however, to attribute these facts --- as disturbing as they are --- to some intrinsic inability of some peoples. Not original either; this has been said so many times before --- about Irish, Italians, Jews, Vietnamese. And, time after time, this position has been proven wrong.
The problem with recent immigrants --- whether to U.S. or France or England (read about a sheik from Egypt who a few years ago was given refuge in Great Britain and now wants to fly Islamic flags over 10 Downing Street) --- this problem is indeed new. It is new not because the recent arrivals are much different from the myriad others who came to these shores: it is new because those who welcome them are different. We have drowned in multi-culturalism. We have been intimidated into "shame" about the values aspired to and learned (the hard way, indeed) by the Western civilization.
Throughout our history, the immigrants have been even more grateful and proud to be American than those born here. They will not fail, for instance, to cast their votes on an election night. In preparation for the citizenship exam, they have been told and have taken to heart that to vote is their civic duty. In most cases, these people have paid dearly for their freedom and take their citizenship seriously --- in contrast to some of the people you know who, having been born here, take freedoms for granted and cast their votes if the weather is nice.
It is easy for a newcomer to appreciate newly found freedom. What is not trivial is to learn to respect the freedom of others, as part of exercise of democracy. Even today, democracy --- one of the jewels produced by the Western civilization --- is unfamiliar or misunderstood in many parts of the world. Prerequisites of democracy, such as tolerance to opposing views and civility of discourse, are far from common. Many immigrants are lacking in this very skill, which in this country has been until recently routinely passed from generation to generation. To the extent that immigrants internalized these values, they were Westernized; the laws and the culture allowed them to adhere to their roots in all other ways.
But no longer. The multi-culturalists have won; all values and behaviors are declared equal. The new immigrants no longer have teachers. Many of those who moved here for economic reasons never discover the true meaning of America. All that distinguishes this country from the rest of the developed world is that the stores are conveniently open around the clock. Children’s misbehavior is the parents’ failure. We have ourselves to blame.
For we do nothing when we learn, for instance, that the bylaws of Columbia University essentially allow any female to accuse any male of rape and, without due process, get away with such accusation. Individual persons may thereby be wronged, and essential democratic values are clearly desecrated; but the damage is greater still. The thousands of students of Columbia, let alone the recent immigrants, learn to be on the right side of the faddish ideology, and that the might is right. Yet we do nothing. And, how can we? We are not, after all students or faculty of that university. Well, these students will be running this country in a few years. Our country.
Recent immigrants have nothing to do with this. They merely observe what we do and learn from our own conduct. When they hear about then-Vice President Gore pressuring the immigration officials to process in a hurry --- some even without fingerprints --- hundreds of thousands of applicants so that they could vote for him, the immigrant learn how little we value our own citizenship. When the newcomers to this country hear us referring to our public figures, --- regardless of the party or context --- as “guys,” they learn from us to disrespect our social institutions. And, massive doses of profanity we commonly hear in public --- which even acquired the name of “adult language,” as if one needs to grow up rather than debase himself in order to use it --- tell the immigrant and the tourist alike what we view as civil discourse.
Neither are immigrants responsible for the murder of liberal education in this country. On the contrary, they cherish the educational opportunities open to them. They are also the last to embrace the currently rampant moral relativism. It was an American-born university student, for instance, who recently said in class: “I disagree with Hitler but who is to say that he was morally wrong.” Do not blame immigrants for producing an ignorant and morally obtuse generation, the members of which cannot even name major events or figures of American history. It is our fellow citizens, born and bred in the USA, who express amazement upon hearing that they do not need a passport to enter New Mexico (is it not a foreign country?). It is they who, for fear of flying, ask travel agents to organize a bus trip from California to Hawaii.
As heirs of previous generations, we all, regardless of which country or continent we may hail, ought to be proud of our Western values. To ascribe, as does Pat Buchanan, some intrinsic inability of some peoples to acquire such values is wrong and indefensible, however. This great country, as well as Western civilization as a whole, has paid dearly to free itself from the institutionalized racism. So expensive of a history lesson will not be forgotten.
By advocating prejudice Pat Buchanan misses the boat. This includes the boat that brought his Irish forefathers to the American shores.
Okay birdie
BlackbirdSST, member since 09/20/01, eh?
he's not? I've never heard him make the distinction.
Hey Newbie...where the heck has Pat Buchanan "advocated prejudice"?! There may be a lot of things Pat and I don't see eye-to-eye on, but his desire to see immigrants properly-assimilated into the American Way of Life is certainly not one of our differences. You spew yer incendiary rhetoric fer what purpose anyway?! Lady Thatcher's right in saying that Buchanan's no longer a factor in any politcally-significant way...so why do you go trying to start up the GoPatGo Wars?!
Pat did what he did and it cost him dearly, in both philosophical pertinance and career-wise...I say let him live his life without knuckleheads trying--again--to make him out to be the Hitler-lovin' Racist he never ever was!!
SHEEEESH...MUD
MUD
I have...Pat's not for ZeroTolerance of Immigration, although he would like to see the Legal Immigration curtailed significantly until we get the existing Boom of Immigrants properly assimilated. In this respect, I do believe he may have a point.
FReegards...MUD
I could stand if you insist. But sitting really what I'm better at.
Nothing personal, Mr. SST, but once you've been here a bit, you'll come to understand why Newbies are welcomed, but it takes awhile fer them to be trusted. There are many folks who Lurk, then Register, who do not want to see any sort of consensus on the Right and will lie, misrepresent, disrupt, and cause trouble so as to keep positive action from occurring on this Forum. Obviously, most Newbies are not like this, but that doesn't keep us from watching you like hawks anyway. It may not be fair, but you need to continue FReepin' and making FRiends and allies, and over time, the Newbie tag will be increasingly meaningless as we'll know you for the Good American Patriot you are...or NOT!!
Welcome to FR, Newbie...MUD
Please remain seated, my Friend, I am...MUD
While most of my kin didn't arrive until the mid- to late-1800's, I do have one Injun relative on my Mama's side...apparently quite the scandal at the time...LOL!! Anyway, while I would be entitled to stay under yer scenario, I'd prefer y'all stuck around so that I'd have someone to make my fortune off of...plus it could get kinda lonely and I forgot how to hunt buffalo.
FReegards...MUD
You asked, I gave. So who's the fool, fool?
Had you ever read Pat before you would understand that hes already said that all before. Your failure to understand and interpret is not his failure.
Heres a towel, dry those ears off and listen 'stead of flapping the gums...
What happened to the substance of what a person says?
Moreover, you confuse a discussion forum with the a fraternity --- am referring to "the Newbie tag will be increasingly meaningless." If this is a forum and not a fraternity, hazing is unnecessary.
You should welcome a substantive discussion and focus on important questions. It is easy to spot those who provoke for provocation's sake (hint: they lack substance). But those who provide food for thought provide a service to you, enabling you to learn as well as to teach. Unless, of course, you have once and for all figured everything out about the world.
I neither need to nor will belong to a club where the date on the membership card carries more weight than the person's substance and conduct.
Thanks for the complement though.
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