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.
Nicely put. I too used to think that he was a person of (more) substance. Over the years, however, it seems that his intellectual positions gets narrower and narrower while the relm of admissible by him behaviors wider and wider.
It's a pity: Pat is "a boy who could."
Frick Park must be beautiful this time of the year. Are you far from it in the Burgh?
We get the goverment we deserve.
It hurts me to say that because I'm in it & of it, myself; but the truth's the truth.
The truth bearing-out what I've said is a matter of very recent history.
Hey Newbie...get off yer high horse and answer the FReepin' question!!
SHEEEESH...MUD
Actually one of the more interesting branches of the ol' family tree and I'm in the process of finding out as much as I can about him...records of Native Americans are scarce, though.
FReegards...MUD
I'm all for Devolving Power from the Feds to the States, Localities, and Individuals, and in the process of un-McNationalizing everything I believe we will see more of an appreciation for individual States' and Regions' Cultural Heritages...so on this we seem to be in agreement.
"Who do you suggest to conduct such an activity besides PJB, and why do you have a problem with him?"
I just think Pat's allowed himself to become a sideshow freak act, with no core beliefs or any political attractiveness whatsoever...if that's who you want to carry yer banner, don't be surprised when yer issue goes nowhere. I say that as someone who believed Pat had a lot to offer--potentially--in the late-80's and early-90's, but he's proven to be a bumbling baffoon as a politician. I know he's not the Hitler-apologist the Leftists painted him as, but his ideas are stale, his presentation lifeless, and his following dwindling down to nothing.
Maybe he can get his old job on Crossfire back...too bad I'll never watch CNN again!!
MUD
Kewl...look forward to FReepin' with you in the future...MUD
Does this make a bit of sense to anyone else??
It's that last part... {g}
Wow! I had no idea that merely cautioning agains racial biases puts me on a the high hourse. I thought just riding a donkey makes you already higher than those who choose to crawl on the ground.
Hey Oldee... they are playing your song on FM 90.5 (oldies and smooth jazz); get off this wavelength.
That's exactly the civility of discourse that is normal today. Darn immigrants: it's because of them; we, native-born, have such a high culture.
Please forgive me, Major, for using so many multi-syllable words in those few paragraphs. Now that I know you are lurking around, I'll improve readability by borrowing from you some four-letter words. That will improve our Teutonic culture taken away by immigrants; Pat Buchanan will be really proud of me.
BWAHAHAHA...is that what you were doin', ma'am?! My mistake, it sounded as if you were unfairly trashin' Pat Buchanan as a racist...not something you'd expect from a compassionate Lib'ral, right?
"I thought just riding a donkey makes you already higher than those who choose to crawl on the ground."
Yep...I pegged you fer an A$$ from the git-go!!
"Hey Oldee... they are playing your song on FM 90.5 (oldies and smooth jazz); get off this wavelength."
)=^D...you have no clue...MUD
Sorry, it won't happen again, glorious MUD.
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