A Racial Revolution? (Thomas Sowell)

Creators Syndicate ^ | May 18, 2012 | Thomas Sowell

[jazusamo]

Now that census data show — for the first time in American history — the number of white babies born exceeded by the number of babies born to non-white minorities the question is: What does this mean for the future of American society? Politically, it means that minorities who traditionally vote overwhelmingly for Democrats can ensure that the country veers ever further to the left over the years, making America more like the welfare states of Europe, whose unsustainable spending led ultimately to finical crises and widespread riots. But this is not strictly a matter of whites versus non-whites. Jews vote consistently, and almost as overwhelmingly, for Democrats as blacks do. Moreover, Asian Americans are by no means as likely as other non-whites to vote for the class warfare, tax and spend agenda of the Democrats. Yet when all is said and done, the future political direction of the country seems painfully clear for these demographic trends, unless something happens to change the current correlation between race and political party affiliation. Moreover, even that may not be enough. Even if Republicans can siphon off enough votes from groups that normally vote for Democrats to keep the two-party system alive, the preservation of the Republican Party is a trivial issue compared to the preservation of American society. If Republican politicians save themselves by becoming Democrats under a different label — and appeal to minorities as minorities, rather than as Americans — the same policies and attitudes will have the same destructive effect on the American economy and society. Refusing to cut back on entitlement spending, for example, means that the current generation can continue to enjoy government-subsidized amenities, at the expense of future generations who can be left to struggle to get necessities, after the money runs out and government's promises can no longer be kept. The growth of ever bigger and even more intrusive government means that the freedom, for which generations of Americans have fought and died on battlefields, around the world can be slowly but steadily lost within our own country. Painful as such outcomes can be the dangers do not end there. A continuation of the current political tendency to take away the money required for national defense, and spend it instead on handouts that will win votes, means that our enemies around the world will have golden opportunities at our expense. Again, the dangers may not be immediate. But they can be catastrophic when they catch up with us — and catch us unprepared. We recovered from Pearl Harbor at enormous cost, including the needless deaths of American soldiers, fighting for their lives with obsolete military equipment against enemies with state of the art weapons. But even such sacrifices which brought us time to catch up during the Second World War, may not even be enough in a nuclear age. What can be done now, to head off the many dangers in our current political policies and attitudes? There is not much we can do about demographic trends. But the changing composition of the American population is not, in itself, the fundamental danger. After all, vast millions of immigrants crossed the Atlantic for generations on end, and began the process of becoming Americans. Millions of black people likewise began that process after being set free. Demography is not destiny. But the history of Balkanized and polarized societies in the 20th century is a history of horrors that we dare not ignore. We are not at that terrible point yet. But that is the direction in which we are headed, under the spell of magic words like "multiculturalism" and "diversity," which have become substitutes for thoughts, even among those who pride themselves on being "thinking people." Our whole educational system, from the elementary schools to the universities, is permeated with ideologies of group grievances and resentments, painting each group into the corner of its own separate subculture, instead of drawing them into the mainstream of the American culture that made this the greatest nation on earth. Unless the fashionable Balkanization is stopped, demography can become destiny — and a tragedy for all.

[rockinqsranch]

Another good one by Dr. Sowell, and he’s so right on the mark. Thanks for the ping.

[lentulusgracchus]

The only way to stop Balkanization is to dramatically reduce immigration, end the racial spoils system (affirmative action, ethnic studies, diversity commissars), and replace the suicide cult of muliticulturalism with Americanization.

Correct. That, and reversing the migratory flow, and reversing the trend toward fatherlessness and predatory-male behavior in the black community, and replacing it with a hearty chunk of Bookerism: Trades, schooling, practical manual education for those who've screwed the dog academically, for instance. For those who have not, protection from the thug culture of bullying "Oreos" and "tan men" for being "too white" if they attend night school or high school and try to achieve. The strivers need air cover; they need practical help right now.

Jugging the layabouts and criminals in vast, gigantic new prisons to stop the revolving door is a first step.

[onyx]

I wish him to live 120 happy, healthy years and I so pray!

[43north]

“...every welfare mom suddenly has to support her own children from what she herself can earn — what happens to minority birthrate then?”

It will continue to increase as will the fatality rate of minority infants. There is no sense of responsibility or logic involved here.

[GOPJ]

A continuation of the current political tendency to take away the money required for national defense, and spend it instead on handouts that will win votes, means that our enemies around the world will have golden opportunities at our expense.

It's just a question of time...

[GOPJ]

Our whole educational system, from the elementary schools to the universities, is permeated with ideologies of group grievances and resentments, painting each group into the corner of its own separate subculture...

[jazusamo]

I'm 100% with you FRiend. In this day and age we need Dr. Sowell’s wisdom for the sake of our country.

[onyx]

Ineed, now more than ever.

[onyx]

Ineed, now, more than ever.

[Monorprise]

You are mistaken, the problem is raw birth rates, whites in Europe and most of the USA are having less than 2.1 children per woman that is less than is required to simply sustain our the current numbers.

People are not having “large” families anymore. indeed the very definition of a “large” family is shrinking to what is historically a ridiculesly small family.

Our modern culture and values is leading to our extinction as a race.
People should be having 5 children when in fact their just barely having 2.

[Road Glide]

“When we can no longer afford such payments, and every welfare mom suddenly has to support her own children from what she herself can earn — what happens to minority birthrate then?”

It plummets, of course.

But you better have a thick skin (to ignore the cries of hungry women and children), and plenty of bullets (to fight off the healthy ones)!

By the way, you are correct, the only way to “solve” the welfare mom and illegitimacy problem is to cut them off. But a polite society will never do this, because it cannot stomach the consequences.

Best regards,
- Glide

[aquila48]

“He speaks economics, but Balkanization is about ethnicity.”

I have to disagree. We’ve had many ethnic groups for most of our history - English, Irish, German, Italian Spanish, Chinese, Japanese... you name it they’ve come here. Balkanization was never a significant problem until recently, until leftist ideas such as multicult replaced the “melting pot”.

[dsc]

“In this case, I think it is.”

If we remember what Yamamoto Isoroku said, our time will come.

[dsc]

“Our modern culture and values are leading to our extinction as a race. People should be having 5 children, when in fact they’re just barely having 2.”

Absolutely correct. Japan gives a family about $3,000 for having a baby. However, not so long ago a government official was pilloried for proposing cash rewards to Japanese women for having babies.

Overpopulation is as big a myth as global warming. Have babies. My wife and I have six, and it’s been the greatest joy in my life.

[gortklattu]

The way I read it, racial Balkanization is immediately followed by its economic effects; the two are hitched together. If our welfare programs were to disappear, would the Balkanization? You have already answered that question.

I am now reading Thomas Sowell’s “Vision of the Anointed.” It is a great read. If you don’t have the time to read the whole book, the first two chapters sets a great foundation.

[gortklattu]

Man who fathered 30 children needs help with child support

A good example of Balkanization

[PapaBear3625]

But you better have a thick skin (to ignore the cries of hungry women and children), and plenty of bullets (to fight off the healthy ones)!

It's not necessary to have them starve. It's just necessary to have the level of benefits reduced, and work requirements increased, to the point where underclass women no longer see the lifestyle as being viable.

And if the underclass initiates violence when the cupboards are bare, then they will find out just how much stocking up the middle class has done.

[PapaBear3625]

Absolutely correct. Japan gives a family about $3,000 for having a baby. However, not so long ago a government official was pilloried for proposing cash rewards to Japanese women for having babies.

$3K will motivate the underclass to have babies, but won't be enough for the upper-middle. It takes a LOT to raise a middle-class kid by middle-class standards.

Better would be to have each kid take off 10% of your tax liability (up to some maximum, like 5). The Left would scream that this was "regressive", though.

[muawiyah]

So what ~ my grandmother, whose people had been in America since the early 1600s, had 10 kids. They were very poor but they had a cow in a small barn. There was no welfare.

My grandfather's people had arrived naked and in chains in what became Alexandria Virginia ~ they were tossed into the Potomac ~ no planks for them to walk down.

That was about 1602.

WIthin months they'd clothed themselves, manufactured firearms and made the long march around the Potomac to the New and ended up in Alexander County where they created a new civilization dedicated to American independence.

Are people who arrived at later times less capable?

[muawiyah]

1702 ~ not 1602. That’s the other side, but that was 1598.