Sunday, September 11, 2016
Whatever Happened to "Seeking a better way of life"?
Is it just me or didn't people used to say, "Immigrants come to America seeking a better way of life for their families." I don't think it is a coincidence that this phrase has fallen out of usage. I think it has been deliberately supplanted with"Immigrants come to America seeking opportunity." by multiculturalists because "better way of life" suggests some cultures are superior to others; in particular, the American way of life is better than those the immigrants choose to flee. Multiculturalists would have you believe that all cultures and societies are equal. This is why they oppose assimilation by immigrants. Disunity furthers their goal of weakening the US.
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Man, have you nailed this one!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cuz!
ReplyDeleteI think you have this backwards and a seeing a conspiracy where there is none. "Seeking Opportunity" implies bringing skills and talents and contributing to our economy and culture. That's a better idea than just getting a better life by arriving here. Of course life is better than most of the world because of the freedoms we have established and fought for . I dont' consider myself a "multiculturalist" - are you a "monoculturalist"? What freedoms are you taking away to enforce monoculture?
ReplyDeleteNot sure why your are injecting taking away freedoms into the discussion. I'm all for people coming to America and becoming Anericans. What I have a problem with is immigrants being encouraged not to assimilate and bring the same problems here that they tried to escape. Some examples I would point to are multiple generations not ever becoming proficient in English or trying to allow Sharia here. What helps define a nation is its culture. Some refuse to acknowledge it but there actually is an American culture; one that takes the best of what immigrants bring with them and rejects what is bad. Multiculturalism is leading to Balkanization which has never been good for any country.
DeleteBTW: thanks for your comments.
DeleteI agree that learning the language, and understanding the local culture and integrating with it are good things. Yes there is an American culture, but it is constantly changing, and immigration has always been a force in that change.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they are things that should be forced or required. That's what I mean be injecting freedom. Freedom is what we are offering and the largest part of why they are coming.
I ask if you would enforce American Culture. What exactly are the rules you want us to live by? Or perhaps you are just talking about _encouraging_ people to learn English, and refraining from advocating Sharia?
That is part of it but I also think we need to refrain from encouraging newcomers from remaining separate. Come here share the good things you have to offer but become Americans. I especially don't like it when people are hyphenated Americans: Italian-Americans; African-Americans; Irish-Americans, etc. It may only be symbolic but put your new country first: American of ___ decent. And for heaven sake leave what you were trying to get away from behind. If you are just going to do things the way you did in the old country, why even bother coming here? It is quite rude to allow yourself to be welcomed to a new home and then insist that those welcoming you change things to your liking or complain about your new adopted home. There is a reason you came here. Don't ruin what you seek.
DeleteI understand your desire to have immigrants identify more with their new country. I think the greatest strength and beauty of American Culture is the way it integrates the cultures of every single immigrant. If you want to call that multiculturalism that's fine. That integration is not always clean and simple - even for similar cultures like the Irish the transition was very long and difficult. It certainly took two generations and intermarriage for Irish and Italian immigrants to stop identiying as Irish-Americans. Why should we demand a faster integration of Mexicans or Iranians?
DeleteWithin one generation most previous groups of immigrants no longer spoke the language of the "old country" as their first language. My Polish grandmother was a prime example. This isn't true anymore especially with Mexican immigrants. Not adopting English and actually being enabled in that regard limits their ability to gain the maximum benefit from their new home. Making it easier for them to not learn English may seem kind by some well meaning people but in the long run it is very harmful and ultimately bad for the country. It will leave groups of people disenfranchised and disgruntled which will ultimately bring down the country.
ReplyDeleteI think you may be inflating the problem - or conflating it? The little reading I have done indicates that 98% of second generation hispanics for example are proficient in english. Sounds like assimilation to me!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pewhispanic.org/2009/12/11/between-two-worlds-how-young-latinos-come-of-age-in-america/ )
There is a very strong natural pull to learn English - it doesn't need to be forced. The proliferation of bilingual accomodations is not a conspiracy to bring down the country, its just a practical adaptation for the first-generation to get stuff done . We might look with nostalgia on the old italian mother whose american born children had to do all her banking, medical and other business for her, but I think its better for all to have some accomodation.
I understand that statistics can be used to tell almost any story - if you have different numbers with regard to language assimilation please post. Also - thanks for discussing!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit most of my opinion is based on anecdotal not empirical evidence. I'll see if I can dig up some stats.
ReplyDelete