Donde Este?
Back when I wrote my American Thinker piece on illegal immigration I received a lot of criticizm (generally from the more libertarian types at Free Republic)for my opinion that these aliens would not assimilate into American society. A number of Freepers argued for open boarders, claiming that the children of immigrants would dissolve into the American melting pot. (Of course, they ignored the historical examples I cited suggesting otherwise.)
For anybody who believes that, ponder this.
In fact, this report bodes ill for the transmission of our culture in general. The report states:
Literacy levels by language spoken before starting school also showed steep declines. While gains in prose and document literacy were made by speakers of “English and Spanish,” “English and other language,” and “other language,” the average scores of Spanish speakers showed steep drops. Average prose literacy scores for Spanish speakers dipped 17 points, even as scores for those who spoke English and Spanish before starting school rose seven points and scores for speakers of other languages increased by 10 points. Document literacy scores among Spanish speakers also fell by 17 points while gains were made by other subgroups.
We`re losing our culture, folks! Isn`t it about time we do something?
(Hat tip; Townhall.com)
For anybody who believes that, ponder this.
In fact, this report bodes ill for the transmission of our culture in general. The report states:
Literacy levels by language spoken before starting school also showed steep declines. While gains in prose and document literacy were made by speakers of “English and Spanish,” “English and other language,” and “other language,” the average scores of Spanish speakers showed steep drops. Average prose literacy scores for Spanish speakers dipped 17 points, even as scores for those who spoke English and Spanish before starting school rose seven points and scores for speakers of other languages increased by 10 points. Document literacy scores among Spanish speakers also fell by 17 points while gains were made by other subgroups.
We`re losing our culture, folks! Isn`t it about time we do something?
(Hat tip; Townhall.com)
posted by Timothy Birdnow | 5:31 AM
3 Comments:
Pish and tush. Literacy levels of native-born American speakers of more-or-less English have been declining.
These attempts to blame immigration really do smack of know-nothing racism.
Immigrants from Asia, for example, have shown themselves far better students and scholars than, again, the native-born Americans.
And what, really, specifically, is "American culture"?
Many people across the world see it as porno movies, vulgar television shows, drug addiction, violence.
Of course, we know all, or most, of those things are not part of our respective lives, only the lives of our neighbors.
Still, as I said, many believe those evils to be endemic to "American culture."
Such generalizations are, of course, the merest piffle.
America's tradition, its heritage, has been as a nation of immigrants -- even those of us with "Native American" ancestry came from somewhere else.
In fact, "American culture" has been exactly that fusion of many cultures, the music, the food, the ethical premises.
New furriners might well add to that "American culture," just as did the ancestors of each of us.
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Hi Michael!
Thanks for a thoughtful post. I do have to disagree with some of it, though.
The point of the study is that immigrants no longer care if they learn to speak English. They aren`t interested in enculturating, but in merely taking advantage of our bounty.
Immigration is fine, Michael, provided the immigrants can be assimilated into our culture-and we do have a distinct culture. English is our language, and our literature and cultural traditions are expressed in English. (You have campaigned for the proper use of our language; what you are doing is fighting for American culture.) The Rule of Law, the concept of a government subordinate to a Constitution, the concept of political consensus rather than revolution to achieve ends are all examples of our particular heritage.
Granted, we have produced cultural garbage, but will you lump Washington Irving, Mark Twain, Poe, Emerson, Longfellow, etc. in with Homey the Clown or Homer Simpsons? Doesn`t a C.S. Lewis or G.K. Chesterton offer an unique American perspective, or are they on the par with Michael Moore?
America is, indeed, unique. We offer a fresh and optimistic outlook to a weary world. (America is famous for optimism and a can-do spirit.) We have an American cuisine (based primarily on beef), American music (Jazz, Blues, Ragtime, etc. are all uniquely American), We still remember the frontier, and stories about the days of settlers and cowboys are still very popular.
Europeans say they can tell an American immediately whether he is white, black, hispanic, or asian; we speak, think, and behave like Americans.
I believe we have a right to maintain that.
There is the rub; a nation cannot maintain itself if it is overrun, and history is depressingly full of cultures and civilizations which have died by being overrun. Your example of Native American culture is a prime example. The traditional Christian Lebanese culture has been destroyed by the movement of Palestinians into Lebanon. (The Lebanese allowed them in as an act of charity; they proceeded to start a civil war which ended when first the United States, then Syria occupied the country. The traditional Lebanese culture is now gone.)
It was a mere 100 years from the first immigration of the Visigoths in 376 to the fall of Rome! Bear in mind that there were far fewer people, no cars or planes or trains, and that Roman culture had been well established in Italy for centuries. The ``barbarian invasions`` were a peaceful migration of peoples (at first) who wanted the good life of Rome and sought the protection of the Roman Legions. They eventually destroyed the Empire, because they were not assimilated.
Where are the Ainu of Japan? There are only a few thousand Ainu left; the Japanese drove them onto Hokkaido, where there numbers have been steadily declining.
How about the Basque? How about the Britons? Here in Missouri we had the Mound Builders. Where did they go?
The numbers of aliens currently entering America illegally are staggering, and these people will not be assimilated. For instance, is an organization which seeks to create Aztlan from California and the Southwest. How can immigrants add to our culture if they intend to dismantle it?
If we can`t control our borders we will not have a nation. I believe we have a right and duty to protect the United States, and our common culture. It certainly has flaws, but has been one of the most successful in history.
I agree that new blood can be good, and have no problem with controlled immigration. I find the Mexican people to be, by and large, good, hard working and decent. They would have much to add to America. They have to be assimilated. Unfortunately, this isn`t happening, and I fear it won`t happen.
I`m afraid we`re going to end up like the Romans.
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