I don’t live in the Southwest. It is very much news to my that the Southwesterners, in particular the Latinos of the Southwest, have been drifting politically leftwards since 1965; my understanding was that the Latinos are still remarkably socially conservative, apart from issues of special concern to them such as bilingual education. Which I do indeed have a problem with. I agree, the melting pot should continue to operate, even if we have to turn up the heat a little.
I suggest anyone interested in this topic read “The Next American Nation,” by Michael Lind (1995). Lind makes a very powerful case against multiculturalism, and for the recognition of an already existing cultural nation of “Trans-America” – and he emphatically does not make it from a conservative standpoint; in the same book he calls for federal social and economic programs on a scale not seen since the New Deal. In particular he calls for replacing race-based affirmative action with an even more aggressive class-based affirmative action that would give a leg up to all people of poor backgrounds, regardless of ethnicity. Now THAT would turn up the heat under the melting pot!
By the way, Razorsharp, you have to concede that the Latinos are THE ONLY PROBLEM here, insofar as immigrant resistance to American cultural assimilation is a problem at all, which it might be. Every other immigrant group that has come here since 1965 will assimilate, at least to the point that their grandchildren will speak unaccented American English at home, even if they remain Muslims or Hindus or whatever. The existence of foreign-language newspapers and immigrant clubs and even bilingual education in the schools will not prevent that. But Latinos are different from every other cultural minority in America, because their “old country” is not on the other side of an ocean, it’s just across the border, or just over the Straits of Florida, and they will have the opportunity to keep up frequent social and cultural contacts with their relatives back home. The grandchildren of the present generation of American Latinos probably will speak Spanish at home. I’m uncomfortable with that, but it’s not a major problem so long as they learn to speak English everywhere else, which they will. They will also grow up exposed to American media, American education, American everything. In the end they will be just one more exotic breed of Americans. The Indians, some few of the few remaining, still speak their own languages at home instead of English, but who can deny their status as cultural Americans? I don’t think there’s an Indian in America who CAN’T speak English, or who can’t understand the things we regard as American cultural and political values.
So, you have a point, Razorsharp, but lighten up! It’s not as big a problem as you think it is!
“I don’t live in the Southwest. It is very much news to my that the Southwesterners, in particular the Latinos of the Southwest, have been drifting politically leftwards since 1965”
Brian: I thought Razor was implying that we had encouraged immigration from Sweden starting in 1965 as an explanation for the drift toward socialism. Now, why Swedes would want to settle in the southwest, I don’t know. Maybe they’re just looking for a warmer climate.
Seriouly, though, Razor, you really lost me on that one. What DID you mean about 1965 immigration laws promoting a drift towards socialism? If it was supposed to be obvious, I totally missed it.
Bingo. And that’s a-okay. Hell, I use Spanish in everyday usage all the time, and I’m the whitest white-boy you’ll ever meet. We adopt Mexican language (and culture) into our own. We do the same with France, Japan, China, and all number of others. (Honestly, probably 80% of the food I eat can be directly traced to some other nation - mostly Italy and Mexico). But that’s because we, as Americans, thought those were groovy aspects of the respective cultures.
As to Zimbabwean New Year, of course there’s drinking involved! What kinda of crappy-ass New Year’s celebration doesn’t?
Jeff
Que dice? In my experience (and I DO live in the Southwest) conservative latinos are very hard to find. Mostly because racial preferences are very much a liberal thing.
Tell that to Orlando Sanchez who ran as the Republican candidate in the last mayoral election here. That said, it’s probably pretty misleading to think of latinos as voting in some kind of bloc.
The Southwest has been moving towards socialism since 1965? Assuming that “Southwest” is Arizona and New Mexico, I see, electorally, evidence of no such thing. Arizona is one of the most conservative states there is, and New Mexico was more Republican in the 1970’s and 1980’s then it ever had been before. Even when we add Southern California to the mix, all that’s been happening is that liberal Hispanics have been replacing liberal Anglos, and I do know California quite well.
Well, I sure am glad I ordered those Navajo lessons earlier. If I’m going to have to give up all the language and culture that’s gotten imported into North America, I’d better be ready.
Read his post, MrVisible. He said that we should not have to conform to every last minute distinction of person that claim to exist. Want to speak Navajo? Be my guest…but don’t expect us to give up ze Yinglish.
Yeah, but you’re cheating! Falling in love with a Navajo and marrying him is not an option for most people.
AFAIK, Razorsharp has a lot of chutzpah to insist that other people are expected to conform their mores to the one he finds amenable. He needs to walk in another’s moccasins. Or, perhaps, as a Jewish rabbinical student turned evangelist once said, he needs to esteem others more highly than himself, as an itinerant rabbi executed as a threat to civil order once gave the example on how to do. Perhaps we might lift every voice and sing in defense of freedom, since we do have “a Republic, if you can keep it.” You may notice that the italicized terms are part of the American experience, and draw from five different traditions.
But perhaps the most important comment on the subject was made by a Canadian of sainted memory, in reference to similar arguments of “how everybody ought to do what I think is the right thing to do,” and it was his invariant custom to refute their arguments incisively and then end with his opinion of people who would hold such views. And I shall emulate him by closing this post with:
Nothing new to add, just saying that most of the replies to the OP are precisely what makes me love this board, and show some of the more admirable aspects of American society. No, I’m not being ironic.
And I find myself in agreement with december too! Whoddave thunk?
It boggles the mind. How does the language that people speak in their homes make you uncomfortable? I can’t even comprehend that.
Hmmm…I don’t remember opening the borders around here as much as saying “this, which was part of Mexico, is now part of the United States”. Where I live, Spanish has a much greater historic claim than English. Heck, I just feel lucky to live here and glad that an area this beautiful is a part of a country this strong. I’m not going to begrudge people for speaking the language that they have spoken here for generations.
And all evidence points to the fact that a good portion of Americans speak Spanish.
No, the point is limp. John Jay was correct in his assertion of a common ancestry, they were all Europeon.
Again, the point is limp. John Jay was correct in his assertion of a commom religion, Christianity. You’re grasping at straws to give some validity to your contention that John Jay’s statement was “patently false”. Well, I am prone to believe that John Jay was pretty well attuned to early American society.
No explaination is needed for the “hundreds of minorities” who have risen to the high echelons of society. I applaud them. They are shining examples to be noted, but how about the thousands that make no effort and expect to be supported by the taxpayer? Not only do they expect it, it has gotten to the point that they now demand it.
I noticed that you neglected to mention Justice Clarence Thomas as an example of a “minority” that rose to the top of American society. Yeah, we all know how liberals treated him. What was it they called him? “Uncle Tom” (among other things which I won’t print here), wasn’t it?
Liberals are such hypocrites.
As far as the accuracy of the quote, The Federalist Papers are documents of that era. If you wish to doubt the character and wisdom of the men instrumental in the founding of this nation, that is your perogative.
Nothing wrong with that, as long as it is under the concept of “E Pluribus Unum”.
Clarence Thomas was accepted into Yale law school, in part, under an affirmative action plan designed to increase the number of qualified minorities to diversify the school.