Shots Across The Bow

Rich, I wish everyone shared your reasons for being opposed to multiculturalism, even if I don't necessarily agree with them. Unfortunately, anti-multiculturalism is the rallying cry of the extremist "white pride" and "white nationalist" groups. Very, very scary stuff. Having met you a few times and observed your posts for a while, I'm certain that you don't align yourself with those guys, any more than you (presumably) would think I align myself with Communists and Socialists.

Or "separate but equal" segregationists.

Bubba...a pinko commie?
;)

Thanks for the compliment, Bubba. It's easy to assume that similar positions spring from similar beliefs. Hell, it's almost logical. But as we've just demonstrated, people choose their positions for a number of reasons, some more admirable than others.

It also points out a common mistake in foreign policy. The enemy of my enemy is NOT always my friend, or even my ally. White supremist a**holes may cry about multiculturalism, but they most assuredly do not represent my views or philosophy. In fact, I'd go so far as to say if I had to choose between a multicultural society, or those idiots vision of a Caucasian wonderland, I'll choose the multicultural chaos any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

But being the ornery sort of guy I am, I'd rather we all agree to do things my way...*grin*

And no, I don't think you are a commie socialist, or a segregationist either.

I'm not sure what your problem is...in a free and open society, if people choose to hold onto their heritage it's their right. If in their spare time they choose to devote it to keeping their traditions alive, as long as they are not hurting anyone else, who is anyone else to condemn them because they don't mix with everyone else? This is not segregation..segregation was the institutional separating of whites and blacks. Multi-culturalism is the actions of individuals who decide to hold onto their heritage.

the key to your question is the phrase, "as long as they aren't hurting anybody else"

First, some cultures don't place the same value on tolerance that we do. They are deeply offended by practices we consider commonplace. How can you accomodate such deep differences, while respecting both cultures in an equal manner.

To use a timely example, devout Muslims find the display of the female body to be sinful, and very offensive. Are we to modify our behavior in order to keep from injuring their sensibilities, or do we tell them to get over it, it's a free country, thereby disrespecting their culture. You have to understand that our love of freedom is part of our culture, and when we enforce that freedom, we are repressing another culture.

This is the essence of the problem with multiculturalism; it's based on a lie.

Second, in a more general way, when we hold to our individual cultures and traditions in preference to American culture and tradition, we create a stress within society that leads to all kinds of unfortunate consequences. As I mentioned in my post, the divisiveness inherent in a multicultural outlook prevents any sense of national unity. Doesn't it bother anybody else that it takes a tragedy like 9-11 to make us feel any kind of national unity?

Here's another example. Black culture has exerted a tremendous influence on American culture. Think of music: jazz, blues, gospel, rock and roll, rap, funk, hip-hop, house. Without Robert Johnson, there would be no Eric Clapton. Without the influence of black culture, our musical heritage would be much poorer. And it isn't just music; our pop culture is heavily influenced by black culture, which is wonderful.

But here's the problem. Rather than being proud of the fact that they've had so much influence in the development of the American character, black multiculturalists see their influence on American culture, and say that whites are 'stealing' their art, music, and culture. Their cultural pride makes them resent any signs that they are integrating into American Culture.

We see it every day. Universities specifically for minorities, and minority movements like La Raza. In many ways, these movements are symptoms of the same sickness which drives the white separatists, albeit in a less malignant form.

Finally, I'll just say this. Honoring your past is a good thing. Placing it ahead of your present and future is not. Multiculturalism leads to cultural jealousy as inexorably as a glacier inching down a mountain side.

Rich,

On the point of the Muslims, I would say that quite frankly Muslims are free to cover themselves head to toe if they desire. People of that faith come here knowing that American women don't cover themselves head to toe. They can also avoid places like beaches if they want to avoid seeing people scantily clothed. By "hurt" I mean the libertarian view of hurt.

In terms of American unity, I read this book called "Tipping Points" which notes that once humans get into groups of greater than 150, we start to want to identify ourselves with a smaller subset of people. For instance, many people who move here from other countries show a level of unity to each other that they don't show in their home countries. In India, every region and each religion is it's own community to a large degree. When Indians first started moving here, they all stuck together no matter where they were from in India and which religion they were. As more people came, things got more segmented. People starting hanging out with other Indians of the same religion and from the same region as they do in India.

And many people in America identify themselves as being a certain subset as well. When I was in Knoxville, some (and let me emphasize not that many) identified themselves as Southerners and identified non-Southerners as Yankees. Some identify themselves as Californians, others as being from the heartland.

Certainly that is true, but only to a point. When part of identifying with a smaller group includes hostility to the larger group, there's a problem. All too often, cultural separatism leads directly to cultural rivalry.

Anti-multiculturalism is more likely to be associated with those who don't find moral attractiveness in the public use of segregationist and anti-assimilationist aggression to further or preserve the diversity. The multiculturalism is diversity-valuing, and the further it moves in that direction the more violence it must advocate to aggrandize or save the diversity.