When you force someone to adapt, they tend to resist. When the culture offers something the group needs or wants, they tend to assimilate.

When I was in Texas, the school district had hired staff to try to convince Hispanic parents that they should place their children in bilingual programs. I’m not going to get into the pros and cons of bilingual ed, but the fact is that the Hispanic parents saw English as the ticket to their children’s future.

Refugees I worked with, on the other hand, saw no benefit. They did not want their children learning English or adapting to this culture. They wanted to remain separate and culturally distinct because America offered them nothing but protection from Hussein. That would be fine, but my tax dollars are feeding them and housing them.

This is my personal opinion, but I think that is why we have not had “issues” with our Muslim population while Europe seems to be fighting an underground war with them. The social system supports them while at the same time blocking them from ever really being German, etc.

You are doing a good job putting this in perspective.

Thank you.

ThirstyJon

This is the question that changed my views on the subject:

If America did not have a welfare state, would immigration be detrimental?

The problem is not with immigration. That has actually always been a strength of America until very recently and English was never forced by law on immigrants. Immigrants tended to want to adapt because they were here for “the American dream” and it was to their own benefit to assimilate.

The social system allows them, encourages them even, to maintain their home culture and to remain isolated.

I read the other article. Very inspiring.

This is something I haven’t come to my own conclusions yet on. Does the “government” have a role in immigration?

Another way of saying it: Do the people have any say via the government about who comes here to the U.S.A. and what is expected of them when they come here? I have no problem with other languages being spoken, but do we have a right to set expectations of immigrants, even via force of law? (i.e. To be a Citizen you must learn English, American Civics, etc.)

I am not sure. The ideal would be for the Americans that are here to reach out to immigrants.

Israel, for example, is actually very “tolerant” of Arab Israelis. They are allowed to be full citizens. However, Israel does not want to let the huge pile of refugees into the nation because it will change the Jewish Character of the nation.

What in the world am I supposed to do with that? Is Israel wrong? A Jewish-Minority population Israel could end up being NOT Israel.

This all seems like a pickle that I haven’t worked out yet. I love hearing thoughts on this stuff.

Any more thoughts?

ThirstyJon
freedomthirst.com

P.S. I did manage to subscribe to the comment feed for this post.

What is the problem behind someone in this country speaking a language other than English?

Rather than really go into that here, I’ll give you an entry which explains my stance more clearly than I could in a comment.

America is an idea

The problem in Germany is that the state is defining what culture should be and attempting to force everyone into that. That is not the task of government which should be defending life, liberty and property, not ensuring all have a similar worldview.

So long as a group does not endanger the life, liberty and property of others, the state should not be monitoring them and forcing their dissolution in this manner.

I completely disagree with the German Government on this one.

One question I have is this: What do you think about, in the U.S., making immigrants learn English and American History, and how does this compare to what they are doing in Germany?

Don’t mis-understand me! I agree totally with the rights of parent’s to be the authority over their children’s education, and I do not agree with the German Government position. I just want to look at this honestly from all angles. Germany (unfortunately “liberal” and “secular humanist” is trying to prevent “outsiders” from coming to Germany and bringing change. Do they have a legitimate, yet misguided interest here?

Just a question.

ThirstyJon
freedomthirst.com

P.S. I wish there was a way to easily subscribe to follow up comments because I really am interested in others thoughts on this one!

As I read it, they have specifically lost the right to determine the children’s place of residence.

There actually is a formal boycott going on of Germany goods that started in response to another case. I do not know how far it got. I can look it up if you are interested and add it to the post when I update it. I have some more information, but it takes time to translate!