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TOPIC: "The rising tides of xenophobia" (Boston.com 10/25/10)


Diamond

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"The rising tides of xenophobia" (Boston.com 10/25/10)
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Read @ Boston.com

The rising tides of xenophobia

By James Carroll October 25, 2010

‘THE APPROACH [to build] a multicultural [society] and to live side by side and to enjoy each other . . . has failed, utterly failed.’’ This statement at a political rally last week by German Chancellor Angela Merkel was greeted by a standing ovation from her listeners. She was speaking of how Germany’s immigrant population, mainly Turks, remains socially marginal. Using “we’’ to refer to the nation’s majority population, she continued, “We feel tied to Christian values. Those who don’t accept them don’t have a place here.’’

Hello? The 5 million Muslims living in Germany were on notice, but Merkel’s remarks reverberated across the continent — and the ocean. On both sides of the Atlantic, a rising tide of xenophobic hostility toward immigrants is threatening to swamp the foundation of liberal democracy. As if out of nowhere, American politics, too, shows this. Merkel’s overt affirmation of “Christian values’’ as a note of national identity, for example, has an echo in the sly deriding of the separation of church and state that came last week from Delaware Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell. Supposedly a gaffe, her “Where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?’’ was actually code — a message to American Christian nationalists who understood her very well.

When Nevada candidate Sharron Angle told Hispanic students in Las Vegas, “I don’t know that all of you are Latino. Some of you look a little more Asian to me,’’ she was subtly upholding a white template of American identity. You “others’’ all look the same to “us.’’ Code again, not a gaffe. Angle and O’Donnell can seem like fringe characters, but broad public discourse (Juan Williams, writer of the civil rights classic “Eyes on the Prize,’’ flaunting his fear of Muslims) suggests that race and religion are back as notes of qualification for full citizenship.

The “approach to build a multicultural society’’ in the United States is not a postwar phenomenon, as in Europe. It has defined this nation for generations, going deep into the American ethos. Of course, the separation of church and state — protecting the principle that the magistrate must never coerce the conscience of the citizen — is essential to authentic pluralism. To date, no responsible American government figure feels free to openly echo Merkel’s “Christian values’’ excommunication. But multiculturalism can fail in the United States, too, as mounting negativity toward immigrants (“aliens’’) suggests.

Continues @ Boston.com
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US will fail royally without multiculturalism. I'll say that with 100% certainty.

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I think that in order to be successful, multiculturalism has to work both ways. The majority population needs to shed its prejudices, yet at the same time immigrants moving into Western nations should learn the language and adapt to the culture of their new homeland, not the other way around. And I have no tolerance whatsoever for immigrants who move into this country or any other, only to seethe with hatred toward the majority population and commit acts of violence or terrorism. If you hate America (or Germany or France or the UK), then go somewhere else!

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Diamond

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Jen the Michigander wrote:

I think that in order to be successful, multiculturalism has to work both ways. The majority population needs to shed its prejudices, yet at the same time immigrants moving into Western nations should learn the language and adapt to the culture of their new homeland, not the other way around. And I have no tolerance whatsoever for immigrants who move into this country or any other, only to seethe with hatred toward the majority population and commit acts of violence or terrorism. If you hate America (or Germany or France or the UK), then go somewhere else!


Agree with you.  It makes no sense that people come and dont want to learn English; dont want to adapt in any way to the cutlure of their new homeland. 

I will keep some reserve on religion and food in that - it is way too personal to go from vegetarian to meat eater. Cannot force religion on another peron, can expect and insist on religious tolerance. On the aspect of religion that is community integration and being a good neighbor, one can integrate to a great extent, but the part of religion that is how one gets themselves centered.. I feel is really between them and their quiet time or wherever it is that they want to pray. Why come/go to another country to live and stay there if you cannot tolerate others in that society? 


-- Edited by Sanders on Tuesday 26th of October 2010 11:09:45 AM

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Food is definitely a keeper. Our culture here in the US is so much richer because every immigrant group has introduced the rest of us to their food. Plus, the Native Americans enriched the poor diets of Renaissance era Europeans.

Religion is OK for the most part, unless we're talking about barbaric practices done in the name of religion such as honor killings, child marriage, and female genital mutiliation. Of course, this goes for Americans who export their religious practices to other lands-- after all, the Jonestown massacre was perpetrated on foreign soil by a U.S. cult leader.

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Diamond

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Jen, I agree. 
I'd go a step further.  Those barbaric practices are the way powerful people misuse religion. 

Religion at its core is about bringing inner peace in the face of the unexplainables.  Towards that, religions proscribe morals - a sense of right and wrong is what people are expected to "get" more so than the stories.  A sense of community so people do not feel lost and lonely in their sadder times is what religion also promotes.. but that is a side product and not an essential component of a religion.

All else about religion is artificial and unnecessary in its truest value to human heart.  No offense.. I have great friends in practically all religions. College roomates from all over the world - one was a Parsi, one a Zorastrian from Malaysia, one a Sikh, one a Catholic, one a Nigerian Protestant.  We had one thing in common...  a great laugh and the tiniest of kitchen and fridge with food habits from around the world - and one me having to keep the food, spoons, forks separate. We got along great. We had a community in the house... 

Community is of shared experiences where we are willing to take each other as who they are without imposing our dogmas on OTHERS.  That goes for every person regardless of what faith they practice.

And, there is no justifying barbaric action from anyone... of any faith.  Dehumanizing people by clothing them in veil/burkah or making the backyard of a church a horror ground.. promoting violence of various kinds... all are equally unreligious.... because they go against the fundamental purpose of religion.. to bring inner peace to the human soul.

__________________
Democracy needs defending - SOS Hillary Clinton, Sept 8, 2010
Democracy is more than just elections - SOS Hillary Clinton, Oct 28, 2010

Madam Secretary Blog at ForeignPolicy.com
Project Vote Smart - Stay informed and engaged!
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