From: charlie
Date: 10/14/03
Time: 9:02:06 AM
Remote Name: 209.240.198.61
What is wrong with having an American Culture where people who come here become AMERICANS? They retain a respect for the old country and the old ways but learn English and become AMERICANS> ???
Multiculturalism has been touted and promoted but it is not the "neutral" agenda that it seems to be. As a former public school teacher, I can tell you that it promotes ALL cultures BUT The American culture. ALL other cultures are better, more interesting than ours.
It DOES NOT just teach an appreciation of differences----it actually separates and divides. It can easily Balkanize our country.
People (KIDS) are taught to look to their FORMER country -even if they are the 5th generation of their family here in this country.
They are encouraged not only to retain their language but to prefer it and not to learn English if they are new to this country.
AT one time, immigration was controlled so that those who came here could 'assimilate" into our society before another large group comes in.
That doesn't happen now.
World history shows us when this happens, it is the beginning of the end of even powerful countries.
When we have so many DIVIDED loyalties---it becomes a dangerous place to be.
Think of France who has so many Arab Muslims (as their version of the Hispanic workers that we have). They (and Italy and Spain and Germany who have similiar situations) have to be very carefully politically because the leaders of the Muslims will flat out tell them, if you don't do as we say, we will turn your country into a bloodbath.
WE will never have equality of the races or the groups as long as the kids are being encouraged to Stay true to their home country in schools. Or as long as the differences are celebrated and not what we have in common.
As long as hyphenated labels are promoted and certain groups gain political power because of the ethnicity or given special priviledges due to their backgrounds---things won't get any better.
charlie