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posted by n1 on Sunday May 24 2015, @04:20PM   Printer-friendly
from the RTFA dept.

When we hear the word "multiculturalism," some imagine people of all races and creeds holding hands, others imagine a clash of disparate cultures that cannot co-exist. There are many more nuanced definitions in between.

In the world of mainstream politics, there is now widespread acknowledgment that the failure of immigrants to properly integrate into the culture of their host nations is causing a lot more harm that good. The backlash against multiculturalism has begun to manifest itself as a rise of nationalist parties such as England's UKIP and France's National Front gaining more support from disillusioned countrymen.

In 2010 German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared that,

" This [multicultural] approach has failed, utterly failed," Merkel told the meeting in Potsdam, west of Berlin, yesterday. "

Merkel also suggested that the onus was on immigrants to do more to integrate into German society, and late last year the European Court of Justice ruled that EU citizens who move to another member state "solely in order to obtain social assistance" may be excluded from receiving that assistance, an acknowledgement that multiculturalism's side effects are causing more harm than good.

Those interested in this topic should read Foreign Affairs' excellent article The Failure of Multiculturalism.

As a political tool, multiculturalism has functioned as not merely a response to diversity but also a means of constraining it. And that insight reveals a paradox. Multicultural policies accept as a given that societies are diverse, yet they implicitly assume that such diversity ends at the edges of minority communities. They seek to institutionalize diversity by putting people into ethnic and cultural boxes—into a singular, homogeneous Muslim community, for example—and defining their needs and rights accordingly. Such policies, in other words, have helped create the very divisions they were meant to manage.

 
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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Sunday May 24 2015, @05:46PM

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Sunday May 24 2015, @05:46PM (#187212) Journal

    How 'bout those subway bombings in London? The Boston Marathon bombers? This multiculturalism thing is just a fancy way of saying that you welcome poisonous creatures into your family.

    If a group refuses to assimilate into YOUR culture, they should not be welcomed, it's simple as that.

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  • (Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:17PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:17PM (#187239)

    How 'bout those subway bombings in London? The Boston Marathon bombers? This multiculturalism thing is just a fancy way of saying that you welcome poisonous creatures into your family.

    Just like Anders Brevik, Craig Hicks, Michael Page and Jean Charles de Menezes are proof that you welcome the poisonous creatures that are already part of your family.

    • (Score: 2) by VLM on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:23PM

      by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:23PM (#187247)

      that are already part of your family.

      Not entirely sure which side of the argument you're supporting, but I'll assume you are along the path of something they have in common is getting kicked out of the family, either into prison or whatever afterlife may or may not exist. For the benefit of folks who don't recognize the list of murders names.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:32PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:32PM (#187255)

        Finally, someone who gets it!
        Thanks man, I couldn't have done it without you!

        • (Score: 2) by VLM on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:45PM

          by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:45PM (#187266)

          Thanks man, I couldn't have done it without you!

          No problem, I'm just glad I didn't have to unleash one of my world famous automobile analogies. Its kinda like when the fuel injectors decide to move in, suddenly the carburetor is permanently unemployed and we have to install systemd on the engine computer to make the injectors happy or they'll riot and burn down the engine compartment because injectors use vi and the car used to be a pure church of emacs, and they refuse to learn the local editor to fit in. Or something like that.

          In light of the usual social stress involving semi-controversial topics, it might be fun to come up with the worst imaginable analogy involving cars and systemd and all the greats from the past.

          • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:59PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:59PM (#187280)

            Hahah! You are so clever and smart.
            You grace us with your unique insight and wit!

      • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:34PM

        by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:34PM (#187258) Journal

        Exactly. We do send our own family members to prison for murdering people at random - or, we even execute them.

        With this multiculturalism thing, we're expected to accept the thought that imams can sit safely inside their temples, preaching to the next generation that the culture surrounding them is evil, and must be destroyed.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:40PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:40PM (#187263)

          we're expected to accept the thought that imams can sit safely inside their temples, preaching to the next generation that the culture surrounding them is evil, and must be destroyed.

          Same reason we are expected to accept the thought that grand wizards can sit safely inside their temples, preaching to the next generation that the culture surrounding them is evil, and must be destroyed.

          • (Score: 2) by jmorris on Sunday May 24 2015, @09:05PM

            by jmorris (4844) on Sunday May 24 2015, @09:05PM (#187340)

            Same reason we are expected to accept the thought that grand wizards can sit safely inside their temples...

            Except of course for one small detail; we don't in point of fact do that. It is true that we do respect their 1st Amendment right to say what they do, we allow them to march, etc. The State doesn't infringe their rights, and this is right and proper and the most radical Islamic fundamentalist should expect the same protections of basic civil rights to speak, write and think. On the other hand, society applies every possible sanction on the old Terror Wing of the Democratic Party (now that it isn't needed and works against the current policy of oppressing blacks via the smothering hand of the welfare state... another subject for another thread) in such a way that they are effectively excluded from all civilized discourse. Meanwhile, the thought of subjecting militant Islam to the same sort of shunning is simply unthinkable by the progressives who command the cultural highlands. When discussing racial strife a representative from the Klan is never invited, while certain Islamic terrorist financiers, sympathizers and unindicted coconspiractors always seem to find airtime.

            The question I put before the group here is why? Is someone willing to attempt a rational explanation for this difference?

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @09:26PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @09:26PM (#187351)

              > When discussing racial strife a representative from the Klan is never invited

              The way Fox interviewed [youtube.com] Paul Fromm? [wikipedia.org]

              Yeah that never happens.

              • (Score: 2) by jmorris on Sunday May 24 2015, @10:24PM

                by jmorris (4844) on Sunday May 24 2015, @10:24PM (#187377)

                Seeing as how you had to find an obscure reference from seven years ago, I can only thank you for making my point.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:43PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:43PM (#187264)

          With this multiculturalism thing, we're expected to accept the thought that Tele-evangelists can sit safely inside their temples, preaching to the next generation that the culture surrounding them is evil, and must be destroyed.

          Fixed that for you, as well. And don't forget Waco, Oklahoma City, several Mosques, synagoges, and a Sikh temple where cultural crazies have gone homicidal.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @07:02PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @07:02PM (#187282)

            No no! Those people are white so their culture isn't to blame. It is some other reason.
            Only brown people with funny clothes and funny accents who smell like strange food can be cultural ideologues. It is part of their culture!

    • (Score: 3, Informative) by isostatic on Monday May 25 2015, @01:06AM

      by isostatic (365) on Monday May 25 2015, @01:06AM (#187435) Journal

      What?

      Just like Anders Brevik, Craig Hicks, Michael Page and Jean Charles de Menezes are proof that you welcome the poisonous creatures that are already part of your family.

      Anders Brevik - Killed 77 people
      Craig Hicks - Allegedly killed 3 people
      Michael Page - killed 6 people
      Jean Charles de Menezes - was an electrician on his way to fix a broken fire alarm when the police accidentally killed him

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 25 2015, @01:42AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 25 2015, @01:42AM (#187450)

        Anders Brevik - Killed 77 people
        Craig Hicks - Allegedly killed 3 people
        Michael Page - killed 6 people
        Police - killed Jean Charles de Menezes for the same reason all the other people were killed

        FTFY

    • (Score: 2) by K_benzoate on Monday May 25 2015, @02:54AM

      by K_benzoate (5036) on Monday May 25 2015, @02:54AM (#187481)

      Anders Brevik is in jail, where he'll be for the rest of his natural life. He wasn't treated like a hero by our society, nor were his tactics accepted (grudgingly or otherwise) by any sizable portion of the population. Contrast that with 20% of British Muslims feeling some sympathy with the motives of the 7/7 bombers. [telegraph.co.uk] These are not the same situations. Muslims in the West simply have a higher incidence of tolerance for violence than the general population. Not all feel this way, certainly, but 1 out of 5 is incredibly significant when populations are in the millions.

      Stop equivocating.

      --
      Climate change is real and primarily caused by human activity.
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 25 2015, @03:14AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 25 2015, @03:14AM (#187492)

        Anders Brevik is in jail, where he'll be for the rest of his natural life. He wasn't treated like a hero by our society, nor were his tactics accepted (grudgingly or otherwise) by any sizable portion of the population. Contrast that with 20% of British Muslims feeling some sympathy with the motives of the 7/7 bombers. These are not the same situations.

        You are right 'tactics' and 'motives' are absolutely not the same thing. What is your explanation for conflating them?

        • (Score: 2) by K_benzoate on Monday May 25 2015, @03:18AM

          by K_benzoate (5036) on Monday May 25 2015, @03:18AM (#187493)

          What is your explanation for conflating them?

          In this context, the sentiment is interchangeable. Read the article. 20% supported the 7/7 bombers in word and deed. Are you going to stick your neck out and claim that anywhere close to that number support Brevik, even only his motivations? Even in the weaker interpretation, my point stands.

          --
          Climate change is real and primarily caused by human activity.
          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 25 2015, @03:34AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 25 2015, @03:34AM (#187498)

            > Read the article. 20% supported the 7/7 bombers in word and deed.

            Where is the deed part?
            Seriously there is not a single word to that effect in your cited article. The question in the poll was very explicitly about motives.
            You are making shit up. Which should be a warning sign to you that you are off in the weeds.

            > Are you going to stick your neck out and claim that anywhere close to that number support Brevik, even only his motivations?

            Yes, absolutely. Easily 20% of europe is racist and nationalist.
            For example, the UKIP party got 3.9 million votes in the latest UK elections and those are just the worst of them.
            After all that is the point of this whole story - whining about the browns polluting their countries.
            Hell, one of your most dishonest comrades in arms actually justified not just his motives but his actions. [thinkprogress.org]