Thread: Immigration, Multiculturalism Integral to U.S., Says Scholar

http://usinfo.state.gov

28 September 2005

Immigration, Multiculturalism Integral to U.S., Says Scholar
American University's Gary Weaver participates in Internet chat

By Tim Receveur
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington – Immigration and multiculturalism are vital to maintaining the productivity and creativity of the United States, says Gary Weaver, a specialist in cross-cultural adaptation from American University (AU) in Washington.

“Some economists argue that the continuing rise in productivity is because of the waves of immigrants,� said Weaver in a live Internet chat September 28.

Immigrants work hard and frequently revitalize run-down neighborhoods, he said. “This has been the traditional pattern in the U.S. No major city mayor wants to stop immigration!�

Weaver, a faculty member of the School of International Service at AU, said many immigrants to the United States “already share many traditional American values and beliefs …. They tend to look toward the future, they want to begin anew, they believe that through their own efforts they can advance economically, and they think they may have a better way of life for their children in America.�

He added that “we need immigrants,� and that Americans are “accustomed to people from other countries coming here and becoming citizens.�

The United States does discourage illegal immigration, Weaver said, and he acknowledged that since the terrorist attacks of 2001 it is more difficult to get a visa.

According to Weaver, the United States has averaged about 1 million new legal immigrants a year since 1964, and some 70 percent to 80 percent of them have been people of color.

“Americans come in all colors, and by 2040 non-Hispanic white people will be a minority. In fact, today, in four of our states [Texas, California, New Mexico, Hawaii] and the District of Columbia, white people are a minority. Two of these states are our largest states!� he said.

Immigrants play a major role in enhancing American society and culture, Weaver said. “On Saint Patrick’s Day, everyone becomes Irish, and this is true of Cinco de Mayo -- we all become Mexican. The best metaphor is to say that the U.S. has become a mosaic or tapestry with contrasting colors and textures. If you pull one piece out of the mosaic or one thread out of the tapestry, you destroy it.�

For immigrants in the United States, “you can keep your ethnic culture and native language, but you also will find it easier if you are bicultural and learn the language and culture of traditional Americans,� he said.

It is difficult, but possible, to keep the old traditions and languages, Weaver said. About one-third of the children of Hispanic and Asian immigrants marry outside their ethnic group, and thus “mixing takes place very quickly in this country.� But religion often provides a link to traditional language and culture: “For example, Arab Muslims use Arabic [in their services], Israeli Jews use Hebrew, Greeks use Greek in their Greek Orthodox services, etc.�

Weaver also believes that Muslims have integrated into U.S. society better than in Europe.

“One of the reasons [Muslims] seem to integrate well is simply economic,� he said. “They are employed, they have educational opportunities, and they are not overly concentrated in urban areas with co-nationals, as is often the case in Europe.�

His views are similar to those of Ihsan Alkhatib of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), who said in a recent Internet chat that American Arabs are economically successful in the United States, with above-average education and income levels. (See related article).

Asked about the U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery Program, Weaver said it “seems like a fair way to give an opportunity to many different people to get a permanent visa.� The program, designed to bring greater racial and ethnic diversity to the United States, offers permanent residency visas to citizens of nations that have a traditionally low level of immigration to the United States. (See related article).

Weaver is the author of numerous publications and the editor of a 2004 special edition of The Journal of International Communication entitled “Intercultural Relations.� (See his biography on the AU Web site.)

This academic in no way addresses illegal immigration, nor does he acknowledge groups that do not assimilate, and the cost these people have to citizens and immigrants who get America, and assimilate.

I imagine he got a ph.d to come to his revelationary conclusions.

cheers glenn

To be a smart arse,

“On Saint Patrick’s Day, everyone becomes Irish, and this is true of Cinco de Mayo -- we all become Mexican.

On St, Patrick’s day, I simply become inebriated, and 5th of May I am insulted to only see mexican flags for 2 months. It would be nice to see an American flag with acknowledgement of respect for the country you are in. Not to say I don't see any, but one or two isn't much.

He added that “we need immigrants,� and that Americans are “accustomed to people from other countries coming here and becoming citizens

Of couse we needs immigrants LEGAL IMMIGRANTS!!!! I may be accustomed to immigrants coming here, but I am not accustomed to having my whole neighborhood turned into a haven for illegals who are using halfway houses to infiltrate into my city. [/code]

Originally Posted by JEWLI123

He added that “we need immigrants,� and that Americans are “accustomed to people from other countries coming here and becoming citizens

Of couse we needs immigrants LEGAL IMMIGRANTS!!!! I may be accustomed to immigrants coming here, but I am not accustomed to having my whole neighborhood turned into a haven for illegals who are using halfway houses to infiltrate into my city. [/code]

JEWLI123
Amen to that.
And
Welcome to ALIPAC

“Some economists argue that the continuing rise in productivity is because of the waves of immigrants,� said Weaver in a live Internet chat September 28.

Only a fool or an economist would believe that you can fit an infinite number of people into a finite area with finite resources. Rises in productivity are more likely due to technology and innovation rather than masses of unskilled labor. Productivity being defined as output per worker.

Immigrants work hard and frequently revitalize run-down neighborhoods, he said. “This has been the traditional pattern in the U.S. No major city mayor wants to stop immigration!�

According to what I've read here and many other places, immigrants frequently also have the opposite effect on neighborhoods -- at least the illegal ones do. Mayors are frequently compensated and influential depending upon city size and cities receive federal and state funds directly and indirectly by cultivating dependent populations -- just as schools. If cities actually had to pay for their own growth, they may very well have different attitudes.

He added that “we need immigrants,� and that Americans are “accustomed to people from other countries coming here and becoming citizens.�

Maybe. But, what Americans are more accustomed to are manageable numbers -- not a mass free for all. Need itself is highly debatable. From about 1800 until the 1920s there was a need to fill up the west with U.S. citizens. From 1924 through 1970 there wasn't much of a need and immigration numbers were reduced and quite low and we did fine. Much of the current immigration stems from the 1965 immigration act that was not passed based on demonstrated need but rather on a Ted Kennedy ideology and Ted Kennedy lies. (I think in reality Ted and Lyndon were looking for more of those dependent voters that would vote for the Great Society for a long time.) This Weaver guy is promoting a personal ideology, incorporating a distorted view of both our history and culture, and then calling it need. He wants us to believe that we "need" to turn ourselves into an overpopulated, resource depleted, 3rd world divided balkanized country. There is also the underlying premise that anybody different than us is more valuable than us; which I think kind of stinks.

According to Weaver, the United States has averaged about 1 million new legal immigrants a year since 1964, and some 70 percent to 80 percent of them have been people of color.

So, according to Weaver that is an additional 40 million population due to legal immigration alone, not including population growth due to offspring nor illegal immigrants and their offspring. That is unsustainable over time and many studies show U.S. population has already surpassed levels where even renewable resources are being consumed faster than they can be regenerated. The fact that they may be "people of color" does not justify destoying ourselves or our environment.

I suppose others can do as they wish, but as for me I really don't want to be part of this fool's cult and the Kool-Aid does taste terrible.

Bluehills, what a great job you did tearing this apart.

Is this an example of what many people refer to as the "dumbing down of America"?
I'd say so.