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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.)