Thread: Navarrette: Culture Fuels Immigration Debate

Commentary: Fear of losing culture fuels immigration debate

Navarrette: Opponents see Hispanic immigrants as weakening U.S. identity

Ruben Navarrette Jr.
Special to CNN

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- You must know what's really driving the immigration debate. It's the culture, stupid.

Immigration restrictionists -- and by that, I mean those who want to limit all immigration, even the legal kind -- like to pretend they're so high-minded. Yet they can't help themselves. They always take the low road and harken back to the nativism that greeted earlier waves of immigrants.

The restrictionists insist that what bothers them are merely practical concerns: that our borders aren't secure, that so many immigrants are coming into the country illegally, and that the new arrivals are burdening schools and draining social services once they get here.

Really? If that's the extent of it, then why does the conversation quickly turn to the impact -- both real and perceived -- that immigrants have on American culture through everything from taco trucks to Spanish-language billboards.

That seems to be the issue in North Dakota, where, according to a recent article in USA Today, towns facing tough economic times are nonetheless resisting a cultural transfusion that could save them. In Cooperstown, the locals opposed efforts to bring in a hog plant and a dairy, because those kind of dirty and hard jobs are likely to attract ... guess who? American kids who work at Starbucks? Nope.

You'll find the same fear in Lewisburg, Tennessee. Not long ago, an employee at a local library came up with the radical idea of a bilingual story time where children could hear tales read to them in Spanish. Townspeople wanted no part of that. They demanded that all books purchased by the library, or even donated, be in English-only.

These stories are ridiculous, but they're also helpful. They illustrate what some people are really concerned about with immigration, and it goes well beyond words like "legal" or "illegal."

It's the perception that the country is becoming more Hispanic, that Spanish is replacing English, that Hispanic immigrants are weakening American identity, and that Main Street is turning into Little Mexico. A leader of the vigilante Minuteman movement moronically called it the "colonization" of the United States.

This sort of rhetoric is all about fear -- that those who thrive in the dominant culture are losing their primacy, that the mainstream is being polluted by foreigners, and that our children are going to live in a world where they're going to have to work a lot harder to keep up.
It conjures up the alarm bells that Benjamin Franklin set off about German immigrants in the late 18th century, who he insisted could never adopt the culture of the English, but would "swarm into our Settlements, and by herding together establish their Language and Manners to the Exclusion of ours." It popped up in the mid-19th century amid worries that Chinese immigrants were "unassimilable," which led to Congress approving the explicitly-named Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. And it helped welcome the 20th century when Massachusetts Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge warned that immigrants (read: the Irish) were diluting "the quality of (U.S.) citizenship" and others complained that Italian immigrants were uneducated, low skilled, apt to send all their money to their home country and prone to criminal activity.

Where have we heard that before? And when will we hear it again? After all, Hispanics may be the latest group to find themselves in a culture war with nativists. But they won't be the last.

Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a member of the editorial board of the San Diego Union-Tribune and a nationally syndicated columnist. You can read his column here.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer. E-mail to a friend

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/04/navarrette/index.html

It's the perception that the country is becoming more Hispanic, that Spanish is replacing English, that Hispanic immigrants are weakening American identity, and that Main Street is turning into Little Mexico. A leader of the vigilante Minuteman movement moronically called it the "colonization" of the United States.

Once again more tripe from the idiot naverette. It isn't a PERCEPTION that the country is becoming more hispanic, it's a reality.

Oh please! No other cultural group in America's immigration history has been as stupid as the (illegal) hispanic culture of today!

I don't remember Italians or Germans or Chinese OR previous hispanic groups demanding "their language" story hours.

None of these groups demanded signs and papers in their languages. None of these groups thought it was OK to drive drunk or to think raping 12 year old girls was OK! None of these groups whined and demanded that the American taxpayer should support them!

ONE thing ALL previous immigrant groups did have in common with todays illegals was they all suffered through assimilation. The previous groups rose above, the illegals of today refuse to rise above it!

Been there, done that, so don't even go there!

Why do they bring up ancient history? Things are different now Ruben. Please take your people and your culture and go home. We are tired of paying the bills for millions of unskilled, uneducated people who have invaded our country. If that makes me a nativist, so be it. I am a PROUD AMERICAN NATIVIST AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

Originally Posted by miguelina

Oh please! No other cultural group in America's immigration history has been as stupid as the (illegal) hispanic culture of today!

I don't remember Italians or Germans or Chinese OR previous hispanic groups demanding "their language" story hours.

None of these groups demanded signs and papers in their languages. None of these groups thought it was OK to drive drunk or to think raping 12 year old girls was OK! None of these groups whined and demanded that the American taxpayer should support them!

ONE thing ALL previous immigrant groups did have in common with todays illegals was they all suffered through assimilation. The previous groups rose above, the illegals of today refuse to rise above it!

Been there, done that, so don't even go there!

I totally agree. That's right my ancestors assimilated and wanted to break allegiance with the old country and be a part of the new country. I don't see that in the majority of hispanics and others. But the hispanics are chronic at this. Some have been here for 20 or more years and they still won't learn English. Plain lazy. Even the most ignorant can learn IF they want to.

must know what's really driving the immigration debate. It's the culture, stupid.

Immigration restrictionists -- and by that, I mean those who want to limit all immigration, even the legal kind -- like to pretend they're so high-minded. Yet they can't help themselves. They always take the low road and harken back to the nativism that greeted earlier waves of immigrants.

Can you believe this insignificant little man has the gall to refer to at least 70% of the U.S. population in such a belligerent and insulting manner.

"After all, Hispanics may be the latest group to find themselves in a culture war with nativists. But they won't be the last."

The reason for this is the fact that mexico is right next door. What other country has the opportunity to INVADE the way mexico has? Canada? You don't see them "INVADING" the U.S.

And there are large pockets of the U.S. where other then hispanics have NOT assimilated. Pockets of Italians, Russians, Greeks, etc. etc., and how about China Town? But I haven't noticed them trashing the areas in which they live. They don't pee and poopie on sidewalks and in yards. They don't advocate setting up their own government within the U.S., the way hispanics have. They don't need consulates in every city and town, there to INSTRUCT them on how to get every benefit possible at taxpayer expense. They were hard workers who didn't drain public resources!

Navarrette can take his propaganda and stick it where the sun doesn't shine!!!!

Navarrette who are you calling stupid? Look in a mirror if you want to find stupid!

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- You must know what's really driving the immigration debate. It's the culture, stupid.

Mr. Navarrette --t's the ILLEGAL, stupid.

"A fanatic is a person who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."

This guy is becoming nuttier by the hour. His articles are getting more and more desperate, you can just tell the guy is pulling at straws everytime.

It's about legal vs. illegal, Mr. Navarette.

Now is THAT so hard to grasp? YOU, are the perosn in the wrong, Mr. Navarette and the more you write the more obvious it becomes.

Call Michael Medved, he's the only talk show host that cares to have you sit in for him that I know of.

You're way off base and out of touch with REALITY.

There are MILLIONS of illegals, Mr. Navarette, MILLIONS of people flat out breaking the laws of the United States....and you love it. You love every minute of it. The more the merrier for you. Well, no wonder people think you're good for nothing more than a hearty laugh! You should hear yourself!!

Do you make sense on ANY issue?

Good grief!

Oh well, we're waiting for your next brain storm article! We love them! Laughter is the best medicine. See ya on Michael Medved! :P