What's "assimilation?"

So there's talk of banning Muslims or all immigrants from entering the West until the minority groups assimilate into the general populace.

What exactly is assimilation?

Obviously you have to speak English.

You have to get a job right? Pull yourself up by the bootstraps?

How do you have to dress exactly? Can you wear hijab? Dreadlocks? What about hippie digs? What's the difference? Can you tell someone is assimilated just by looking at them?

Dinesh D'Souza says he has become American. Okaaay...if he weren't famous, would anyone take that notion remotely seriously?

Are some groups more American than others? Are blacks more American than Hispanics and Asians? What about native Americans?

WTF is assimilation?

 

Please also discuss names and intermarriage.

Obama has neither. Is he American enough?

 

Do you mean the US not ‘the west’ that term usually means also most of Europe and most of Europe doesn’t have English as its first language, and anyway isn’t Spanish quickly becoming the US’s first language?

 

You guys are big kidders. No one in their right mind takes even half of what Donald Trump says seriously. Even the people who vote for him in primary elections are just turning around and laughing behind all our backs. Samantha immigration is a very real thing. When people come to this country isn't there even some kind of English language test that they have to pass?

To be honest I don't know what "assimilation" is, but I would venture to guess that you probably don't have to worry about it too much. Since you are worried about it though, I guess I would just say that it's the process of becoming integrated in schools and work, getting needs met and embracing all of the wonderful things that the United States represents!

 

A few years ago I was offered a REAL job at a firm in Germany. I would have been sponsored to immigrate with my family. The offer came about because I had worked with German engineers all over the Caribbean and they knew my work ethic (on site anyway). So I looked into it. I took a course in German and discovered that having to talk like Yoda was going to be a pain in the ass. I also discovered that I really don't care for ethnic German food. There were other issues that added up to realizing that I would not likely ever be a German. For Jane, my wife, it was far worse. The requirements for her career are different there and she was looking at a LOT of school. It didn't help that she had just been promoted and wasn't happy about the idea of walking away from an excellent job. Our children also faced schooling issues that would have likely had them moving backward a grade or worse.

The bottom line was that while we might ultimately assimilate into German society, it was going to take a lot of effort and was going to stagnate things like careers and education for my family. It was not necessarily an upward move, more like a lateral at best. I turned them down and still regret having to do it. But I was not going to rearrange everything for some romantic notion of living and working in Europe.

I think coming to the US is more forgiving with virtually no language requirement. However, the US does make some professionals verify their competency or even advance themselves in an American college system. I also think that becoming an American is far easier than becoming a German was going to be. I think once you've had the Bill of Rights, you're hooked. I think also that people who sequester themselves in ethnic enclaves within the US and make an effort to NOT assimilate are selling themselves short. I can't imagine going through the trouble of coming to the US and then deciding NOT to become an American. Americans are not a race, we're a culture.

 

Americanization takes a generation or two. I am sure a lot of our ancestors that immigrated didn't speak a lot of English right away. It takes a generation to adapt to the way they see other kids. Older brains have a harder time learning a new language.

 

I'm gonna to venture to say most of the americans in this thread have ancestors who assimilated. And look at America now..we're a melting pot of boring.

 

Boring? But, we made movies, television, Disneyland and Jazz!

 

Don't forget basketball and Hip Forums!

 

Right, I wouldn't presume to neglect Hip Forums with a larger list. I'd also include Fortune Cookies, totally American!

 

When i think America i think of that one road every town has. You know, the one with a Best Buy, PaneraBread, Target, Wal-mart, 5 mcdonalds.

 

We can be a little bit biased about that here.

You'll be a happier person if you try to forget about that road, and avoid going there regularly.

When I arrive in a new town, I head straight for the historical center and look around for the cool stuff that is unique.

 

Ya there is a lot of different economic history and the cultures that moved there due to those jobs. Around my small city there are Italians from the railroad. Also some Germans but I don't know why they are in the city.

I love traveling the states but the logistics and comfort can be difficult. I've only been out of the country to Toronto. The Chinese president of the time was there when I was there. I saw his motorcade pull out with Tibetan protesters on the street. Snapped some pics but I've lost all those by now.

 

The thing is, there's a big difference between small numbers of immigrants who stick out like a sore thumb, but then leave after a few years (or indeed stay).

And the other type, vast numbers who migrate and change the nature of a country beyond recognition and/or instability/civil war or whatever.

This vid gives a good idea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hueHtOM5dTY

I mean, during the 1950s, imagine if the US let in VAST numbers of Warsaw Pact Communists. What might have happened down the line?

I'm friends with Muslims and other ethnic groups. But would Westerners be able to move to Saudi/Pakistan and promote Western values? Ofcourse not!

A melting pot is one thing. But competing/contradictory societies with eg mutual hate/animosity in one country is a very different proposition.

 

kiprat

Oh the classic – some of my friends are XXX, BUT….

So you want America and Britain to be more like Saudi Arabia? Personally I think we should strive to be something better than that.

In a way it comes down to a battle of ideas do you think ‘western’ enlightenment values, are better or worse than the values of say the Wahhabism of Saudi Arabia?

You could say that battle is still going on in some parts of America today where there are still many that think religious beliefs trump individual rights or there are politicians that dismiss evidence based science in favour of economic ideology, a situation that involves its fair share of mutual hate and animosity.

 

No, Saudi Arabia and the like are vile, evil places. Thats why its outrageous to have vast numbers of these people migrating here, in an attempt to destroy the West by stealth.
The demographic timebomb is ticking in European towns and cities. Radicalisation of schools is just one example. 2nd gen immigrants are often FAR more radical than their parents/grandparents.

FACT - large numbers of Muslims in ANY country eg 30% and you have terrible, bloody civil wars.
10% or 15% and you can still have a SERIOUS mess.

 

kiprat

Are you claiming that all Muslims are evil and vile people, because that is just plain bigotry – are the Muslim friends you claim to have evil and vile? Have you told them your views?

It seems to me you are trying to scaremonger in order to bring about the hate and animosity you claim to be against.

Shame on you.

 

and there you go again, misquoting people.

He did not say all MUSLIMS are vile and evil, he said SAUDI ARABIA and similar countries (inferred) are evil and vile.
BIG DIFFERENCE, but you know that already, you just playing your games again.


nor is he incorrect about the issues of large number of migrants bringing with them notions/laws/traditions that are often contrary to the prevailing attitudes of the host country.
With all the bullshit in Britain over Sharia law taking over neighborhoods, you should understand this as well.