Are we a nation of assimilated Americans, or a "nation of immigrants"?

Question

This article by Michelle Malkin outlines the careful immigration policies of our nation, from the moment of its inception and forward:
http://michellemalkin.com/2006/03/25/bushs-open-borders-platitudes/

They did not allow mass numbers of immigrants to enter our country and form an alien colony inside the United States, speaking a foreign language, and having a foreign patriotism and loyalty.
We give immigrants the same rights as any U.S. citizen. The only requirement, the only NECESSITY, is that they fully become Americans. That they learn english, have a first allegience and pride in the United States, and leave their foreign allegiances behind.

Anything less than full assimilation results in balkanization. "Multiculturalism" is a euphemism for colonization.

(MIchelle Malkin: )
" We are not a nation of immigrants. We are first and foremost a nation of laws. The U.S. Constitution does not say that the paramount duty of government is to 'Celebrate Diversity' or to 'embrace multiculturalism' or to give 'every willing worker' in the world a job.
The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution says the Constitution was established 'to provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty.'

As our founding fathers recognized, fulfilling these fundamental duties is impossible without an orderly immigration and entrance system that discriminates in favor of those willing, as George Washington put it, to 'get assimilated to our customs, measures, [and] laws.' ”

[Coragryph said: )
" Same thing -- an "assimilated American" is someone who made their home here. That's an immigrant by definition.

The issue is how much "assimilation" requires giving up cultural identity, and how much "assimilation" can still alow for multi-cultural diversity"

(my answer: )
With all due respect, that's just so much legalistic evasiveness of the true point.

The point is, only the first generation are immigrants. The ones born after anre native-born americans, that should be fully assimilated, and have a first loyalty to the United States.

My ancestors came primarily from England and Germany. But I am a 100% fully assimilated American, and I wouldn't ever have loyalty to those nations over that of the United States and its interests.

When Mexicans endorse illegal immigration, or oppose U.S. policies waving Mexican flags, or stand in solidarity with Mexican illegals, or advocate bilingual adoption of Spanish as a second language, they are representing a foreign culture, in action against the United States (i.e., they are committing treason).

Any immigrant who does not respect the sovereignty and culture of the United States, and openly supports illegal invasion and colonization, DOESN'T BELONG HERE !

(Ray G said: )
"There have always been massive numbers of immigrants to this country. The difference is that they came in waves, and during the downtimes the US could absorb the new immigrants and their children and ensure that they became Americans. That is not happening now and illegal immigration is exacerbating this trend."

(my answer: )
You say Malkin is wrong, but then say current "multicultural" advocacy and excessive and illegal immigration is exacerbating the problem of non-assimilation.
Which is precisely Malkin's point, although in different words than you would have chosen.

I think she acknowledges that pockets of non-assimilated immigrants have always existed. The difference is, it was always the policy if the U.S. to fully assimilate these pockets.
So Malkin is right.

(Mark S said: )
" We are a nation of assimilated Americans. That however does not mean an abandonment of whatever food, music, culture, etc. our ancestors brought with them. "

(my answer: )
Yes, absolutely.
We all have certain customs and foods from our ancestors, and a degree of pride in where we came from.

It's one thing to speak spanish or german. It's another to advocate it as a national language of the United States, and displace our unifying english culture with a move toward adopting an alternate culture.

It's one thing to feel a degree of connection to Germany or England or Mexico, or whatever nation you came from, but another to advocate their interests, or advocate interests of illegals from there, over those of the United States.

(Ray G said: )
*Edit : You state in your response that Malkin is correct, how so?

"They did not allow mass numbers of immigrants to enter our country and form an alien colony inside the United States, speaking a foreign language, and having a foreign patriotism and loyalty."

I have provided examples where the above was proven incorrect, therefore contradicting Malkin.

I think I made my point the first time, but the point is, immigrants were required to ASSIMILATE, and NOT necessarily to become citizens. Care was taken to spread immigrants out so that they wouldn't continue to perpetuate their culture into the next generation, but would assimilate, and their children would fully be Americans, and they wanted to.

That part about Malkin's parents is a personal attack on her, and not the issue. Even if it's true that her parents overstayed their visas, they first came in legally. And Malkin's parents are not Malkin herself.

(Ray G asked:)
" Where did I launch an assault on Malkin's parents? "

(spooky says: )
" sorry to dissapoint you, but from a woman (malkin) who has had illegal immigrant parents herself (her parents overstayed their visas) and supports internment camps for muslim americans throws the validity of your arguement out the window. everyone had to immigrate in order to make america what it is today. assimilation is not an issue. think about it. what is more american than a pepperoni pizza nowadays? "

(My clarifying answer to both of you: )
My apologies, Ray G, I should have been more clear that this portion of my comment was answering spooky's post.
Attacking Malkin's parents is like Dems raising the fact that Arnold Schwarzenegger's father was an officer in the Nazi SS during his CA governor election.
Well, Arnold himself wasn't, and he had no control over what his father did. It's an ad-hominem distration from the true issue.

Regarding your larger point, in your (*Point 1) you argued there was not pressure for them to be citizens, and I didn't say that in the first place. My point is that there WAS pressure to assimilate then too.
Regarding (*Point 2):
Our nation, as policy, spread out immigrants so they would not be too concentrated in one area, and would not retain their foreign culture into the next generation. The 1st generation would always have limited english and a foreign accent, but their CHILDREN would be fully assimilated Americans.
I can concede your point that pockets of non-assimilated immigrants have always existed. But it WAS the stated intent of everyone, from Washington and Franklin forward, to prevent "multiculturalism" and retaining of an immigrant's foreign loyalties into the 2nd generation.

Expecting their children to be assimilated is clearly not happening now --and a huge problem-- in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Florida.
As I think you'd agree.

Answer 1

We are a nation of assimilated Americans who've been invaded by a nation of illegal immigrants!

Answer 2

We were once a nation of immigrants, but now we are a nation of assimilated Americans with a unique culture. Those illegals and La Raza members (and I don't mean all Latino-Americans) who don't want to assimilate can go back to their native countries. It is okay to be proud of your sub-culture, but you have to be an American First!

The "Cult of Multiculturalism" is a construct of left wing Americans who hate our country and want to see our culture destroyed. Assimilation is a strength, while diversity is a weakness.


Statement by President Teddy Roosevelt about Immigrants.

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming
in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here! Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag …....We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language....and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

President Theodore Roosevelt, 1919

Answer 3

She is wrong.

There have always been 'alien colonies' as she puts in inside of the USA.

Chinatowns, Koreatowns, near completely Italian, Polish, German neighborhoods. Etc. There used to be entire counties in Minnesota and the Dakotas where Swedish was the prominent language.

There have always been massive numbers of immigrants to this country. The difference is that they came in waves, and during the downtimes the US could absorb the new immigrants and their children and ensure that they became Americans. That is not happening now and illegal immigration is exacerbating this trend.

I read this in the Phoenix New Times yesterday.
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2007-08-02/news/viva-radio/
Most of them do not feel American, they feel more Mexican, and this is a dangerous trend.

But in the end Malkin is wrong.

*Edit You state in your response that Malkin is correct, how so?

"They did not allow mass numbers of immigrants to enter our country and form an alien colony inside the United States, speaking a foreign language, and having a foreign patriotism and loyalty."

I have provided examples where the above was proven incorrect, therefore contradicting Malkin. The US has never demanded of immigrants that they become citizens. Millions of immigrants in years past never became citizens. Many of them never learned but a few words of English. The difference from times pass was the massive oceans that the majority of immigrants had to cross that severed their connections. We allow in too many immigrants from Nations where they can simply walk 'home', therefore lessening or negating the pressure to assimilate.

But I stand by my argument as you proposed in your question. Malkin is wrong.

*Edit pt. 2* They were never REQUIRED to assimilate by the Government. There were cultural pressures that encouraged it, but there was never a requirement. If there was, every immigrant in the Country would have learned to have spoken and written in English, which was certainly not the case.

Where did I launch an assault on Malkin's Parents?

Answer 4

sorry to dissapoint you, but from a woman (malkin) who has had illegal immigrant parents herself (her parents overstayed their visas) and supports internment camps for muslim americans throws the validity of your arguement out the window. everyone had to immigrate in order to make america what it is today. assimilation is not an issue. think about it. what is more american than a pepperoni pizza nowadays?

Answer 5

We are a nation of assimilated Americans. That however does not mean an abandonment of whatever food, music, culture, etc. our ancestors brought with them. If it did, the the only logical solution would be for us all to assimilate into Native American culture.
What we do have is a mix of cultural traits that have been built up over the centuries, that combined, make up our culture.
The mistake many 'multiculturalists' make is to try to treat all cultural influences as if they have been, and are now of equal importance in the general context of American society.
The advantage that accrues to us by taking the best from many different sources is contingent upon recognizing that not all cultural mores and influences are equal.
There is an idea that is fashionable today that to be judgmental about the comparative value of cultural differences is wrong in and of itself. Being judgmental is not the same as being close-minded.
We as a society can judge that such practices as female circumcision, bull fighting, foot-binding, slavery, etc. are not acceptable to us. These practices have all been acceptable, and some still are, to other cultures.
This doesn't mean that we should rush to incorporate them into our society in a misguided attempt to prove our open-mindedness.
We as a society need to have a baseline of common beliefs and customs that identify us as unique. These will inevitably be decided in a free, democratic society by that society's members. An attempt to arbitrarilly force acceptance by a group,(multiculturalists) that regards itself as qualified to impose it's beliefs on a majority that is adverse to those beliefs, is contrary to the freedom and democracy that form the basis of our shared culture.

Answer 6

Neither. Regardless of what Liberals say, we are still a Nation of love, fortitude, and strength. We are still FREE, although the sect of Liberals would rather us all be Socialist, and let our elected government officials control we the people. There are enough people left in America who will fight and die for this great country, like our forefather's did, just in a simple hope that they may relish in the glory of freedom, and not just Americas children, just like our forefathers did. I for one, will NOT be ruled, and nor will my child.
God Bless us all, especially the heart, spirit, and soul of America.

Answer 7

We are a nation of Assimilated Americans.
BTW---I am not an Immigrant. I was born in the US so I am a Native American. Infer as you like.

Answer 8

we are and have all ways been a nation of immigrants.
We took this Land BY FORCE From IT,S NATIVE INDIANS
We are a nation of civilized HEATHENS who if we do not get things our way ***** whine and complain until we get our way.
We have come a long way we in general do not go around Killing people for no apparent reason . Unless you stole my drugs , committed adultery, etc. etc.
As far as culture we have most every culture you can think of . Religion , Food , Believe in a higher power , and yes we try to govern all this diversity by LAWS.
Can you imagine what it would be like here with no law .
We can go to the light switch and we have light, go to the sink and we have clean water . Go to the store and by Veg . meat etc . we no longer have to hunt for food . The bottom line here is we are so Blessed to have each other and that my friend is what makes us unique.

Answer 9

We are a nation of American citizens & anyone that hasn't become citizenized is not part of the nation. Untill they assimulate to America & become a citizen they remain illegal or legal immigrantes, once they become citizens they should not be refered to as immigrants but citizens of the United States of America.

Answer 10

The real Americans know who they are , and we are not known by any other name or nationality other than Americans` !! Either you are an American , or you are not an American ! Regardless of what the ACLU and their followers that preach the Socialist Liberal "political correctness" BS say !!!