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| quote: | Originally posted by Shakka
This is an area I find interesting. I look at America, and sure it's had it's problems with integration, civil rights, etc. But when you look at the bigger picture, it seems to me that America is one of the most diverse countries on the planet, yet Americans are constantly assailed as elitist, intolerant, racist, white, etc. Yet year after year, more people immigrate to the U.S. than probably most other countries in the world. Strikes me as ironic.
Visit a nation like Japan or China, where a white person sticks out like a sore thumb. You don't see the kind of ethnic mixing in many other countries to that level, yet Americans are still viewed by much of the world as a coherent, uniform breed. When was the last time you saw an Israeli Jew marry a Palestinian? Why are Americans murdered when they visit the Middle East yet muslims come to America and can fairly readily integrate into American culture without excessive fear of persecution? Is there not a double standard here?
I've often been of the thought that "Americans" are essentially the bastards of civilization in that it's got that whole "Mixing bowl/melting pot" thing going on. Not that it's a good thing or a bad thing per se, just an observation. Sure, historically, your typical American was probably a "caucasion" of western European descent, but there has been massive immigration from Poland, Africa, Asia, Mexico, Cuba, South America--you name it--in the last century. I wonder how many actually understand what being "American" actually means.
Just some brain droppings on a Wednesday morning. |
It is rather interesting to see how Europe is so adverse and (shock!) conservative when it comes to immigration. Not only have most 'liberal' European nations, such as the Netherlands or Sweden, been strengthening anti-immigration laws, but they've been resisting immigration from within the EU itself! Despite the recent admission of 10 new member states into the EU, most countries have erected barriers that prevent migrant workers from entering the country from anywhere between 2-7 years. Only two EU countries, Britain and Ireland, will allow citizens from new EU states to migrate freely to live and work.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...15%2Fwasy15.xml
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