Cultural conquest by stealth (Samuel Huntington)

The Australian ^ | March 23, 2004 | From The Times

[Eurotwit]

THE US professor who first proclaimed the global "clash of civilisations" has ignited a new firestorm with his claim that Mexican immigration is splitting the US in two.

Samuel Huntington argues in a new book that Americans are acquiescing in "their eventual transformation into two peoples with two cultures (Anglo and Hispanic) and two languages (English and Spanish)".

"As their numbers increase, Mexican Americans feel increasingly comfortable with their own culture and often contemptuous of American culture," he writes.

The stark warning from the 76-year-old chairman of the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies coincides with a US Census Bureau projection that the US's white majority, now about 69 per cent of the population, will fall to 50.1 per cent by 2050.

The Hispanic population will grow by 188 per cent to 102.6million, or about a quarter of the US population, by mid-century, the bureau forecasts. The Asian population will rise 213 per cent to 33 million and the number of blacks will increase 71 per cent to 61 million, making that group the second-largest minority.

Non-Hispanic whites will grow by just 7 per cent to 210million.

Professor Huntington's 1996 book, The Clash of Civilisations, predicted that a collision of "Western arrogance (and) Islamic intolerance and assertiveness" would dominate the post-Cold War world.

The thesis provoked denunciations from proponents of multiculturalism and spurred the creation of a United Nations process called The Dialogue of Civilisations, which collapsed after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the US.

Professor Huntington's new book, Who Are We? The Challenges to America's National Identity, is causing similar consternation.

Mexican author Carlos Fuentes accused him of racism. Liberals say that after seeking new enemies abroad, he is identifying a new enemy at home.

With Republicans and Democrats chasing the Hispanic vote, Professor Huntington has even been attacked by conservatives, who say his definition of American culture is too limited.

Although the US has successfully absorbed many millions of immigrants, Professor Huntington contends that the influx of Mexicans is fundamentally different.

He argues the demographic and cultural reconquest of the southwestern US is well under way. "This trend could consolidate the Mexican-dominant areas of the US into an autonomous, culturally and linguistically distinct and economically self-reliant bloc," he writes.

[dirtboy]

My wife feels the same way. And she's of Mexican ancestry (but with a good amount of Chiricahua Apache thrown in, and they didn't think much of Mexican invasions either).

[Travis McGee]

CW2 Ping.

If you'd love to live in a charming place like Bosnia or Kosovo, just stick around the American Southwest for a few more decades.

[american spirit]

A lot of us are already here seeing the invasion first-hand and the increasing crime statistics, ER's going broke and taxes going up to pay for all their services. People are totally pissed off right now and many don't even know how much of their tax $ go to house, feed, educate, and medicate them. .. wait 'til those facts get publicized then it will start to break loose.

[Bismarck]

Huntington is right, again.

[Helms]

Here is the online text..........................http://astro.temple.edu/~alistair/CLASH

[Sweet Land]

Although the US has successfully absorbed many millions of immigrants, Professor Huntington contends that the influx of Mexicans is fundamentally different.

It sure is. Unlike former immigrations, many Mexicans are here illegally, thus declaring their alienation from the USA by the very act of entering it; and of the legals, many are here because of family ties to previous immigrants rather than any personal attributes, thus making it less likely that they have any regard for the ideals that define the USA.

[Tax Government]

America must embrace Spanish as a second, unofficial language. Only an unwarranted pride in English prevents typical Americans from doing this.

Since most Amerocans have plenty of non-English-speaking ancestors, strong identification with England and its language going forward is pointless and counterproductive.

[antiRepublicrat]

You forgot </sarcasm> :)

[navyblue]

America must embrace Spanish as a second, unofficial language. Only an unwarranted pride in English prevents typical Americans from doing this. Since most Amerocans have plenty of non-English-speaking ancestors, strong identification with England and its language going forward is pointless and counterproductive.

Well, we can sure see where you're coming from JOSE!

[navyblue]

Oh! Did I miss the sarcasm? Sorry about that Tax Government.

[Tax Government]

I just woke up and smelled the taco sauce.

It's time to see that our future lies in building economic and cultural bonds with people who can help us grow. That means, in a phrase, the Spanish-speaking countries to our south.

[navyblue]

It's time to see that our future lies in building economic and cultural bonds with people who can help us grow.

Using the above definition, I am unable to locate the specified countries on the map.

Can you please supply course, distance and GPS coordinates?

[Joe Hadenuf]

America must embrace Spanish as a second, unofficial language.

Hogwash. Why can't they learn English? They walk in here, many illegally, and demand we learn their language?

People coming into America that refuse to learn English, will only cause endless problems and cost all of us big money.

Why are you panding to them?

[PRND21]

Have you checked your English lately?

[Joe Hadenuf]

English is an international language. All airline pilots, and most all Amateur radio operators world wide know English. It would only make sense that they learn English as well.

[John Jorsett]

America must embrace Spanish as a second, unofficial language.

Yes, having two languages and cultures has worked so well for Canada.

[Tax Government]

Nobody is going to be *forced* to learn two languages, any more than anyone is *forced* to earn money. (Don't do it, and pay the price. Your choice, but with consequences.)

Q: How many jobs today explicitly call for bilingual skills? A: A lot. Now, imagine raising the number to 50% of available jobs, and see how far an English-only mindset gets one.

Imagine a car dealership in 20 years... 25% or more of the customers are Spanish-speaking. No matter how Anglophilic the sales manager might be, will he *not* hire Spanish-speaking reps? Of course, he will. THAT is what will make the country become effectively bilingual: simple, naked economic self-interest.

[M. Dodge Thomas]

FWIW, I read recently that 2nd and 3rd generation Hispanics are losing fluency in Spanish faster than any previous large group of immigrants. The reason, supposedly, is the influence of popular culture in general and television in particular.

That said, our addiction to cheap labor is certainly going to have major cultural and political effects.

[Travis McGee]

Oh great! Then America can be a happy, successful multi-lingual nation like Kosovo! Oh joy!

Guess what? This is an ENGLISH speaking country. Italians, Germans and Chinese (etc) were all smart enough to learn it, so why can't Hispanics?