The headlines were almost breathless.
”Minority births outnumbered whites for first time.”
By now, I am certain you have all read the stories. Even The Economist led with the story in its passive voice: “More births of non-white babies than white babies were recorded by the Census Bureau for the first time in the United States. Hispanic, black, Asian and mixed-race babies made up 50.4% of total births in the 12 months to July 2011.”
Apparently, some Americans (especially, journalists) are having a bit of trouble getting past their Jim Crow mentality concerning race. They love to put people into some rather ill-defined boxes and then conjure up policies as if those definitions meant something in reality.
Here are the numbers. In 2010-2011, of the babies born in the United States, 49.6 percent were “white,” 26 percent “Hispanic,” 15 percent “black,” and 4 percent “Asian American.”
For a moment, let’s skip over those labels. A manipulative grab bag of ethnicity and race that do nothing but draw silly lines dividing people into warring tribes. The Trayvon Martin - George Zimmerman tragedy being the latest example of racial doublespeak.
But before I get off of the label issue, an example.
Several years ago my company required all of its employees to attend a diversity class. A friend of mine, born in Oregon of Iranian parents, was in the same session.
The moderator asked each of us about our backgrounds. When she got to him, she asked: “Let’s start with you. How does it feel to be a person of color in a white-dominated company?”
He was speechless. Probably because, to look at him, he looked as if he could have lived in Oslo. No one, except a person with her own agenda, would have applied the term to him.
Such is the nonsense of labels.
But that is a topic for another day.
What struck me most about the news articles were the Chicken Little “experts” who saw nothing but racial catastrophe in their crystal balls.
From the New York Times: “Will older Americans balk at paying to educate a younger generation that looks less like themselves? And while the increasingly diverse young population is a potential engine of growth, will it become a burden if it is not properly educated?”
Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, co-director of Immigration Studies at New York University: “The question is how do we reimagine the social contract when the generations don’t look like one another?” .
If I am reading that correctly, it sounds as if the accusation is that white, old people are so stupid they will ruin the future of their nation merely because a majority of young people do not look like them.
And this is one reason political discourse has become so difficult these days. Most Americans do not see the country in racial terms. And it angers the people who can only see things in racial terms.
We have had a terrible history when it comes to race. But, in my lifetime, most Americans have moved far beyond that. It appears the only people who have not are those who cannot think outside of their little census boxes.
A couple of newspapers managed to slip in a voice of reason in the last few paragraphs of their articles.
Political economist Nicholas Eberstadt, of the American Enterprise Institute: “The findings do not foreshadow anything in a ‘fluid society’ with an historic pattern of assimilation that has worked well.”
The news does not mean that we face a race war or the need for more government programs or any of the other subtext agendas that have kept the headlines howling.
It is simply an announcement that America has a strong future with new citizens on the horizon who will continue to add to the uniculture that is America.
Sounds like good news to me.
Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, co-director of Immigration Studies at New York University: “The question is how do we reimagine the social contract when the generations don’t look like one another?” .
If I am reading that correctly, it sounds as if the accusation is that white, old people are so stupid they will ruin the future of their nation merely because a majority of young people do not look like them.
And this is one reason political discourse has become so difficult these days. Most Americans do not see the country in racial terms. And it angers the people who can only see things in racial terms.
We have had a terrible history when it comes to race. But, in my lifetime, most Americans have moved far beyond that. It appears the only people who have not are those who cannot think outside of their little census boxes.
A couple of newspapers managed to slip in a voice of reason in the last few paragraphs of their articles.
Political economist Nicholas Eberstadt, of the American Enterprise Institute: “The findings do not foreshadow anything in a ‘fluid society’ with an historic pattern of assimilation that has worked well.”
The news does not mean that we face a race war or the need for more government programs or any of the other subtext agendas that have kept the headlines howling.
It is simply an announcement that America has a strong future with new citizens on the horizon who will continue to add to the uniculture that is America.
Sounds like good news to me.
Looks like the Economist news desk ran out of things to write about. At least they ran out of anything worth writing about. Better to focus on this than the criminal element of much of the U.S. economy I suppose - boring!
ReplyDeleteAlmost every newspaper and television news program led with the story. As if something earth-shattering had (and was about to) happen. To me, the story is a tribute to the strength of American culture.
ReplyDeleteDo not underestimate the power of the human race's innate desire to be around those who look and think like them. It's fashionable to say it's no big deal, nothing that cannot be overcome with a few diversity classes, and other such nonsense. Nor should one overlook the ongoing, often bloody, strife that eternally rends those nations that include large populations of folks of different race, religion, language, culture, etc. The world's multicultural states are where you find the biggest, usually huge and violent, problems.
ReplyDeleteWhat is happening in the U.S. is not a positive thing, to state it mildly. It would be less than correct to say that it will cause problems in the future. It's doing it right now, increasingly so.
I'm surprised you would get into this, Señor Cotton, but I imagine that the overwhelming majority of your commenters will say, oh yes, it's just swell. They can hold hands and sing Kumbaya for all the good it will do them down the road.
I almost didn't write this piece. But I am a bit more optimistic than most of the commentators who were so obsessed with race that they seemed to have forgotten the success of assimilation. Of course, if we start driving down the multi-cultural road, there will be problems.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, new Americans strived for assimilation. It was seen as a positive thing, and it was. But that is gone now, tossed out the window like the baby in the bath water.
ReplyDeleteNow people strive to "embrace their roots." Separation is glorified now. It's a whole new ballgame, amigo.
I have read two studies this past month that indicate assimilation is alive and well. This sounds like a good discussion topic if I see you this summer.
ReplyDeleteFor every study you find that says one thing, there is another study that says the opposite.
ReplyDeleteMelting pot countries are interesting. Europe is going thru the same thing because that's where the opportunities are for people from poorer countries. If trends continue minorities will cease to exist ... or at least be so common they can focus on life here and now.
ReplyDeleteHow many of those babies were of mixed race ... or do they only count half
True. And my gut tells me one thing; yours tells you something else.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, we are not burdened with Europe's history.
ReplyDeleteThe news stories did not directly address mixed-ethnicity births.
It is what it is. I do not see it as a problem to be solved. We are all just people at the end of the day. Diversity is the common in today's global economy. While it is human nature to group to those "like us" (which should be an acceptable parallel paradigm), we must coexist with mutual respect, openness and curiosity. My view is probably naive but maybe in my kids' lifetime things will change across the world. I always feel like I am a better person when I start to understand another race, language, culture and group not like me. It can be uncomfortable at times but what is life without the opportunity to stretch who we are ...
ReplyDeleteMy sole concern is the current trend to multiculturalism over assimilation. Americans have been very successful in creating its own uniculture -- unique from any country. And that has been our cultural strength.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it can be a salad bowl and sometimes a melting pot...
ReplyDeleteAn ongoing issue in the America's, -- really the world.
The US is a nation of immigrants. Why should these stats be surprising? I watched a Ken Burns documentary on Prohibition that strongly suggested that a good deal of the motivation for shutting down saloons and ultimately wanting the sale of alcohol banned was because people feared the large number of new immigrants who congregated in saloons. Beer especially was the beverage of choice of Eastern Europeans, and older groups of Americans feared these darker races who spoke Germanic languages while drinking a social beer or two. I wrote today about the proliferation, once again, of Hondurans, in the New Orleans area.
ReplyDeleteI want to read 1493. I think Senor Calypso has done so already. The book by Mann tells that the great assimilation and multicultural movement started in that year. Maybe we can have a dialogue about that tome one day.
ReplyDelete"No dogs or Irish allowed."
ReplyDeleteThis was a common sign seen outside businesses in both New York and Boston in the mid 19th century. It reflected the then-current fear that the Irish, with their own culture, Catholicism, and ways would pervert the existing American culture. More than a century later, millions of Americans proudly consider themselves Irish-American.
The fear of the "other" is nothing new. Today it primarily manifests itself in fear of other races, but as the quote above illustrates, people can create "others" out of any difference they want. Today, I'd guess that most Caucasians see themselves as Caucasian/European, regardless of culture. Yet the cultures of places like Romania and Denmark remain quite distinct, and were there no other races in the world, Americans would likely focus on these cultural differences now as they did in the past.
Felipe's comment about diversity seems to stem from the places that DON'T embrace it, don't teach tolerance, and in fact encourage long-running sectarian and racial hate.
That's not America. To be an American is to embrace a state of mind and an ideology. It's not about race, or where you see your roots. It's about your view of the future and how we can all live together. That's the key thing about America which differentiates it from places where diversity is a source of friction and violence.
Kim G
Boston, MA
Curious - How would you define the "uniculture?" What are the attributes?
ReplyDeleteI would like to think assimilation and multiculturalism can coexist - again perhaps I am naive ...
Kim: Things have changed in America. Once assimilation was seen as desirable, and it certainly was. It played a large role in making the nation great. Now, thanks to modern notions like identity politics, separation is the new ideal. Differences are "celebrated," not commonalities.
ReplyDeleteIt's a whole different U.S. of A, and those who point to assimilation having worked in the past are missing the fact that it is not working anymore to a great extent. The nation is splintered, and splintering more each day.
I think you are right on this one Steve. I grew up in a true melting pot town, a steel town where anyone with a strong back could make a living and the ability to speak English was not considered that big of a deal. The parking lots for the mills used cartoon figures instead of numbers or letters to mark the rows because many of the workers could not read. The different ethnic groups had their own clubs and churches. For a Greek to marry an old time American, it was pretty much a sin, just was not done, even when I was a young man. I would say it is same old-same old, just different players. It is nothing to fret about at all.
ReplyDeleteAnd salad bowls always end in tears.
ReplyDeleteEach wave of immigration has brought its own ingredient to the American stew. And,while being assimilated, each wave has brought a new taste.
ReplyDeleteAssimilation works as groups progress up the economic ladder. The process takes time. What we are seeing is that transition. But I agree with you, if there is no assimilation, the American culture will splinter. I am simply optimistic that it will work again.
ReplyDeleteI have read it --and would highly recommend it. I have referred to several of his globalization views in past posts.
ReplyDeleteThe interesting thing is that after a generation, most immigrants keep a lot of their traditions at home, but they have become as American as the Cabots and Lodges.
ReplyDeleteThe splintering is primarily along political, not ethnic nor racial lines.
ReplyDeleteThe political splintering is newer, true. The racial and ethnic splintering has been going far longer. It all adds up to more and more splintering.
ReplyDeleteIt appears my response did not post. Let me try again.
ReplyDeleteThe American culture exists as a series of principles first enunciated in the Declaration of Independence. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Principles that were rooted in Enlightenment philosophy, but that never quite took root in Europe.
But they also include the ability to succeed and to fail -- and to learn from both. The protection of the property we have acquired through our own efforts. To have a government that will provide minimal physical security and a sound money supply while limiting its interference in our lives. And, most importantly, the realization that American liberty is a right and personal possession of each individual through natural law, and not a borrowed gift from the forbearance of the state.
They are the principles that drew many immigrants to America. And sharing those principles is our greatest national strength.
The beauty of that system is that once we share those principles, we can then work out our destinies in many fashions.
Well put. Totally agree!
ReplyDeleteOf course this conversation could go on forever. Now I have 5 more questions. So like Felipe "I'll shut my mouth now."
We will undoubtedly have similar conversations in the future.
ReplyDeleteI was going to mention the No Irish signs, but you beat me to it. The movement of peoples around the planet is, perhaps, the oldest form of capitalism there is. That cultures will collide and there will be friction is pretty inevitable - those who revel in predicting as much are playing it safe and are pretty unimaginative.
ReplyDeleteI've always found the ability of the US to bring such diverse populations into the country and have them grasp the basic American ideals (someone already mentioned the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness, right?) something of a wonder. It's one of the most admirable American traits, and something we in Europe could learn plenty from. The problem here in Blighty has always been in defining what exactly does 'being British' mean...? Answers on a postcard.
The word 'multiculturalism' gives me the giggles. It doesn't seem to mean quite the same thing to any two people. I appreciate there are government policies that adopt various approaches to multiple cultures within a single national entity - it's little more than a sideshow that some people choose to give too much importance to. But the fact is, multiculturalism exists, has always existed and will always exist. At least, until we are finally invaded by the Borg.
I don't get to visit the US as much as I'd like, but it seems to me that assimilation is working better than ever. There will always be splinters and factions, but right now, if the reports I read are correct, it seems you have got 99% of the population into the same boat....those sound like good numbers to me! :) I sure haven't seen anyone hung from a tree because of their skin colour of late. And the Irish have had a president or six since those signs were hung up. Have you ever found it funny how a president can tenuously claim to have a long lost bit of Irish blood in him and be acclaimed for it, but should he be black and have some 'white' blood in his bones, some people will spend an inordinate amount of time and effort pointing it out as though it were an unpleasant stain?
Change happens. People mix, the gene pool is improved and life goes on. Some people will embrace the future. Others become fearful and curl up in a corner with a thumb in their mouth. No great city is complete without at least one doom monger pounding the streets with a 'The End Is Nigh' board strapped to his back. Ce la vie.
I watched a short program recently about Bosnians who settled in the US after the former Yugoslavia broke up. From salad bowl to melting pot in 20 minutes. This link isn't the program I saw - sadly, I couldn't find it. But the story is pretty much the same, although with a more cheesy reporting style.
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/b-_vbfUpH-8
Put me down in the "It seems to be working darn well" column.
ReplyDeletewhat's wrong with waving multiple flags felipe?
ReplyDeletei'll wave an american one this weekend for memorial day. don't have a cuban one with me so couldn't wave it even if i wanted to. should have asked you to bring me one. well, i guess it will be easier to buy one in miami this summer.
It's a matter of degree. When relatively few people have split national priorities, it's simply a curiosity. But there is a tipping point at which a nation will fracture and come undone. It's already happening in the U.S.
ReplyDelete