POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AND MULTICULTURALISM

[alandhopewell]

     I support Options 2,  4, and 5, 5 stating my opinion that both of these social catalysts are deliberately designed to aid in the process of reducing America to a third world, socialistic backwater.

[zombie no.one]

I see this going well...

[indianasmith]

I think they contribute to the Balkanization of our country, where rather than combining into one great and homogenous population, we barricade ourselves with those who speak, believe, and think as we do and regard all others with suspicion.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for honoring our heritage - a big part of being conservative is recognizing the importance of what has gone before.

But when cultural identity is more wrapped up in where  our grandparents came from and who wronged them than in the place where we are right now, and the culture we take part in every day, divisiveness and disorder become more rather than less likely.

[ER]

As for political correctness, tact and politeness are the heart of graciousness, but political correctness is a bit of a joke with a punchline that seems to elude many people.

What defines a country, besides its borders, is a sense of shared ideals and traditions, agreed-upon values, laws, customs. When you see a population increasingly becoming composed of groups who share few hallowed traditions, even less and less a common language, you have to raise the question of to what exact extent a mass of people still merits the term "nation." The Japanese have been a homogenous people and have been tremendously successful. The Balkans has been a multi-cultural region and has rarely known peace. No one can predict the future but a good indicator is the past, and the past has not provided many examples of successful long-term experiments in multiculturalism. Nor does the present: Sri Lanka, the Balkans, much of present-day Europe, the Middle East, the former Soviet Union, heck, even swaths of Austin, Texas. I think xenophobia is innately part of who humans are, and that's rarely been to our collective benefit, but we ignore its influence at our peril. Tolerance is mostly good; imitating what succeeds is pragmatic. The most long-lived culture on earth may just be that of the Jews, and they've endured by a combination of very selective assimilation, and by having the exact opposite of multi-culturalism at their heart. I find it hard to argue with their odds-defying success.

Tradition is giving our ancestors a vote.
--G.K. Chesterton

[lester1/2jr]

If you look around the world urban areas tend to be more liberal and rural ones more conservative. They should stop forcing their beliefs on each other wether it's here, Iran, or wherever.

[JaseSF]

Living in Canada, I cannot imagine anything but a multicultural society. Political correctness has perhaps gone a bit too far though. We just have to learn to accept and get along with each other. I agree with late former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau:

"There is no such thing as a model or ideal Canadian. What could be more absurd than the concept of an "all Canadian" boy or girl? A society which emphasizes uniformity is one which creates intolerance and hate. A society which eulogizes the average
citizen is one which breeds mediocrity. What the world should be seeking, and what in Canada we must continue to cherish, are not concepts of uniformity but human values: compassion, love, and understanding."

[indianasmith]

Where in that mix is the drive to excel? To succeed? To invent?

Don't get me wrong.  Love and understanding are all well and good.  But if, as John Lennon sang, there is "nothing to fight or die for" there is also nothing worth living for.

Conflict has been a part of human existence from the dawn of time. The best we can to is strive to always be on the side of right.

[Allhallowsday]

...Don't get me wrong, I'm all for honoring our heritage - a big part of being conservative is recognizing the importance of what has gone before...

Y'mean like Mexico in Texas?   

[indianasmith]

Actually, we celebrate Cinco de Mayo, we love mariachi bands, and every town in Texas seems to be required by law to have at least six Mexican restaurants . . . so yes, good example!!!!!

[Allhallowsday]

Where in that mix is the drive to excel? To succeed? To invent?

Don't get me wrong.  Love and understanding are all well and good.  But if, as John Lennon sang, there is "nothing to fight or die for" there is also nothing worth living for.

Conflict has been a part of human existence from the dawn of time. The best we can to is strive to always be on the side of right.

And die like Christ? 

[dean]

Where in that mix is the drive to excel? To succeed? To invent?

I may be missing the point here, but I don't see what that has to do with multiculturalism and political correctness.

[indianasmith]

Christ died for what was right.  Emulating him is not a bad thing.

It was a response to an earlier post,  dean.  Kinda veered from the original topic.

[RCMerchant]

I dunno about the "PC" bulls**t....but I DO know if we are more tolerant of other cultures,it would be a nicer world.
I mean-are we so insecure about our identity as a nation to be afraid ?
THATS the heart of bigotry.
WWe came here and stole this land-it's not like the majority of use are ancestorialy North American...white,black,brown,yellow,pink,-f**king green someday maybe!

I thought that what made America what it is.
What happened to the great "melting pot?"
And is that "Give us your tired masses yearning to breath free-" stuff old hat blather?  

I guess I'm an idealist-which is NOT "PC".....and a pessimist.

[Newt]

"A society which eulogizes the average
citizen is one which breeds mediocrity..."

This.  The next step is reprehensible: exalting mediocrity and perpetrating the falsehood that it is equivalent to excellence, whilst castigating true excellence as being elitist...

[AndyC]

Where in that mix is the drive to excel? To succeed? To invent?

Unless I misread Trudeau's quote, he addressed that right in the middle. By placing too much importance on fitting in, you discourage excellence.

But I also find multiculturalism to be more than a little divisive. Even the most tolerant people can tend to shy away from those who are different, and if they also dress differently and speak a different language in public, it does kind of put up a wall. I know people, who I wouldn't call bigots, who would take that as a sign of disrespect, or at least a desire to have nothing to do with the rest of us. Might not be accurate, might not be rational, but it is human nature.

And there is really nothing that says you have to choose between one culture and another. I see that with many of the nationalities that historically made up the Canadian population. To use my own ancestry as an example, there are plenty of Scottish Canadians (many of whom have never even been to Scotland) who have tartans, family crests and assorted Scottish bric-a-brac decorating their homes and offices, read about Scottish history, enjoy (or even play) bagpipes, attend Scottish festivals and highland games, eat haggis, drink Scotch and quote Robert Burns, and might even wear a kilt on special occasions. But, they aren't doing that in the course of their daily business.

On the one hand, I think diversity enriches a culture, but I also see the need for a common culture.