Theodore Dalrymple Still Attacking Multi-Culturalism In Britain

Only On the Left In This Photo

Full post here.

Dalrymple (pseudonym of an English doctor) is concerned about massive immigration to London, but even more about the British response. He goes so far as to compare Britain unfavorably with France.

Britain:

“…is not an ideological state; it has no foundation myths that are easy to identify with…”

Remember the French Revolution? According to Dalrymple, the French ideological rigidity that came of it may be more useful for handling the ideological rigidity of many millions of Muslims on the outsides of Paris:

“Multiculturalism, that is, is not compatible with the founding Enlightenment mythology of France; assimilation, not integration, is the goal “

France can enforce assimilation through its laws…Britain can’t, apparently, and this puts it in a bind.  It’s culture may disappear in these waves of immigration and it may not be able to stop it. 

————————————————-

I’m not convinced, but I do think Dalrymple is onto something:

If liberalism (both British and American) continues to ignore much of its own legacy, its own intellectual and cultural traditions as well as its own history (as it follows the inexorable logic of multiculturalism, valuing all cultures and peoples) it will continue to be a liberalism that is unmoored and unrealistic..

Here in the U.S., I think this excess leads us to an angrier and more bitter ideological response from the right. The ensuing fight eats up political capital and common social ground. We divide. As a result, we can’t solve our problems with the same sensibility and reasonableness. Think border fence with Mexico.

See Also: Theodore Dalrymple In The City Journal: Atheism’s Problems which has an interesting critique of atheism as well.

Photo by: Jaap Stronks 

A Mexican Among The Minutemen

Very strong language. 

Here are a few thoughts.

1.  Nationalism can be mixed with racism, but is certainly not exclusively racist.  It seeks to define and by definition, include and exclude.  The minutemen seem to be obeying U.S. law and are perhaps seeking to change it within a very militant and narrow nationalism.  Are they effective?

2..  Some Mexicans (especially those of Indian descent) claim pre-European sovereignty to the land, and obviously threaten the current national boundaries…how they would establish this ideal is frightening to think about.  

3.  Of course, many of the problems of the Mexican economy and society as well as Mexican nationalism are being dealt with in the U.S through the influx of legal and illegal immigration…

Maybe your grandma’s out there?

The Dog Whisperer

Cesar Milan, of course, has his own show.  If you have a dog and have ever wanted more insight into its behavior (or the behavior of dog owners, as this seems many parts pop psychology), then I’d recommend getting some tips from Cesar. 

Can you know what a dog (or any animal) thinks?  Probably not, though the problem runs deeper than you might think. 

Can you imagine what it’s like to be a dog and profit from the experience, as well by the long experience of working with them?   Obviously.  Cesar’s quite good.

Dog Psychology Center?  Er….okay.

Malcolm Gladwell has an absorbing piece on Milan.   Click here for the link.

Dance experts examining Cesar’s movements? Nothing could be more important.  

Addition:  Mark Derr in the NY Times has an article criticizing Milan.  Food for thought. 

Note to Self:  Don’t simplify dog theories for your own personal gain so much as to cast bad light on more established dog theories. 

The Chinese Military

The Chinese military celebrates it’s 80th birthday.

Things to worry about:  All the extra boys and men in China.  All the poor, often jobless men in and around China’s cities.  The Japanese, Chinese, North and South Koreans, Tawainese etc… don’t get along that well.  The U.S. and China have eyes on the same resources

Things to be happy about:  If we try and get along with the Chinese, it might just work.  They’re young, our economies are intertwined…ahem.  They’re pragmatic.  They’re shrewd.  They like classical music and science.  We have a lot more in common than we think.

Immigration: Will a wall work?

Clearly, Mexico does not have the political will to examine why so many of its citizens come here to work.   Mexico has corruption, lack of education, and an enormous wealth disparity to deal with, among other things.  They’re getting angry at us for not solving their problems to their satisfaction.

A wall could work as a deterrent, but personally, I don’t think think it’s the most effective long term solution.  People climb around walls, or under them, or tear them down.  Walls can get covered in resentment, graffiti and wasted dollars.  I think it’s more of a way for some politicians to release the steam of their constituents at the moment.  

Here’s a current wall proposal:

from 10 miles west of the Tecate, California, port of entry to 10 miles east of the Tecate, California, port of entry;

from 10 miles west of the Calexico, California, port of entry to 5 miles east of the Douglas, Arizona, port of entry;

from 5 miles west of the Columbus, New Mexico, port of entry to 10 miles east of El Paso, Texas;

from 5 miles northwest of the Del Rio, Texas, port of entry to 5 miles southeast of the Eagle Pass, Texas, port of entry; and

15 miles northwest of the Laredo, Texas, port of entry to the Brownsville, Texas, port of entry.

Estimated cost: at least $2.1 billion dollars

Here’s some Robert Frost. 

How good are our reasons?