Comments on: Europe’s changing face

By: Switzerland in decline « Bookworm Room

Switzerland in decline « Bookworm Room — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:28:10 +0000

[...] ago, when I returned from a European vacation, one of the things I blogged about was Switzerland as part of a larger post I did about Europe’s changing face: A train conversation with an unusually sweet lady in Switzerland resulted in my learning [...]

By: Danny Lemieux

Danny Lemieux — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 05:09:33 +0000

YM, I think you sell your countrymen and (most) collegians short – ignore the shrill harpies of the Left, they are noisy, dangerous, unstable…but they are still a minority. And if in any doubt, pose your question randomly at a local bar, sports stadium or NASCAR race – you will get very clear replies.

By: ymarsakar

ymarsakar — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 02:13:13 +0000

Well Danny, if you asked a person in college right now what it meant to be an American, what other responses than “having sex, watching Girls Gone Wild, and going to parties” would you get to the question of “what does it mean to be an American”?

By: Laer

Laer — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 04:29:46 +0000

First, a belated welcome back. Missed ya.

Those same disgruntled Europeans, though, seemed passively resigned to their fate. That is, while they complained, there was no fire, no sense that the situation could be changed. This is their future and they accept that they’re stuck with it.

This made me think of one of my favorite movies, Serenity. The space crew lands on the distant planet Miranda, which has been erased from history by the interplanetary government. There they find a dead — quite literally dead — civilization. The authorities put an additive in the atmosphere designed to make everyone happy and peaceful — but it resulted in them losing all their will.

Social democracy has had the same effect on Europe. The world they know is transforming (dying?) and they have folded themselves so completely into the state that they are standing by, watching, unable to act.

By: Bookworm

Bookworm — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 17:40:12 +0000

Kevin, I think you have an excellent point about broadening immigration. I don’t know why, but it reminded me of the fact that, decades ago, when there were waiting lists for different countries who had immigrants who wanted to enter America legally, my Dad, a Polish national (even though he was born in Germany), was placed on a 7 year list, while my Mom, a Dutch national, was told that there was no waiting list at all. It turned out that Dutch citizens immigrated in such low numbers, and were such desirable immigrants, the US was anxious to have them join the crowd!

By: kevin

kevin — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:15:14 +0000

OK Helen,

Then my next question is, what in my post (or previous posts) has instigated your sarcasm? In order to minimize the pulling teeth character of this thread, I’ll state my side so that you may rebut.

I have no problem with nor have I ever had a problem with legal immigration. I take exception to giving favoritism to Mexico (just because we share a border)however because it so changes the demographics of many states that if a Governor (e.g., Pete Wilson) actually tries to enforce border laws, he can be voted out by a significant voting block that puts the interests of Mexico ahead of that of the United States. By requiring that legal immigrants from a broader spectrum of countries are allowed a path to citizenship, we end up with a more homogeneous society where no one group has the political power to sway the social direction towards any particular country or group (at least not without building a consensus first.)

The government needs to set some total number of people the United States can assimilate on a yearly basis and divide it by regions or countries with applicants waiting patiently for permission to immigrate. Thus we now have a quota for individual countries/regions. There has to be limits because if we just throw open the door to any and all immigrants without restraint, the United States will end up like (for instance) Honduras where Hunter Thompson claimed to drive golf balls off the roof of his 5-star hotel into the adjacent slums of Tegucigalpa. (I’ve been there and have no reason to doubt the veracity of his claim–they actually have guards with shotguns guarding every grocery store.)

And your point is?

By: swampacreage

swampacreage — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:09:49 +0000

I believe it was Benjamin Franklin(ring a bell)who said all “GREAT DEMOCRACIES last two hundred and fifty years”(Rome,Britain . . blah blah) and then . . hmm . . ? Hey folks, let us not forget the 1.4 billion in China and elsewhere.It’s “THE DEMOGRAPHICS STUPID” and the will( N. A.gentlemen&ladies are doing their share). Anyway,I hope we take our self serious(womb) but not to serious(bomb) if you know what I mean ? Of course, there is always hope, a more enlightened American education system that encourages utilitarian scholarship rather than commercial crass(don’t hold your breath).

By: Lulu

Lulu — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 05:19:06 +0000

The United States (that is, until multi-culturalism took over) made Americans out of all the immigrants, no matter their country of origin or ethnicity. Not so the Europeans. An immigrant in Europe will always be the outsider. Think of your article about German anti-semitism. For heavens sake, the Jews had lived in Germany for more than a thousand years but the Germans refused to see them as anything but foreign, alien, usurpers. It saddens, but doesn’t surprise me, that the Europeans seem resigned to their fate. You have to stand for something more than nice restaurants, fashion, old museums and conversation to be able to fight against people who really believe in their mission- even if that mission is backward, bigoted and violent.

By: helenl

helenl — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 03:27:12 +0000

It’s sarcasm, Kevin. If we ever agree, it won’t be on purpose.

By: jg

jg — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 02:39:16 +0000

This is great on the spot insight, Bookworm. We will all enjoy sharing your European travels. It, of course, represents the type of information no media outlet would ever disseminate!! Many thanks.