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TODAY'S VERY SERIOUS, THOUGHTFUL ARGUMENT.
Jonah Goldberg brings his favorite analytical tools, the broad generalization and the unsubstantiated assertion, to bear upon the question of "national culture," with predictable results:
"I've come around to the view that the culture war can best be understood as a conflict between two different kinds of patriotism. On the one hand, there are people who believe being an American is all about dissent and change, that the American idea is inseparable from "progress." America is certainly an idea, but it is not merely an idea. It is also a nation with a culture as real as France's or Mexico's. That's where the other patriots come in; they think patriotism is about preserving Americanness.
Okay, but we all have our own definitions of "Americanness," don't we? For instance, the sort of Americanness I want to preserve involves my right not to be kidnapped by my government, held indefinitely without charge in a secret location, and tortured, err, I mean "stressed" into a confession. For Jonah, that's not so important.
"In Europe and Canada, the cure for every malady seems to be multiculturalism. This is the odd notion that all cultures are equal -- except for that of your own nation, which should be made to constantly bend to the aggrieved sensibilities of minority cultures. In Vancouver, Canada, smoking has been banned pretty much everywhere, except in Muslim-run hookah parlors. British schools were advised to ban crosses and crucifixes but not Muslim symbols. Honor killings among Muslims have gone ignored by police in progressive European countries out of some twisted sense of respect for Muslim culture."
Honor killings have gone ignored? Maybe that explains why there was a major European conference on the problem three years ago. (Surely one of Jonah's trusty e-mailers could have helped him with that?)
"The dirty, embarrassing secret is that this sort of multiculturalism has made Europe a wellspring of Islamic radicalism and terrorism, but America's Muslim community has remained overwhelmingly peaceful. Why? Well, if the answer doesn't lay in President Bush's "outreach” and few think it does -- or in Euro-style multicultural condescension, maybe it has something to do with the American "we" that Couric and so many others seem so embarrassed by.
In trying to lay the blame for Islamic extremism on multiculturalism's doorstep, I think Jonah conveniently ignores the very chauvinistic strains of populist-nationalism that still persist among a substantial portion of Europeans, and how this sentiment is experienced by immigrant communities as a discriminatory barrier to their becoming true Brits, or Germans, or Frenchpersons. It's odd that Jonah thinks America needs more, not less, of this sort of thing.
Where I think Jonah's argument completely falls apart is in his reference to Canada. I mean, if Canada is so in thrall to this dangerous, vital-essence polluting multiculturalism, as Jonah claims, (they folded like a paper tiger on hookah bars!) why hasn't Canada become "a wellspring of Islamic radicalism and terrorism" like Europe supposedly has? What explains multi-culti Canada's Muslim immigrant community, like the U.S.'s, remaining overwhelmingly peaceful? I'd suggest that, in part, it's precisely because Canada and the U.S. both have national cultures that are more open to change and redefinition over time than in many European countries. It's because we are, yes, a nation of immigrants that we have a relatively more accommodating and evolving understanding of "we" that enables new arrivals both to change it and be changed by it. Jonah wrongly identifies this as a weakness.
--Matthew Duss
COMMENTS (5)
"For instance, the sort of Americanness I want to preserve involves my right not to be kidnapped by my government, held indefinitely without charge in a secret location, and tortured, err, I mean "stressed" into a confession."
Wow, the US government blatantly violating the Constitutional rights of its citizens in such a manner would be a great story if you could identify a single American citizen that this has happened to.
If Pedia (sp?) is you're only example, then I guess your statement is an example of broad generalization and unsubstantiated assertion that you accuse Jonah of engaging in. Right?
And a major European conference was held on honor killings three years ago. OOOOO!!! Bet that caused some would be honor killers to think twice before killing their female relatives. Anything you could provide showing that honor killings have decreased any in the last three years?
Posted by: Chicounsel | October 3, 2007 2:34 PM
Traditionally the French state was completely hard-nosed when it came to immigrants, not differentiating between French citizens based on ethnicity.
French policy went as far as to not collect census data regarding ethnicity and to officially refuse to meet the representatives of ethnic communities, such as Muslim Imams and Armenian bishops. A French citizen was a French citizen was a French citizen. In practice this policy proved unworkable and recently, a multicultural policy like what exists in Canada was adopted.
Is Jonah really suggesting the Unites States adopt a policy already scrapped by the French?
Chicounsel,
Do you really believe the kind of 'I'm okay, you're okay' multicultural sentiment found in Canada has anything to do with, in this case, Muslim men murdering their sisters, wives and daughters?
This begs a question: Does multiculturalism also somehow prompt non-Muslim men in Canada, the United States and throughout Europe to beat and murder their wives? Or is it something else? Because they do – alarmingly frequently. Maybe it’s the progressive income tax – in that case we should all switch to a flat tax. Surely that’ll stop male on female violence.
Posted by: wsam | October 3, 2007 3:25 PM
"Wow, the US government blatantly violating the Constitutional rights of its citizens in such a manner would be a great story if you could identify a single American citizen that this has happened to."
Dear heart, since this is precisely what happened to Padilla, I'm not sure what point you think you're making.
"If Pedia (sp?) is you're only example, then I guess your statement is an example of broad generalization and unsubstantiated assertion that you accuse Jonah of engaging in. Right?"
ROFL.... Dear, we either all have these rights or we do not. Hence, your point is entirely moot. And the fact that you can't even get Padilla's name straight tells us how mcuh you know.
"And a major European conference was held on honor killings three years ago."
Yup. And you will notice that Goldberg presented not one shred of evidence that any of these killings were "ignored."
"Anything you could provide showing that honor killings have decreased any in the last three years?"
Dear heart, you and Goldberg are the ones making the accusations about all of these "killings." I'd suggest you do some research before you spout off on something about which you quite clearly are ignorant. But then, that's pretty much what we expect from you.
Posted by: PaulB | October 3, 2007 6:30 PM
It's ironic.
He says his side of the culture wars wishes to preserve "Americanness" while simultaneously stating that many people disagree about the concept of what "Americanness" means. This is a self-defeating argument, in that it demonstrates that his vision of patriotism has less to do with defending a culture than with dominating how that culture is defined in such a way as to exclude what he admits many people believe America stands for.
Also, Chicounsel:
Identify one US citizen to whom that had occurred? OK, Jose Padilla. Satisfied?
Posted by: Anthony Damiani | October 3, 2007 10:55 PM
I'd suggest that, in part, it's precisely because Canada and the U.S. both have national cultures that are more open to change and redefinition over time than in many European countries.
Perhaps, also, because the average Muslim immigrant to the US is very different to his counterpart in the UK, France or Germany.
Posted by: ajay | October 4, 2007 6:50 AM