BBC report: "Merkel says German multicultural society has failed"

[Doc]

Acer wrote:
U.S. immigration in the late 1800s and early 1900's was so successful because while tensions were at times high, the melting pot effect eventually smoothed it out.

Umm...

http://www.mapsites.net/gotham/es/_alexblankfein_es.htm

[Acer]

Yeah, yeah, it's a forum, not a doctoral dissertation. Forgive me for glossing over a 100 year process with a glib "tensions were high." Anyway, your article supports my point in part:

"Although it would be decades before any real effective reform would pass into law, the reforms initiated in response to the Draft Riots were important and significant first steps. Perhaps, what is most significant of the Draft Riots is that it illustrates a method that is so uniquely New York: to take disaster and turn it into opportunity. In terms of the Draft Riots, New Yorkers turned a riot into a catalyst for change."

So, what's happening in Germany? What is the German leadership doing to support integration? What are the immigrant communities doing to actively integrate themselves?

[Mac1337]

I agree so far as saying that the so called "guest worker" program should never be implemented here. There are no "guests". They will all stay for the same reason that they came here in the first place. Democrats will always find a way to parade sob stories to forestall enforcement of guest worker rules. You are either a citizen, or about to become one, or you should not be here.

[Dennis S]

How did you get here, Dakota?

[RgrF]

a cargo container from the Philippines?

[Doc]

Acer wrote: ...New Yorkers turned a riot into a catalyst for change."

So, what's happening in Germany? What is the German leadership doing to support integration? What are the immigrant communities doing to actively integrate themselves?

After the riots, corrupt New York politicians came to realize the benefits of having large groups of armed Irishmen patrolling the streets and beating people who didn't vote the party line.

I'm sure some people in Germany are trying to figure out how to exploit angry Muslims in a similar fashion.

BTW: For all the "melting pot" changes going on in NY, Catholics and Jews were still effectively forbidden from owning land or holding public office in NY until well into the last century. The draft riots were partly a continuation of a series of conflicts between Catholics and Protestants and the militias employed by the city being mostly Protestant actually sought out enclaves of Catholics to slaughter them.

Now THAT starts to sound a bit like the German approach with their Muslim immigrants. Maybe they're copying the American model after all!

[Lux Interior]

Dennis S wrote:
I am sure a few links are forthcoming.

Nah. I think he'll play the "It was sarcasm, and you are an idiot for not recognizing it" card.

[Bobby Dooley]

Multiculturalism belongs on the scrap heap alongside nazis, communists, socialists, global warming, carbon credits,
cabbage patch dolls and disco balls. Germany should be very proud. Sometimes it seems as though we could send a
manned space mission to Venus, bring back some of the local gentry, and they'd assimilate quicker than some who
are here now.

[btfc]

"Multiculturalism belongs on the scrap heap alongside nazis, communists, socialists, global warming, carbon credits, cabbage patch dolls and disco balls"

You forgot "Sock Puppets"

[Black]

Late to the party- I saw this yesterday and meant to post it but crashed . . .

I don't think there's a good parallel between the question of immigration and integration in Germany and in the US.

At this point, assimilating foreign cultures does not threaten any "American Culture" construct should those cultures choose not to integrate.

Germany (and other countries with distinct languages and traditions) runs the risk of its language and cultural traditions dying.

It's a very tough question. I love the richness and diversity of all the distinct countries and their respective cultures and traditions-- they're living treasures. How does one protect them without discriminating or failing to respect basic human rights?