Rick Santorum and Multiculturalism

Rick Santorum believes the multiculturalism is eroding our national identity. That much is clear from the title of the commentary that appeared in my local paper today ( http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/news_details/article/313/2011/february/21/threat-from-within.html ). After reading the entire piece, that is still really all that is clear to me. I do no know that Santorum's grandfather came from Italy, and not just any old Italy but "Fascist Italy," leaving a stable government job behind to work in the coalmines of western Pennsylvania. I also know that something called "multicultural relativism," has allowed Islamist's to appear within our borders, and I can hazard a guess that Santorum would like us to not really know what he meant by Islamist and assume that it is both sinister and inseparable from Islam as a whole. There is also something we should learn from Europe, even though they are socialists. I'm not, however, at all sure what Santorum means by multiculturalism or national identity, or multicultural relativism or Islamist.

I am sure that what Santorum has here is a polished combination of ignorant sentimentalism, blatant fear mongering, tired stereotyping, and some goofy logic.

First of all, Santorum's comparison of the European experience with multiculturalism (whatever you mean by multiculturalism) to the American experience is simplistic, at best. Santorum quotes British Prime Minister David Cameron: "under the doctrine of state multiculturalism, we have encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and the mainstream. We have failed to provide a vision of society to which they feel they want to belong." European nations have a very different history of immigration than does the United States, one that is made up of a different pool of immigrants, many of whom coming for different reasons and with different future plans. The mixture of men and women is different. The role of colonial history is also different. They are different situations, that should only be compared if these and other factors are going to be considered

Second, the prospect of a Republican borrowing ideas from Europe is a funny one, particularly given the health care debate. It is also really the same dynamic as the health care debate. If the Government gets involved in health care, obviously there is only one way they can get involved and only one result. The same is true of immigration and multiculturalism. There is really only one scenario ... that Rick Santorum can envision or is interested in talking about.

Third, Santorum isn't nearly clear enough, in my opinion, as to the difference between the mutlicultural reality his grandfather contributed to and the one he is ranting against. Is he saying that today's immigrants are willing to work hard? is he saying that they didn't have a legitimate reason to flee to America? Is he saying that the immigrants of today aren't European? Is he saying that the problem is Muslim immigrants? This is a nation built on immigration. He says it is different now because we are emphasizing the many over the one, but it isn't really clear what he means or what we should be doing that we aren't. Do we need to be taking kids away from their families to teach them our ways, as we did with Native American children? Should we pretend that those immigrants immediately learned English and became indistinguishable from the rest of us? Should we pretend that there weren't people like my Great Grandmother, who never learned to speak English (she was Italian too)? Should we pretend that "Islamists" are the only immigrants to ever form an insular community in American history?

Fourth, the not so subtle insinuation that all Muslims are terrorist threats is just plain ignorance. The 'fact' that Muslims insulate themselves from the rest of America would be forgivable given how they have been treated over the last few years, if it were true. Santorum seems to be saying that it is impossible to be Muslim and American, but he won't just come out and say it. He doesn't have the guts or he's smart enough to realize what would happen and to know that all he needs to do is insinuate. By the way, America was not set up to be just a Christian Nation.

Fifth, Obama is not arguing that "America and her ideals and practices are no better than, say, China ... or Saudi Arabia." That is ridiculous. No one is saying that. It should be said, however, that the United States is not the best thing since sliced bread. Look at where we stand in comparison to other places in things like infant mortality or violent crime or education. We aren't number one. Saying we're the greatest doesn't make it so. Saying we need to be more honest about where we stand in comparison to the rest of the world isn't saying that China and Saudi Arabia have equally good legal systems.

Sixth, European leaders have not "had to face up to the devastation caused by socialism and multiculturalism." Where is the proof for that?

This article is nothing substantive. It is a collection of falsehoods, exaggerations, and stereotypes. Unfortunately it is the work of a former Senator who wants to run for President, and it will resonate with a large number of people. That, ultimately, is what I really don't understand.