More On Assimilation

This is an interesting and thoughtful piece from the Washington Post concerning how one community struggles to cope with a large immigrant population. If you are at all concerned with immigration, and how best to deal with the influx, you should read this. If you have read my previous post, you know where I stand. I would like to expand on one topic covered here, that of cultural change. I have been outspoken in my support of the process of immigrant assimilation into the mainstream American culture. One aspect that must be considered is that as immigrants acculturize, their native culture also affects the mainstream American culture. Quoting from the article above: [...] "We are being really crushed by these Central American people," said Ruth Tatlock, 77, who has lived in Herndon for 31 years and supports the project. "It's a big influx in a small town. . . . But we have to be able to coexist somehow and do it on a decent level." [...] And: [...] Every facet of life, from schools to neighborhoods to the town's downtown, has been affected by the influx, which was spurred by an abundance of affordable housing and good construction jobs (many of the immigrants helped raise the glass towers of the Dulles technology corridor nearby). [...] Again, read the whole article. It raises questions that we all are being or will be confronted with in the future. (Thanks to Free Republic for the original link) Tagged as Current Events, United States, Illegal Immigrants, Immigration, Culture, Diversity, Washington Post, Borders, Closed Borders