Positive article about multiculturalism (Iraq, middle east, parade, ethics)
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With all the negativity on here I thought I would post something positive. It's an article from 2001 about a diverse high school in the Seattle area. To me it seems like younger people are much better with multiculturalism.
When the people of Omaha and Des Moines start stoning adulterers to death, and there are parades honoring suicide bombers in Indiana, promiscuous teenage girls in Minnesota are killed to preserve their honor, and thieves in Seattle get their hands amputated, and the rest of us all "smile approvingly", THEN I'll feel comfortable that we're truly "muticultural". (No, of course "We" wouldn't do these things--but it would be "OK by us" if our next-door neighbors did).
Until then, however, I'm going to advocate multiculturalism in food, fashion, and music---but definitely NOT in laws, ethics, or societal morals. The first category may be "fun"---the second would DECIDEDLY not be, in my opinion...
I have one more "caveat"...multiculturalism, if it EVER happened--(and I don't think it ever WILL) would require that ALL cultures be open to the OTHER cultures. One side simply "giving in" to acomodate the OTHER, doesn't work...It wouldn't really be "multiculturalism" unless everyone embraced everone ELSE'S ideals. I don't see this happening anytime soon..
Multiculturalism always seems to involve the "evil, oppressive" west accomodating other cultures in some sort of guilt-ridden atonement for past "sins." Try going to Saudi Arabia and talking about cultural and religious diversity, or China. When you bring that up to the multiculturalists, they say, "well, that's their culture, we can't judge them." Rather than reflecting tolerance, most of the current multicultural movement in the US seems to involve an active anti-Western, anti-US mindset.
Multiculturalism always seems to involve the "evil, oppressive" west accomodating other cultures in some sort of guilt-ridden atonement for past "sins." Try going to Saudi Arabia and talking about cultural and religious diversity, or China. When you bring that up to the multiculturalists, they say, "well, that's their culture, we can't judge them." Rather than reflecting tolerance, most of the current multicultural movement in the US seems to involve an active anti-Western, anti-US mindset.
What I always find ironic about these discussions are the many who on the one hand will denounce mulitculturalism as a fool's dream, then turn around and voice their eager support to set up an American style Democracy in the Middle East. Like they are suddenly going to turn into tolerant softies for cultural and religious diversity in Iraq. Seems kind of illogical...
Good article. I agree that younger people tend to deal with cultural differences better (probably due to exposure). However I will agree that multiculturalism is the opposite of the melting pot idea...which isn't an ideal situation in my opinion.
As a board member of a multicultural sorority, it's encouraging to see that this cause is still being put on the forefront.
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