Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
Sitting here in Turkey, I can promise you this: The people here who are friendliest to the United States are the ones who have actually been there.
Have a look at this website. These are two Turkish guys who both studied in the US. They came back and decided to open a Mixed Martial Arts academy in Istanbul. Now why does that make America safer? It makes it safer because they could no more believe the more egregious nonsense some people here believe about America and Americans than I could believe the more egregious nonsense some people in America believe about Turkey. They've seen the place with their own eyes. They brought some of it back.
You'd have to really lack confidence in America not to believe that most people, no matter where they come from, will visit America, be pretty impressed with it, and think, "maybe some of the things they're doing here would work well back home."
Have some faith in the seductive power of the West and the American Dream.
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May '10
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
And let's open up the H-1B visa program, while we're at it.
Sep '10
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
"You'd have to really lack confidence in America not to believe that most people, no matter where they come from, will visit America, be pretty impressed with it, and think, "maybe some of the things they're doing here would work well back home."
Immigration isn't a vacation or an exchange student program. Immigrants, for the most part, don't go back home.
May '10
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
How do you explain Sayyid Qutb? He saw America and decided it had to be destroyed.
My guess is that it is a toss-up Even many Japanese (who are not puritans and not shocked by open displays of drinking and sex), end up with very mixed feelings after visiting America.
Even George Washington did not like Massachusetts very much. Most people don't like places different from where they grew up.
Sep '10
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
Amen! As for trying to restrict immigration to non-Muslims, well, it's not practical or principled and probably would have unintended consequences that make the situation even worse. It's kind of like what they used to say about preventing crime. It may seem counter intuitive, but you don't want the streets to be empty at night; you want them to be teeming with people.
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
He had bad taste.
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
Vance Richards:
Immigration isn't a vacation or an exchange student program. Immigrants, for the most part, don't go back home. · May 11 at 5:47am
You're right, of course--I conflated the categories to have symmetry in the headlines. My point is about the enormous benefit that accrues to the United States from its openness--and the faith we ought to have in our appeal.
May '10
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
He had bad taste. · May 11 at 5:52am
I was going to make a wise-assed reply that he was like most people in that respect, but, to tell the truth, I have no idea what precentage of humanity is born taste-impaired.
Mar '11
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
Immigrants do, however, communicate with friends and family back home. And in many places that may be the only way our side of the story gets through.
Apr '11
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
I am not opposed to the idea, but it would seem to have little effect in my experience. I have lived abroad for many years, and it seems to me that many Muslims have severe cognitive dissonance in their views of America.
At first they harangue me about the evils of American foreign policy and culture. After tiring of the diatribe, they then ask me if I can help get them a visa for studying or working in the evil USA. The contradiction doesn't seem to be noticed.
May '10
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
Edited by user for techie-induced repetition.
Edited on May 11, 2011 at 6:45amJun '10
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
Immigrants today are often jumping right into grievance groups that foster not acclamation & assimilation, but demands for our culture and system of government to be changed to be more like the places they left.
I just viewed a tour video shot by a band who are good friends of my daughter. From the Saudi Arabia segment I was horrified to see carpets in the open air market celebrating 9/11, complete with airplanes flying into the twin towers. Other carpets listed enemies of the state: FDNY, NYC police, US miltary baranches. The streets & alleys were full of garbage.
Why would we encourage immigration from such a cesspool??? English speaking, educated Europeans who share our cutlural and moral vision have difficulty getting visas. It is perfectly reasonable to set immigration policy based on what and who brings value to the US. We can still have hardship/refugee spots open as long as we follow a prudent path.
May '10
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
OK, but no beards. That's always a sign of trouble. And when they're here, I don't want to hear them complain about blasphemy or disrespect. You man up and take it like any good Catholic or Mormon. Not like Scientologists.
And we ain't installing foot baths for you, so wear real shoes. Those flip-flops ain't cutting it.
May '10
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
You've got a pretty big correlation/causation problem here, Claire. Wouldn't the people most predisposed to liking America also be the ones most likely to visit it?
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
PJ
You've got a pretty big correlation/causation problem here, Claire. Wouldn't the people most predisposed to liking America also be the ones most likely to visit it? · May 11 at 6:43am
Yes, they would be. But why is that a problem?
Mar '11
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
Could we more easily dispel these notions by limiting access to reality?
Jul '10
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
Is this from the "If we only talk with our enemies more, they'll understand us" line of diplomatic thinking? (Did I waltz into a Nation site?) Because history has shown that doesn't work. Our enemies understand us just fine which is why they want to destroy us.
Sharia is incompatible with human rights, properly expressed in our founding documents and the American Way of Life.
Aug '10
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
Alot of the immgrants to the US in the past were unable to shop in those markets . They were penniless. It's why they leave.
Certainly the "hate America" message is an international hit and the carpets that so crudely celebrate a victory over the demagogue's favorite target across the seas . Keeps the rabble at bay, while the king's in Monaco.
Imagine their new-found liberation : being able to stick a "Bad Girl" sticker in their car window depicting a cartoon woman urinating on "my ex" , wearing a bright yellow t-shirt printed with obscenities. Endless porn available in the NYC library on the computers can't be had in Muslim countries.
Or they can get a diplomatic visa, come to Durban III, doublepark at the Palm, stay at the Waldorf and do all of the above in a more dignified fashion, then have drinks with Susan Rice in the evening.
As long as they find jobs, they will assimilate. It's when you pay them to stay in their enclave that trouble starts to brew.
Feb '11
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
3 points:
First, supposing that ‘most people’ will be positively impressed with America after actually living here awhile does not seem like nearly enough to make your case. A few men committed to sowing chaos can be quite effective.
Second, one can be impressed with the riches in the United States and still regard it as morally decadent. One can, further, regard the U.S. domestic life favorably, while still considering its foreign policy thoroughly satanic. I know U.S. citizens who hold one or other of those views. — people who have never been to another country.
Third, we should distinguish between ‘holding an opinion’ and ‘truly believing’. For instance, I am a true believer in liberty. I would gladly give up my life for that cause. On the other hand, while I may be skeptical about the European Union (all the conservatives seem to think it’s bad, so maybe they’re right), I don’t have any real commitment to it one way or another.
It seems to me that most folks who visit the U.S. will not become true believers of anything but will just form some handy opinion. They have lives to live after all.
Jun '10
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
Question asked:
"Could we more easily dispel these notions by limiting access to reality?"
Question answered:
"Our enemies understand us just fine which is why they want to destroy us."
Why, why, why would we encourage more people who have been steeped in this culture of evil and violence and misogyny and sharia to come here and follow the commands of their leaders to engage in jihad, both large and small scale? Haven't we seen enough 9/11 celebration and honor killings and anti-American preaching in US mosques to sit up and say, time to get a handle on this?
Re: Why Not Encourage Muslim Immigration?
Are the people in that video your enemies, Michael? They're my friends.