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Discussion (144)

  • James Lileks@jameslileks

    One thing I should have mentioned at the time, but didn’t, was the context of the Coolidge quote Mark brought up: “America must remain American.” We can understand that today to mean its essential Constitutional values must be preserved, and an American civic identity maintained. At the time, though, it could just as easily have been interpreted to mean America must remain WASP, since Coolidge made the statement when he signed the Immigration Act of 1924, a bill that restricted Southern & Eastern-Europe immigration (and, IIRC, blocked what we now call chain migration.)

    The sentiment may have a more noble meaning today than it did at the time.

  • James Lileks@jameslileks
    Just to be additionally tendentious: when I said that some regard “diversity” as a prima facie good does not mean I think it’s the opposite; I meant that it’s a term so imprecise as to be meaningless, and is often used as a platitudinous shorthand to discredit any opposition.
  • Isaiah's Job@IsaiahsJob
    My first reaction upon walking into my local tavern and seeing this controversy (or, perhaps more accurately, "controversy") splashed across CNN - with its obligatory panel of furious experts and scolding activists saying the sorts of things they are supposed to say before a solemn Anderson Cooper - was to start laughing hysterically. I really couldn't stop. I... couldn't help it. It made me feel dirty; but I couldn't help it. In this way, my affection for President Trump is much like my affection for a certain fallen lady: you don't *want* to be drawn toward her, but you are despite your better judgement.
  • GFHandle@GFHandle

    I was surprised to hear James Lileks attack Norwegieans like that.

    Truth is, James is right. The Haitians I have met have been incredibly caring and hard working people. But come to think of it, those are only the ones I met, mostly at a college. Your mileage may vary.

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