Dakota Beacon

Assimilation -- the process by which immigrants adopt aspects of their new culture including language, values, customs, and social behaviors of the country in which they settle.

What happens if assimilation does not occur either by choice of the immigrant population or by choice of the host society?

Lack of assimilation raises concerns. It weakens social cohesion by keeping the immigrants’ home country language and not learning English. Choosing cultural isolation by civic separation also hinders social cohesion. Sharing the same language and civic norms plus a familiarity with local institutions makes cooperation easier. Immigrants who learn the host language and customs will advance professionally and readily interact with neighbors and colleagues. Newcomers who understand the host country's laws, history, and civic culture can engage fully in public life. Establishing a common cultural foundation reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings and strengthens newcomers’ sense of national identity.

Immigrant populations who will not assimilate pose civic hazards. Separate and distinct communities will have fewer interactions with the larger host society which can reduce trust and mutual understanding. Differences in values, customs, or expectations will be a continuing source of conflict. In some cases, isolated communities may depend primarily on their own networks, media, or organizations, which can limit broader social integration. Meanwhile, the immigrant community draws upon the host country for support.

Failure to assimilate produces tribalism. A society granting exemptions and preferences to a group of people based on surface characteristics shows tribalism. Exemptions from law; exemptions from the consequences of crime; preferences in admissions, hiring, retention, and tenure all foster tribalism as well as the incentive to not assimilate. In the US, touchy-feely multiculturalism and its posterity, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), foster tribalism. Proponents pursue “fairness” -- but for one segment of the population only to the exclusion of others. Stated bluntly, tribalism is inconsistent with Western civilization. We see this manifested today in Europe and to a lesser but increasing extent in the US.

Critics of assimilation (and there are several) argue that assimilation pressures immigrants to abandon important aspects of their heritage, language, or traditions. But isn’t that the point? Immigrants moved to experience the advantages of a new culture. Critics argue that assimilation implies that the host culture is superior to the one the immigrants left. But isn’t that why the immigrant left their old culture in exchange for a better life in a new culture? These criticisms do not compute. Progressive critics of assimilation view the term “alien” as obsolete. They regard those who came into the US without permission as “friends whose grievances have not been accommodated.” In fact, it is immigrants who should change and not the US culture.

Think of previous years when the US halted all immigration to allow time for resident immigrants to assimilate. For all intents and purposes, there was no immigration into the US for over 40 years from 1924 to 1965. The 1924 Johnson-Reed Act vastly reduced immigration from countries outside the Western Hemisphere and banned immigrants from Asia. This law was strictly enforced. That allowed time for earlier newcomers to assimilate culturally and contribute economically.

Now for the demographic conundrum. Between 1970 and 2000 the population in the West (US, Canada, and Europe) declined from about 30% of the world’s population to about 14%. Meanwhile, population growth in Muslim countries rose to 113% percent during the same period. Widespread apathy and denial in the West together with higher fertility rates and a younger population in Muslim countries contributed to this radical disparity.

To re-emphasize the demographics that the West faces, Islamic countries, for example, reproduce at a rate of 5-8 new births per household versus a rate of 1-2 for Europeans and barely 2 per household for Americans. The breakeven point for any state to keep viability is 1.2 births per household.

Which brings us back to assimilation. If Western civilization will not reproduce itself to support a viable culture, it must import people. If the immigrant population will not assimilate, this spells doom for Western civilization. The West will have lost the will to survive as shown by their inability to reproduce and instead rely upon alien cultures to repopulate.

While the privilege of voting remains, remember to gather registered friends and neighbors on November 3rd and go vote.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).