"Assimilation" eventually just happens. I don't think people should be made to do anything beyond what's required for citizenship.

damn dog whistle.

Dog whistle

You didn't answer the question, which is how much newcomers to the country should be expected to embrace the prevalent culture, ideals and values?

I'm sure you're not aware that the dogwhistling is in the very question

Why on earth should I assume an immigrant to this country doesn't embrace the same 'ideals' and 'values' I do? Do they probably want to make a good life for themselves and their families? Do they want to make friends with neighbors and coworkers? Do they want to live without fear of food scarcity or lack of personal safety?

Ta-da! If yes, we seem to share the same 'ideals' and 'values!!'

This is more of Maher's Islamophobia, dressed up as an important talk show topic

to pass off the issue as a "dogwhistle."

"Do they want to make a good life for themselves and their families?"

That's a safe bet.

"Do they want to live without fear of food scarcity or lack of personal safety?"

Sure, they want to eat. But let's examine personal safety, because this issue isn't as black and white as you try to make it seem. It's almost a certainty that the family doesn't want to be persecuted. But let's say they come from a culture where it is deemed acceptable for the husband to hit his wife, and that's not information the husband is going to volunteer during a citizenship ceremony.

Americans laws do not permit assault, of course. So this family moves in next door to you and you witness, through their living room window, the husband slapping his wife. You see the wife the next day and tell her that you're concerned. She downplays it and refuses to alert any authorities. Then what? Granted, this could also happen with a couple born and raised in any American state, not just an immigrant couple, but it's potentially a real issue among a portion of newcomers due to retaining different values.

There are plenty of fascinating legitimate issues covered in this Pew Research Center article and statistics on views surrounding immigrants and assimilation. Give it a read. Send them an email afterwards if you think they've fallen for a "dogwhistle."




http://www.pewglobal.org/2017/02/01/what-it-takes-to-truly-be-one-of-us/

they all graduated from high school, and by the time I knew them their children had all married and left home except for one male who was to take care of them and help them in their old age.
Despite all the educated children, the mother never did learn much English. It was "too heavy" to her.

People will assimilate in the culture here as much as they can. It makes their life easier.

and is better for it. Add to the culture.

They also influence our culture while doing so.

There are too many cultures within the country to call one dominant, no matter what the RWNJs want to believe. If we want to adopt one culture as the one to adhere to, maybe Hawaiian culture is the way to go. Or maybe New Mexican culture. Both are laid back. We want to eschew Alabaman culture with every fiber of our bodies.

but even within "Alabaman" culture, there are good people there of various ethnicities. It's the "rednecks" and "white supremacists" you are referring to, no doubt.

I've lived in CO for a long time, and there is a definite CO culture. I lived in NM for a few years, and they have a culture, too. That's two states that border each other, and they have completely different dominant cultures. I lived in CT for years, and there is at least a New England culture, if not a culture for each of the states.

Even if we were to divide the country up more broadly into regions, how can we decide which region best represents "America"? Besides, most immigrants do assimilate. It just so happens that they assimilate the local culture.

When I said "Alabama" I really wanted to just poke a stick the southern states' bigotry. I'm sure there are good parts of Alabaman culture, too.

I respect what you're saying.

I think if an immigrant accepts our Constitution as the supreme law of the land, that we have a separation of church and state, that everyone is equal under the law, that women are free to live their lives the way they want, that we are not a theocracy, then they've "assimilated."

Edit: I would say they should know some American history (good and bad) but many American-born children don't know their own history.

There are plenty of them who do not accept the separation of church and state and they, to varying degrees, condone putting restrictions on women's freedoms (as well as increasing burdens on lower classes).

Not only are the Republicans "American," they control the house, the senate and the White House. So if immigrants coming to America fall in line with some real right-wing values like that, are you saying they shouldn't be permitted citizenship?

But they're still subject to the Constitution and court decisions. Sure, separation of church and state had been challenged as of late, but it still holds in most cases - the federal government cannot establish an official religion or prevent anyone from practicing their preferred religion or force anyone to practice if they choose not to.

of the early settlers in a particular area but learning more about the original American culture practiced by the indigenous people would be a very promising step for 21st America.

usually has a lot of conflicts with first generation, so vacillates a lot. Third generation, generally Americans.

We can't expect people to dump what they love about their own culture and miss about their home countries when they come here, it's just not going to happen, and ethnic restaurants and groceries are some of the side benefits.

Most will assimilate but it will take time, often more then one generation. In the meantime, I find other cultures fascinating and take intercultural friction in stride.

Although I'm Canadian, the same debates exist north of the U.S. border. There are intolerant individuals in Canada, too, unfortunately.

The "side benefits" that you refer to are numerous. So many aspects of our lives -- food, arts, fashion, language, athletics, etc. -- are enhanced by the influence of immigrants. Of course there are challenges associated with some newcomers, but as you say, the subsequent generations tend to welcome the prevailing culture in America.

I have witnessed this many times with parents who struggle with the conflict in values of their homeland compared to America, but their children, who eventually follow the lead of their friends, eschew many of the former bounds imposed by their parents. Partly it's rebellion, like so many young people exhibit, and partly it's peer pressure. But it can also be attributed to a genuine embrace of American values.

We have way too many people in this country who wave a flag that is not the flag of the US, but a flag of a nation that tried to secede from us, and we have people in this country who attempt to drum up and benefit from suspicion and hostility against ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities who are also full citizens of this country.

In short, it's not the immigrants who need to assimilate.

Or did they bring with them something unique to add to the mix?

Or did the European immigrants wipe out Native American culture?

Where does "preserving our culture" become "xenophobia"?

If Jehovah's Witnesses became a significant fraction of the population and pushed to outlaw saying the pledge of allegiance, would that destroy a bit of American culture? If the KKK became a significant influence and forced segregation, would that destroy a bit of American culture? If Hispanics became a majority and made Spanish the official language of the U.S. to the exclusion of English, would that destroy a bit of American culture? If Muslims became numerous enough to force a law that women must wear hijabs, would that chip away at a bit of American culture?

It's all well and good to ask "what is American culture?" But when when that question is asked as a way of implying that there is no such thing as American culture, or at least nothing worth preserving and protecting, then that is a mistake that could well permit the eventual destruction of American culture, after which you will suddenly discover, too late, what American culture is, and what it meant to you as an American.

Certain elements of American culture must be adopted by immigrants if our country is to survive. Among them are respect for all people regardless of race, religion, or ethnic origin. If immigrants want to bring their misogyny, or their xenophobia, or their intolerance of other religions into our country, they they should not be allowed to do so. To that extent, at least, immigrant should adopt American culture, and if they refuse to do so they can only make our country a worse place, not a better place. But if they can set aside their hatred for some ancient ancestral enemy from across the border of their homeland, then, yes, they should be welcome to enter and add to the glorious melting pot that is America.

Immigrants: Bring us your cultures, but leave your ancestral religious feuds and racist hatreds behind when you enter here.

I think it's important that we recognize there are unpalatable cultural norms from elsewhere in the world that don't jibe with American values, like the ones you've outlined. As you expressed, we should be happy to accept the respectful aspects of other cultures, but reject the intolerant and antagonistic approaches that exist in some foreign lands.

New arrivals are always welcome, but the core of US "culture" that must always be non-negotiable...those are in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and must be adhered to above religions or cultures from a country of origin...

I LOVE ethnic restaurants and design and furnishings and decorations...
I have no use for ethnic religions or grievances, no tolerance for honor killings or repressing women or minorities...

Bring to the public square the elements of foreign cultures that are compatible with and expand the mosaic of the United States and expand our horizons within the bounds of the founding documents and sentiments of this first exclusively secular nation.

The sad thing?

My views make ME unacceptable to the alt-right/neo-nazi clowns...

of Trump supporters.

But, ironically perhaps, the freedom of association and freedom of speech gives them exactly that right. It seems unlikely that they'd go that route, however, because they aren't exactly made to feel welcome by the Trumpettes.

were raised to be degenerates by their own mentally defective parents.

Bad things happen with multi-generational disconnection from the host country's culture. See: The Balkans.

US.