June 29, 2007
Peggy Noonan: Letting Go
In one of her finest columns to date, Noonan discusses a major difference between the immigrants to America today and the immigrants of yesterday. A snippet:
A problem with newer immigrants now is that for some it's no longer necessary to make The Decision. They don't always have to cast their lot. There are so many ways not to let go of the old country now, from choosing to believe that America is only about money, to technology that encourages you to stay in constant touch with the land you left, to TV stations that broadcast in the old language. If you're an immigrant now, you don't have to let go. Which means you don't have to fully join, to enmesh. Your psychic investment in America doesn't have to be full. It can be provisional, temporary. Or underdeveloped, or not developed at all.
And this may have implications down the road, and I suspect people whose families have been here a long time are concerned about it. It's one of the reasons so many Americans want a pause, a stopping of the flow, a time for the new ones to settle down and settle in. It's why they oppose the mischief of the Masters of the Universe, as they're being called, in Washington, who make believe they cannot close our borders while they claim they can competently micromanage all other aspects of immigration.
Read it all.
Show Comments »
Great column.
And exactly the kind of thing I've been fuming about for the past few years while we've had Mexican flags flown in our faces by millions of arrogant immigrants. Speaking as someone who's only a second generation American (my grandparents came here from Italy and Lithuania), I have taken great interest recently in exploring my roots. But nowhere in my family's past do I find that my ancestors refused to learn English or to be part of the American culture they worked so hard to join. My family applied for citizenship and became Americans, it's not that hard. Others can do the same. Or go back from whence they came if they're so proud of their previous country.
Posted by: Reverse_Vampyr at June 29, 2007 09:11 AMThat is about as fine and sensitive a commentary on immigration today as I have read.
Posted by: Pat Hickey at June 30, 2007 08:23 AMWhat's wrong with a Mexican flag? What's wrong with flags? Or do you guys just use flags as an excuse to fight.
There's no difference between the bigotry of now and the "then" that crazy Noonan writes about.
Posted by: mudkitty at June 30, 2007 02:28 PMMudkitty,
Flags are cool. Italian, Irish, Polish, Mexican, Israeli, Danish, or Tonganese are fine on celebrate ethnic diversity day in our neighborhoods.
Refusing to join with all the other flag wavers who hold the American flag higher than the one of their ancestry is dumb.
It is not a stamp of ethnic pride to be left in the dust and wait several generations for the ACLU to sue your place in American life - that is just dumb.
Posted by: Pat Hickey at June 30, 2007 08:23 PMYour scenario is absurd and paranoid.
And may I add, the ACLU protects your right to your paranoid speech.
Posted by: mudkitty at July 1, 2007 07:08 AMMud Kitty,
Man, have you got the granola-eater Down, girlfriend!
Contemptuous; snotty; bafflingly pyrotecnic! Even with all those hours of NPR?
You've got to come to our block-party in August! The Everly Brothers Tribute Duo is too expensive.
Posted by: Pat Hickey at July 1, 2007 08:21 AM"Granola eater?" Man are you way behind the 8 ball, and 30 years too late. (Sorry you didn't get laid in high school, dude, but don't take it out on the rest of the world.)
And talk about contempt, PH - I'm surprised you haven't got the trademark and the copy write.
*****
The Everly Bros. were, and are cool, and if you don't get that, than you might as well eat granola for the rest of your life.
Posted by: mudkitty at July 2, 2007 11:47 AMMuddy,
You got us rolling on lawns here in Chicago! Keep that sap flowing!
Posted by: Pat Hickey at July 2, 2007 01:00 PM
