America Awakens to the Danger of Cancer Culture, part 4

 

The Progressive focus on racial disparities emphasizes our differences rather than our commonalities.  America no longer viewed as a melting pot, instead as a collection of racial groups each denied their fair share of the American pie.   Inevitably, cooperation turns to competition between racial groups.  Each group vies for beneficial government policies, advantages, and resources.  The result is antagonisms between racial groups of the kind currently played out between the black and Asian communities.  Hate crimes against Asians are disproportionately committed by Blacks.  The absolute number of hate crimes committed by Blacks is greater than committed by Whites.  Quite extraordinary given that the white population is four times the size of the black population. 

The hostility is triggered by economic disparity made tangible by the large number of Asian owned businesses in black communities.  The hostility echoes the Black anger towards Jews embedded in the black power movement of the 1960s and 70s.  At that time it was the Jews who owned small businesses and apartment buildings in Black communities.

In the views of the poor living outside of America, America is not a racist society but a land of opportunity.  Voting with their feet to answer the question: is America an inherently, irredeemably, systemically, racist society.  The poor’s answer: A RESOUNDING NO!  The worldwide immigration demand so strong, a decade of life passes for each legal immigrant to get their golden ticket – permanent residence in America.  All told, there are 48 million immigrants in the U.S.  This is four times more than any other country in the world 

Legal immigration is not the whole immigration story.   Every year millions of migrants from every part of the world risk life and limb for a life in America by travelling overland from Central and South America.  From the outset of their long trek, the shadow of death is ever-present in the harsh and unforgiving terrain along the route and the looming presence of the Mexican Cartels who control these migration routes.  The fortunate migrants pay exorbitant smuggling sums, and may suffer sexual and physical abuse along the way.  The unfortunate ones become either a part of the Cartel’s Human Trafficking business, or are left along the route to fend for themselves.

Such is the draw America holds for the huddled masses of the world yearning to breathe free.  They come from every corner of the world, comprised of every race; ethnicity; skin color; and religion.  Drawn to America because they see the American Dream alive in America as only an outsider living in a corrupt, totalitarian country does.  They come believing if they work hard and play by the rules they can go as far as their talents, ambitions, and a spoonful of luck will take them. 

And you know what, evidence supports that.  Black immigrants earn 30% more than native born blacks.  Immigrants from Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Jamaica do particularly well.  Asian Americans are the immigrant stars.  Their average income level is the highest in the nation.  Immigrants are much more entrepreneurial than native born Americans, starting businesses at twice the rate.  40% of the Fortune 500 companies were founded by an immigrant or son of an immigrant.  My own story pithily summed up by using Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s question and answer format for describing the American Dream.  Question: what does it take to go from a salesman to the head psychologist for the City of Los Angeles?  Answer: one generation. 

America is an immigration magnet because of its uniqueness as a country.  All other countries formed on the basis of a shared nationality.  America formed by universal ideas that transcend all nationalities -- everyone is inherently equal and free to live their lives as they see fit, constrained only by the principle decent people live by, treating others the way they want to be treated.  So America’s welcome mat is open irrespective of national origin, race, gender, or creed.

Despite all that is good about America, some in America advocate Progressive policies, and an anti-American view that America is fundamentally flawed and racist.  This is not the first time America flirted with Progressivism.  Each time the idealism of the Progressive imagination gave way to the realities of Progressive policies.  

As before, it it true today.  Progressive Mayors and City Councils are awakening to the need for more police when increased crime followed their reduction in police force resources and manpower.  Citizens have initiated recall elections against District Attorneys for no cash bail policies after offenders, released without bail, committed acts of violence.  Parents are seeking changes in schools to eliminate any teaching of concepts which suggest that a child’s skin color defines their character.  Even residents of States are voting with their feet in rejecting Progressivism.  Population in States favoring Progressive policies is shrinking as residents relocate to non-Progressive States.  Most ominous for Progressives, the decrease in the Black and Hispanic support for the Democrat Party as it increasingly embraced Progressive policies and ways of framing issues.  

All this gives me hope that this time too, Progressivism shall pass and they will be voted out by Centrists in next year’s November 22^nd  election.  That way we can return to living our lives the way we see fit, rather than on the basis of uniformity in how we think; act; and talk, the hallmark of Progressivism.