The Study of Racialism

Dragon Horse · Posted: Wed 26 Nov 2008 19:17 Post subject: My dental experience

[This thread was transferred from the "Improving U.S. Society" forum because, although it starts by addressing U.S. society in advocacy mode (different ethnicities getting along), it soon switched to discussing general ethhic assimilation in the U.S. and France in discursive mode. -- FWS]

I had to go to the dentist this morning to get two cavities fixed and two crowns redone. Sad

That was horrible and a long story.

Anyway I noticed something at the dentist office. I was in Vienna, VA, so middle to upper-middle class Northern VA.

The dentist was from Syria. The assistant was a black Arab from Sudan. Two of the other assistants were Hispanic (unknown origin, but looked Mestiza), one secretary was Dominican and the other African American (I'm guessing on the last one). The Dominican girl was about as dark as my mother, so most folks would consider her black. I only know she was Dominican because she spoke Spanish to the other Mestizo women and one remarked "she only speaks Spanish when we order food"... Laughing

She was hot too. Surprised

Anyway...the Sudanese guy was trying to convert me to Islam. At first he asked me what Christians believed about Christmas and Jesus. Then completely switched to what Muslims believe and how "The Prophet" was correct. Laughing

I just said "okay" to everything he said. Then I said my wife is Japanese and Zen Buddhist don't believe Buddha a god, so my wife was godless. That seemed to disturb him and he said I should convert her to Christianity because that was better than nothing. I guess because that is at least a religion "of the book". Laughing

Anyway...the only white people were patients.

I started to think that when I was a small child this would not be a likely staffing situation in America, and this would be in the early 1980's...late 1970's.

America is changing, at least in some areas.

Contrary to popular belief everyone seemed to get along and joke and laugh with each other although it was obvious English was not the native language of most of them , nor did they share the same religion, race, etc. Some thing we could all take a lesson from.

G-Man · Moderator Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2992 }

They were coexisting in the same work environment...I'm from New York City and witnessed the kinds of things on a regular basis. They may not socialize with each other after hours.

Dragon Horse · Posted: Fri 28 Nov 2008 20:35 Post subject:

Melani23 · Superuser Joined: 30 Aug 2005 {Posts: 1193 } Location: USA

And the only reason they all can do this is due to our great country - AMERICA! Very Happy

I doubt this would work in their home countries, or even in PC Europe. Wink

Dragon Horse · Posted: Mon 01 Dec 2008 15:56 Post subject:

G-Man · Moderator Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2992 }

If they had their way, they'd simply impose restrictions on further immigration or stop it completely and clamp down on illegal immigration.

Dragon Horse · Posted: Mon 01 Dec 2008 19:46 Post subject:

MisterLawyer · Posted: Tue 02 Dec 2008 12:46 Post subject:

G-Man · Moderator Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2992 }

That's because France isn't multicultural as opposed to (kind of) multiethnic. They can tolerate racial and ethnic diversity but not cultural diversity, which is good in my opinion. I see nothing wrong with France demanding that people who settle in their country adapt to French values or hit the road.

MisterLawyer · Posted: Tue 02 Dec 2008 14:02 Post subject:

erasmusinfinity · Moderator Joined: 07 Dec 2008 {Posts: 410 }

caribj · Suspended Joined: 14 Mar 2007 {Posts: 612 }

caribj · Suspended Joined: 14 Mar 2007 {Posts: 612 }

pianoplayer111 · Wizard Joined: 16 May 2007 {Posts: 429 }

I disagree, Caribj.

caribj · Suspended Joined: 14 Mar 2007 {Posts: 612 }

erasmusinfinity · Moderator Joined: 07 Dec 2008 {Posts: 410 }

Do immigrant groups in America assimilate?

I have always thought that the predominant trend was to for immigrant groups to establish separate communities within the United States that were defined by their cultural differences. And that it is the ideal of multiculturalism that these communities be "separate but equal."

I will admit that I have also observed a more firmly grounded aristocratic class in France that strikes me as a greater obstacle to social mobility than does any sort of inheritance in the US. In the US, it helps to come from a family that is well connected and affluent, but the bottom line in determining social standing in contemporary America is almost always the dollar. And poor people do sometimes do get rich here which changes their social standing. In France, as in much of Europe, one can be dirt poor and still be regarded as belonging to a higher social class than an outsider who has made a lot of money, and this is based solely on having come from the right family.

I think very highly of the less feudal nature of US society, but I am skeptical that the sense of multiculturalism that we are talking about has anything to do with this. I would like to see America become more global and less multicultural, defining the difference as a recognition that there are certain common human values that ought be regarded to supersede subjective cultural differences and the special interests of divergent cultures. For example, French may be no better a language than Arabic, but liberté, egalité and fraternité are basic values that should be ascribed to all human cultures, regardless of how pronounced they are amongst a given population.

Dragon Horse · Posted: Thu 26 Feb 2009 15:42 Post subject:

erasmusinfinity · Moderator Joined: 07 Dec 2008 {Posts: 410 }

caribj · Suspended Joined: 14 Mar 2007 {Posts: 612 }

caribj · Suspended Joined: 14 Mar 2007 {Posts: 612 }