May 1 Immigrant March
Out of context: Reply #67
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An interesting thread. In Europe the question is more acute than in the US for reasons of space, social conditions, and a more rooted sense of national identity.
I would just like to add two points for what it's worth:
One, is the fact that the idea of the "free movement of peoples" seems to have been codified by certain "progressive" elements as a "human right" of some sort regardless of the social consequences on the host country (i.e. the rise of far right political parties) or the long held notion of national sovereignty. If one has the temerity to question such "established" rights, the epithet "racist" or "____phobic" is habitually employed to intimidate and/or shut down the debate thereby fuelling further polarization.
The second is much more immediate for Europe, but is nonetheless at the heart of the ongoing discussion going on in the U.S. also, and that is assimilation and the fear of a diminution or subsumption of national identities by other races and cultures.
No one likes to talk about this but it is the 500 lb. gorilla in the room during these kinds of discussions. And if one is able to talk about this issue honestly and without rancor, then some progress will be made in finding a solution to what is, in fact, a force of history and not, as some would like to frame it for political purposes, some evil American/capitalist plot.