Is Multiculturalism workable?

[Mr. Pumps]

I don't know if Multiculturalism is Utopain paper dream or a effective system in reality?

By turning into such a Multi-Ethnic society can order and stability be promised?

[L@mplighterM]

Yes!

[Mediocrates]

That depends on what you mean. to many the term means a vast homogenization from difference to 'modernity' where everyone is more or less the same. How much of yourself are you willing to surrender?

[Mr. Pumps]

I guess the real question is can Muslims side and the Christians and jews side co-exist under one roof?

This is a fair question in light of a growing Muslim Population in Western Europe, and based on what is happening in Israel with it's internal Arabs, is not right to be suspicious?

Interestly, South Korea and Japan, two free, capitalist, democatic countries have a xenophobia agianst all foriegners despite being in the global market. So Japanese are Japanese and Koreans are Korean without any large minority groups.....now why that I wonder?

[Mediocrates]

Well we hear that Israeli Arabs are a 'problem' but I don't see any real information or evidence of it. That's not to say it's not true or false but that I don't see it. Could it be that if there were a Free Palistan then there would be less Israeli Arab support for the methods that created one? That is, they are Israeli so why would they want to keep their continued instability and economic problems for something they more or less wanted and got?

Otherwise I couldn't answer about Europe. I expect though that in the next 20 years at least one major European nation to have a muslim head of state or something quite near to that. And I mean openly muslim not the Euro concilliation version of somebody's mother's mother's father's uncle was muslim 90 years ago. But I don't think that person will be particularly fervant or religious or fundamental or wanting to install Sharia. I would expect a Protestant fundamentalist to rise to the top much sooner. Of course this is all conjecture.

In the states here while we talk about the 'fastest growing minority' I would guess that at the margin that is the effect of small numbers. From 50 to 100 is a 100% increase but it's still only 50. This will actually be a bigger problem in who gets access to the Federal government. If Jewish and muslim groups become equal in size then lobbyists like AIPAC will have a much harder job being heard. It will make the lobbying job much more expensive so expect to get all sorts of solicitations from them.

[Vic]

Originally posted by Mediocrates
Otherwise I couldn't answer about Europe. I expect though that in the next 20 years at least one major European nation to have a muslim head of state or something quite near to that. And I mean openly muslim not the Euro concilliation version of somebody's mother's mother's father's uncle was muslim 90 years ago. But I don't think that person will be particularly fervant or religious or fundamental or wanting to install Sharia. I would expect a Protestant fundamentalist to rise to the top much sooner. Of course this is all conjecture. I doubt it, especially given the naturalization laws and/or practices growing tighter with each day in most European countries. Who is going to elect this head of the state, for one? The non-Muslims won't, the Muslims are mostly too divided among each other, many tend to trust complete outsiders more than representatives of other trends within Islam. Less chances than a female African-American US president, IMO ;) :p

[Mediocrates]

Or a Radical Conservative Libertarian Dutch PM? :p Stranger things have happened.

[Vic]

Smth. like this, yes. The Dutch story is a bit crazy, post-9/11 reverbations plus the murder of Fortuyn. Such things happen from time to time, I suppose the Dutch will be back to normal political routine before long. The greatest danger in Europe are IMO "radical conservatives" in association with right-wing nationalists. Such politicians tend to undermine democratic systems, grab as much power as they can, cf. Italy. If they succeed, others may try to jump in the wagon too, that's true. Buit I don't see Muslims paving the way for themselves. They won't get anything even remotely close to electoral majorities in the near future, other than in municipal elections.