Gingrich and Pygmies

McCain dismisses Gingrich's 'pathetic' comments.

Speaking at a Monday breakfast sponsored by The American Spectator, a conservative magazine, Gingrich labeled the nine-man GOP presidential field as a “pathetic” bunch of “pygmies,” ......

.......“If Mr. Gingrich decides he wants to get into the presidential campaign for the nomination of our party, then I would take some of his comments more seriously,” McCain said. (CNN Political Ticker)

In defense of Gingrich, he probably sees almost everyone as pygmies considering his cranial width. Joking aside, it is nice to see the continuation of the circular firing squad in the GOP. This lashing out against fellow Republicans by Mr. Gingrich makes me wonder if this is another sign that he is going to jump into the race, though in all honesty he wouldn't be an original entry considering we already have lying adulterers in the line up. I actually do hope he gets in because I highly doubt that he could win the general election. Would be one instance where bringing up Bill Clinton's infidelity would infinitely help the Democratic candidate.

The Impending Menace

A new frightening horizon approaches as Americans look outward to dangers from afar while ignoring those dangers which multiply here at home, which no one seems to be aware. All seem to be focused on the people of brown hue, whether Mexican or Muslim, as the threat we must guard against to avoid extinction. The danger however, is here, and has been living among us for centuries. They live alongside us, and due to their humble and white exterior we typically ignore them. But their power and influence are growing. I am speaking, of course, about the Amish.

These people have lived in this nation as citizens since the 18^th century, and have continually refused to assimilate into our culture. In fact, not only have they not assimilated but have continually moved to differentiate their culture. As time went by and technology advanced they have, for the most part, kept with the technology and traditions of the 16^th century, eschewing all the wonders and comforts of modern technology.

The Amish population is growing at a tremendous rate and threatens to eventually unseat our great American culture. The average Amish family has seven children, and ten is quite common. In the past century, while other societies have been assimilated, the Amish have refused and added to their numbers. Average population growth for the Amish community from 1890 to 1990 is between 39% and 42.3% while the average for the total population has been between 12.1% and 14.06%. In those one hundred years the Amish population grew from an estimated 3,700 to 128,000. In 1890, only 1 in 16,924 American citizens was Amish. Today, according to some estimates, it is now 1 in 2,000. In another one hundred years, if population trends continue, 1 in 268 American citizens will be Amish. If this rate continues, and it will likely be worse, we are looking at the eventual possibility of Amish domination of these United States of America.

They are also a menace due to their anti-war positions. All Amish refuse to serve as members of the military and have refused to answer the call when their country needed them most. How will our country survive from outside threats when our national policy is dominated by Amish peaceniks?

The Amish also refuse to participate in our consumer society. For the most part they buy only what they need, and their community, if not each individual, produces all that they ever need. What would this do to our great consumer driven economy? What about entertainment, not to mention impulse buying which, as Americans, is our God given right?!

Not only would there be a loss of mass production of consumer goods, but what about the loss of technology, which the Amish would ban once they took control? Can any of you see yourselves giving up their right to a car and being forced to trade it in for a two horse-power buggy? They would take away our comforts brought on by the technology they have rejected, and this we cannot allow!

And what of their religious beliefs? Everyone reading this knows that one receives personal salvation only by accepting Jesus Christ as their savior. But the Amish believe that it is in how one lives their life that salvation is achieved, and that it is not guaranteed. Such proves that the Amish are no better than the Catholic, Muslim, or Hindu heathens!

The final threat is in their communal way of life. They do not believe in individual merit or enterprise. Instead they put the community first and helping others as central to life. These Amish would destroy our great Republic, under God!, and supplant it with godless communism!

So I ask, all of you who read this, help stop the Amish menace! We cannot allow them to outbreed us and take control of this nation! As Americans, it is our duty to breed like rabbits and make sure their percentages are allowed to rise no longer. Such would not only be a disaster for each individual citizen, but the end of the nation as a whole because once they supplant our values and our way of life, they will open us to be overrun by the Mexican and Muslim hordes waiting on our borders!

Note on sources: All Amish population data and references to Amish culture are from Hostetler. Percentages and ratios of population are my own calculations from available census data.

John A. Hostetler, Amish Society

‘US Population from 1900’, < http://www.demographia.com/db-uspop1900.htm >

‘United States Census, 1890’, < http://www.answers.com/topic/united-states-census-1890 >

Immigration and Assimilation

I’ve had a good bit of time thinking about this topic and have come to the conclusion that the assimilation argument is a crock of crap. Let me explain:

First off, the whole idea of assimilating into a single homogeneous culture is a constructed illusion. Until the advent of mass media, mass culture there was no homogeneous ‘American’ culture. Culture varied by region, by city, by locality. One cannot also forget that Mexicans, the target of the assimilation argument, are also American even if that our not citizens of this country.

Second, the assimilation argument is only being used against Mexicans. This is because they are now the target of racist, xenophobic sentiments in this country. Sure, Muslims also get a bad rap, but they are still for the most part a distant threat while the Mexican menace is only a hop, skip and a jump over the border. If assimilation is so important then it would apply to all those within the boundaries of the United States. Are we going to force Puerto Rico to become more American and abandon their heritage? How about the Amish, they certainly have not assimilated into our society and base their community on resisting such assimilation. And lets not forget the Native American tribes which we have now allowed to act as separate nations within ours living under their own laws.

Once this ideal is applied equally to all immigrant groups, then I will accept the merits of the argument. Now however the argument that Mexicans refuse to assimilate is only a cover for a truly racist and xenophobic mentality.

One final note, assimilation is not the only false argument given against Mexicans. There are many who argue that they bring wages down, when in fact its businesses who force the wages down. There are also unfounded claims of laziness and dirtiness without any backing and is without truth. These are only myths perpetuated to deny the current of bigotry and xenophobia that runs rampant in this nation.

Recommended Reading (not necessarily directly related to the topic):
Daily Life in the United States, 1920-1940 by David E. Kyvig
The Great Arizona Orphan Abduction by Linda Gordon
Making a New Deal by Lizabeth Cohen