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Hating Whitey Worldwide

Submitted by Jim Huemoeller, May 3, 2007 12:15

He's so much smarter than the politicos he's commenting on. The us against them mentality is always a huge motivator. Ask any football or basketball coach. America's open society is a threat to the power base of virtually every "tribal" or group leader. In my mind the problem in Iraq is we have become the target because we are such an obvious rallying point for the existing power elites in that country. That issue was not thought through enough. The basis of America in part is that you surrender your tribal identity at the border and accept being assimiliated. Mr. Lindley expresses his concerns that that is not happening with new immigrants and he may be right. I'm a little more hopeful that assimilation will occur. It's happened in the past not because of some government policy, but because once people are here and understand the freedoms they don't want to give them up. Plus they are experiencing the rewards of our system. It's easy to understand the tradeoff.

When we venture into other cultures we get push back from existing power bases that are threatened by our value system. I think that there was some naivety on that point from certain parties in the Bush administration, maybe more excessive optimism. It's hard to take things that work here and make them work in other countries. It's just further evidence of how unique our system is.

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
As the West looks more like the 3rd world every day, white people better start organizing politically. If anyone needs... [MORE]	Jonny Hw	May 4, 2007 16:24
As an American living in Europe, I agree with McWhorter about knee-jerk anti-Americanism. I've reached the conclusion that America is... [MORE]	Paula Robins	May 4, 2007 13:15
Granted,tribalism is hard-wired, everywhere except the U.S. and Europe where "tribalism" has been "educated" out of us. Witness the ease... [MORE]	A.R.Munnerlyn	May 3, 2007 23:26
As an expatriate working in Malaysia and Thailand, I do not see rampant Anti-Americanism, most Asians are too polite to... [MORE]	Bob Shoup	May 3, 2007 21:35
Amen brother. You said a lot there when you said Anti-American sentiment is strong here in the states. It is... [MORE]	Hank Wilson	May 3, 2007 23:23
No, the PhDs just studied the facts and came to reasoned conclusions. But McWhorter, like so many otherwise savvy commentators,... [MORE]	Simon Tavanyar	May 3, 2007 20:46
Dr. McWhorter, At the end of the first page of this post, you make an argument that lies at the foundation... [MORE]	Julian Thompson	May 3, 2007 19:34
Hey look, my tax dollars are overwhelmed by supporting all kinds of minority " free Bees " now you want... [MORE]	John	May 3, 2007 18:15
In the article, the mention of two creationist PhD candidates in linguistics was accompanied by some level of incredulity. Perhaps... [MORE]	James Henry	May 3, 2007 18:13
I taught for many years in California and it was not an uncommon experience to have students tell me that... [MORE]	mhr	May 3, 2007 18:03
I am English and own a small guest house in Brazil. I receive many American tourists and a good 80%-90%... [MORE]	Janet Rocha	May 3, 2007 17:47
why are we so concerned with what 40+ years of philantropy and charity and billions of dollars have failed to... [MORE]	K Dellinger	May 3, 2007 17:39
America is a diverse nation. To say you are an American does not automatically deem you to be one ehtnicity.... [MORE]	Trent Jordan	May 3, 2007 17:24
Wasn't it Oscar Wilde who once commented, " I hate it when people agree with me, for when they do... [MORE]	Doug Forsyth	May 3, 2007 17:12
Europeans including the British left aren't upset about Bush, thay actually relish the Bush presidency as it gives them what... [MORE]	Van Souther	May 3, 2007 16:59
The US invaded Panama back in the 90s with less justification and no one seemed hate us for it. Iraq's... [MORE]	Xylo	May 3, 2007 15:09
When whiny Euros complain about this country, my answer is straight from my children's vocabulary: Just deal with it. The... [MORE]	Shaun Kelly	May 3, 2007 14:04
So Europeans dislike us, eh? Maybe the reason they haven't been slaughtering each other by the tens of millions the... [MORE]	Toady	May 3, 2007 15:06
Good point! Mrs. Clinton is doubly wrong about building schools in foreign countries. In the Moslem world they could always... [MORE]	William James	May 3, 2007 13:03
He's so much smarter than the politicos he's commenting on. The us against them mentality is always a huge motivator....	Jim Huemoeller	May 3, 2007 12:15
I heard right after we went into Iraq a rebuttle to the remark that we were creating terrorist by being... [MORE]	Will Laing	May 3, 2007 12:13
The fundamental reforms will be labelled "cultural imperialism." [MORE]	Dave Arcand	May 3, 2007 12:00
This article sounded like an article about hating america. I find it very curious that Mr. Mcwhorter would end his... [MORE]	Louis Giogaia	May 3, 2007 10:24
I agree Louis, the ending only justifies the title of the piece which is quite disjointed from the crux of... [MORE]	John R. Adams	May 3, 2007 17:23
When I hear about anti-Americanism, I remember too that many politicians in the world use America bashing as a campaign... [MORE]	Rob Schwartz	May 3, 2007 10:15
John McWhorter has greater insights into human behavior than anyone in the House or Senate, and certainly more than the... [MORE]	James T. Lindley	May 3, 2007 09:33
Another problem with the scheme beyond the resistance of tribalism to reason: Who is to guarantee that these schools don't... [MORE]	McWhorter Fan	May 3, 2007 09:00
This is good. Another point might be that it is, that it is safe to be anti-American. The Soviets would... [MORE]	Stephen W. Browne	May 3, 2007 08:00
To be anti American is to be devoid of history, facts and current events. The model for success IS America.... [MORE]	courtneyme109	May 3, 2007 12:27

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