Sarkozy says multiculturalism is a failure

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110210/wl_afp/francepoliticsimmigrationsociety_20110210231042

This is after Merkel and Cameron also said it. LOL, I guess building Eurabia wasn't such a good idea?

Okay, what does he propose to replace it with?

I think the problem might be with the "separate but equal" idea. It doesn't give anyone the opportunity to really communicate with someone from a different culture. You end up with isolated islands that breed suspicion.

Chris, maybe the answer would be to find some way to help the diverse groups communicate.

One of the best things to happen in my hometown community durning the '70's had to do with laws that allowed people of whatever race or culture they might come from to buy property in any neighborhood they chose. After my divorce, I bought a house in one of those integrated subdivisiions. Our neighbors directly across the street were African American, two doors down on the same side of the street was a Vietnamese family, across the street from them, the Tigers - Bobby, the father was full-blood Cherokee, and just around the corner was a physician from India with his family. The kids all got along great from the beginning; it took the adults a little longer. A tropical storm helped bring it about. After the storm had passed, we were all stuck at home (schools and businesses were still closed) with no electricity. At one point about mid-morning, I went out to survey the damage and noticed that most of my neighbors were doing the same. I shouted that I had gas stove and was making a pot of coffee. Before long, I had a kitchen full of people who were eager to wake up and started sharing stories. After that, we began to become a real community.

Ann

The question I asked, Ann, was what Sarkozy proposed to replace multiculturism with? Helping to communicate sounds nice but that's not a replacement.

I don't think Sarkozy has any idea of what he is talking about.

Immigrants must learn to assimilate into a society, and that begins by learning the language.
An outsider remains an outsider primarily by choice. Not wanting to learn a new language, or a new culture is the biggest stumbling block to integration. How can you get to know someone if you can't communicate with them? In this regard, multiculturalism is a failure.

Eh, Europe gets what it deserves. I laughed when Cameron cried about multiculturalism not working. The UK banned Geert Wilders from entering; they said he "instilled racial hatred." Not sure what he did to deserve that description -did he ever kill anyone or riot over cartoons? But they don't have a problem with Islamic fundamentalists coming in.