Please go read Eugene Robinson's
latest in the Washington Post. He looks at the French riots of the past couple of weeks, and comparing the french's policy on diversity to US's. Some choice grafs after the jump.
Multiculturalism is such an easy target. The word itself has the whiff of politically correct bureaucracy, as if it had been coined by committee. The very concept lacks rigor, since it seems to require deciding exactly what qualifies as a "culture." And if you want to make fun of the whole idea, all you need is Google and a little patience. Eventually you'll find, say, an elementary school where one Muslim kid enrolled and suddenly the curriculum was changed to include a unit on Ramadan.
If you look closely at what just happened in France, though, you'll stop laughing.
The riots in the suburbs of Paris and other French cities ought to wipe the smirk from the lips of even multiculturalism's smuggest critics. Those who lobby against bilingual education or get upset when their children learn about Cinco de Mayo should look at France and realize that multiculturalism is a lot like democracy -- it's the worst system except for all the others.
I've seen a couple of people making similar arguments lately, but none with the intelligence or the strength that Robinson does. Also, he is about the only prominent minority columnist in the biggies.
Coincidence? Mind you, ALL of his columns are quality items. I haven't seen him mail in any subpar efforts.
As comparison, read this blasting critique of Brooks latest also on the subject of the french riots (which I won't link to, and you know why) in Slate by Jody Rosen.
Oh man, does Jody ever rip another one to Bobo. Just go read it. Way good.