GOP Congressman Argues Against Multiculturalism: 'There’s Only One Race Here, It’s The American Race

[alp227]

Yes, California is a progressive state that has Jerry Brown as governor and has sent electoral votes to the Democratic presidential candidate every election since 1992. But California's congressional delegation has its share of loudmouth right wing assholes such as Darrell Issa (chair of the House Oversight Committee who's giving Obama the McCarthy treatment), Dana Rohrabacher (global warming denialist), Kevin McCarthy, and Buck McKeon. Now Tom McClintock has made the news for his latest display of nuttery:

EL DORADO HILLS, California — Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) took a strong stand against multiculturalism at a town hall meeting, arguing that immigrants need to shed their culture, become “the American race,” and if they’re unwilling to do so, “reevaluate” whether they want to be in this country in the first place.

Fielding questions about immigration reform, McClintock told the audience on Tuesday evening that he worries current generations of immigrants aren’t assimilating like in the past but instead retaining the culture from their native land. “There’s only one race here, it’s the American race,” he implored to constituents.

McCLINTOCK: Interestingly, that provision for patriotic integration is missing from the Senate legislation. The motto of this country is e pluribus unum, and one of its meanings is “from many nations, one nation, the American nation.” There’s only one race here, it’s the American race. And the only way you accomplish that is through assimilation. That is what our immigration laws are designed to promote, and that is precisely what illegal immigration undermines.

Watch it:

Oh yeah, I also wonder how McClintock is willing to deal with white American citizens who stray from the True American(TM) lifestyle such as God, guns, and the nuclear family?

And I just discovered that McClintock is a friggin' CARPETBAGGER! Why? Because he lived in Southern California (Thousand Oaks) during his time as a state senator but moved to the Sacramento area in 2008 to be a member of the US House!

[Pretzel_Warrior]

1. you made the point I was going to. Lot's of whites not "assimilating" into your narrow worldview

Mr. McClintock. Not all white people love John Wayne and what he represented. Not all white people want a big suburban home with guns to keep the kids safe.

Canada is a healthier society on the whole, and they present a far more multicultural environment than the U.S. "melting pot" where you're supposed to leave your beliefs at the door and shoot for the Ozzie and Harriet ideal in the Anglo-American tradition.

[PowerToThePeople]

2. Hey McClintock, You are not assimilating into modern society. Get to it.

[RZM]

3. Actually there's two. We also have the Amazing Race n/t

[kelliekat44]

4. You just can't make up this stuff! nt

[olddots]

5. the scumbag thinks he John Wayne

no text I dare to type .

[hobbit709]

6. I guess he better stop eating pizza, Mexican, Chinese, etc.

[CJCRANE]

7. Oh dear. He stole that from "there's only one race, the human race".

Something I've quoted on DU a couple of times.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. "Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself."

Mark Twain

[exboyfil]

9. Has he been around any of the old German/Scandanavian

communities. It usually took 2 generations before those communities were fluent in English (about what happens with Latino and Asian immigrants today). That is the only cultural assimilation which absolutely must happen as soon as possible (for the immigrants' sake if nothing more). As far as I can tell our current crop of immigrants are no different than prior generations (if anything they are probably making faster progress towards assimilation because of modern technology). Old style communities in the Midwest could stay insular for generations.

Demonizing these people makes absolutely no sense. An argument could be made that the government's first priority is gainful employment for U.S. citizens (immigration has always created a labor/management tension as companies look to reduce their labor costs as far as possible). Striking a balance that strengthens the U.S. while not being inhumane seems to make the most sense.

[newfie11]

10. People that don't want to know other races miss so much

What a waste and a great way to perpetuate racism.
It is so much fun to have friends with different cultures.

I will never understand people not wanting to leave their little circle!

[surrealAmerican]

11. Does he really not understand ...

... that "e pluribus unum" refers to one nation being made of many states? It has nothing to do with assimilation.