INSIDE:
NEWS/STORIES/ARTICLES
Book Reviews
Columns/Opinion/Cartoon
Films
International
National
NW/Local
Recipes
Special A.C.E. Stories
Online
Paper (PDF)
NW RESOURCE GUIDE
Archives
Consulates
Organizations
Scholarships
Special Sections
Upcoming
The Asian Reporter Eleventh
Annual Scholarship & Awards Banquet -
April 2009
May, 2009
Asian Reporter Info
AR
Merchandise
Contact Us
Subscription Info. & Back Issues
ASIA LINKS
Asian Studies
Currency Exchange
More Asian Links
Public Holidays
Time Zones
Copyright © 2000 - 2008
AR Home
My Turnby Maileen Hamto |
 |
From The Asian Reporter, V17, #35 (August 28, 2007), page 6 & 7.
Creating a broader sense of "we"
Diversity causes people to live like turtles, "hunkering down" in their shells, isolated and withdrawn from their neighbors. People who live in racially diverse neighborhoods are less likely to register to vote, give to charity, and participate in civic affairs.
On the other hand, the incomes of native-born Americans who live in communities with more immigrants rise more rapidly than if they live in places with fewer immigrants. In advanced nations with a large aging population, such as the United States, young immigrant workers contribute financially to the Social Security system, ensuring a healthy retirement for the Baby Boom generation.
Harvard University’s Robert Putnam presents these findings in his paper "E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and Community in the Twenty-First Century." Putnam surveyed 30,000 people from 41 different communities across the country, from Los Angeles to rural South Dakota, from Boston, Massachusetts to Yakima, Washington. The study encompassed the breadth of American communities, from large cities to small towns to cities that approximate Portland’s size.
Putnam’s goal was to study the effect of ethnic diversity on social networks, to measure the degree to which people rely upon one another to get important things done. What he found was that people who live in diverse communities tend to be more mistrusting of their neighbors, even those of the same race. They also reported having lower confidence in the political system, and in their ability to affect change in their communities.
They have fewer close friends and watch more television.
The study has been exploited by über-conservatives like Pat Buchanan to trumpet their anti-immigration stance. They miss the point completely.
The primary purpose of Putnam’s study is to stress that ethnic diversity is here to stay, and suggest courses of action to increase civic engagement among newcomers to America. "Immigration and diversity are not only inevitable, but over the long run they are also desirable," he writes.
While the immediate effect of immigration is weakened social networks, things shake out for the better in the long run. In the last century, the United States welcomed immigrants from non-Anglo backgrounds. Over time, the influences of Irish, Italian, and Polish Catholics and Russian Jews began to permeate America’s "cultural framework," writes Putnam.
"There was no simple, inevitable, friction-less ‘straight-line’ assimilation, but over several generations, the initial ethnic differences became muted and less salient," he states.
Perhaps that is so, if you come from a Euro-white background. A Chinese-American friend whose family has been in this country for at least three generations still gets ticked off when asked "Where are you from?" Her parents, as well as her grandparents, all were born in the United States. She wonders — and rightfully so — if any of her friends of Irish or German descent get asked the same question.
The sad reality is that the mainstream perception of America still is heavily weighted toward a white America. In the coming years, with larger numbers of immigrants of color, the beliefs that many well-meaning white Americans have about their "color blindness" and "racial tolerance" will be put to the test.
Putnam suggests that we owe it to ourselves to foster shared identities — a more encompassing sense of "we." That doesn’t mean that we expect newcomers to check their heritage and culture at the customs office.
America comes in more hues and shades than the mainstream is comfortable with. Since the early days of the founding of this nation, people of color have made important and lasting contributions to the development of America as a leader in commerce, innovation, and technology.
As people of color who are establishing families and communities in the United States, we cannot let the shared sense of identity be defined only by how "white" we can become.
Brother Polo once remarked that the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers encompasses a unique bedrock of solidarity across different groups here in our Portland — tribes, if you will. There is a lot of sincerity coming from various communities about making Portland and its vicinity a place where all groups of people are made to feel welcome — regardless of skin color and national origin.
It’s encouraging to see that Portland’s city government, through the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, is pumping money into leadership training and other avenues to engage immigrant communities. The goal is to improve civic engagement among communities of color, particularly ethnic immigrant enclaves.
As members of diverse communities, Putnam points out that it’s increasingly important for us to "strengthen shared identities … to provide more opportunities for meaningful interaction across ethnic lines." To get Americans out of their shells, Putnam advocates building more common venues, such as athletic fields and community centers, that are inclusive and welcoming to all. Most new immigrants want to be successful in their new country, and understand that acculturation and learning English are keys to success in America. We need to expand public support for English-language training.
Putnam’s most interesting proposition involves funnelling federal government aid through localities with large immigrant populations. Here’s why: The long-term benefits of immigration are felt on the national level, in things such as "scientific creativity" and "fiscal dividends." Yet local communities have to deal with the financial burden of immigration, such as increased education and health costs.
No doubt it’s going to take a lot of work, and the involvement of a lot of established people of color and collaborators. But it’s well worth it, if we are to successfully create, as Putnam puts it, "a broader sense of ‘we.’"