Letters to the Editor
David Schlaefer
Published Letters: 33 Editor's Choice: 3
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Demographic Winter
[Read the article: Memo from U.S. Christian conservatives to Europeans: Have more babies!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I understand feminist concerns about being told what women should or should not do with their bodies. The 'conservative Christian' message and messenger in this case probably does more harm than good. But there is an issue worthy of discussion here if you can get past emotion and ideology (or theology, as the case might be).
Europe does have a low birth rate. In many countries, drastically low-- so low that in countries like Italy and Russia, the birthrate has dropped below the point mainstream demographers refer to as a "collapse" point. In Asia, Japan is moving in the same direction.
And that's not good. It's not good economically for the countries in question. Increases in productivity notwithstanding, the affluent social democracies of the late 20th Century simply are not sustainable with shrinking populations. You can cut back and live like Americans do for a while, with very low wages and few benefits or services. Eventually, that fails too.
And unless you adhere to the cultural self-loathing that so many denizens of SALON seem to, it's not good culturally or socially for the countries in question either. That's heresy on a website like SALON where multiculturalism isn't a descriptive word, but a goal and ideal to pursue above all others and at almost all costs; but true nonetheless.
European culture has instrinsic value (as does Japanese culture). No less than any Middle-Eastern, Latin American, African, or indiginous culture. And if the only response to declining population in the developed world is mass immigration, a type of cultural suicide will indeed result. Arguments for better assimilation policies are fine, and no doubt European countries can and should do more in this regard.
But the bottom line is that a very large percentage of Muslim immigrants to Europe--economic migrants, these are not primarily religious or political dissenters--have no wish to adopt enlightenment culture or values. These are also the most fertile immigrants. There will not be any smooth replacement of "white" Europeans with "brown" Europeans, all else being more or less consistent. The change will be cultural, and be dramatic. And thus do civilizations rise and fall.
I like to pose a question to friends who dismiss any concern about European demographics or show their outright zeal at the prospect of a white minority in Europe in, say, 100 years or so.
Citing some Native American tribes in the States and Canada (including arctic groups) with declining populations, dwindling langauges, etc., and facing cultural extinction in a few generations, I ask what measures they (my friends) would support to save these groups and their unique cultures and way of life. Of course, to a person, they agree with any suggestion I make-- stronger government efforts at cultural preservation, land reserves, linguistic measures, incentives to promote higher birthrates by making things easier for women and couples, etc. It's all good.
You get the point. Most liberals will agree with almost any measure to "protect" non-white nations, groups, cultures, from western encroachment; but if you reverse the dynamic, and ask why, for example, Finns--with their incredible language, fascinating history, but, alas, pale white skins-- should resign themselves to slow extinction, Shariah law, and mosques on Senate Square in Helsinki, you get blank stares or charges of racism and bigotry.
The double standard when discussing the intrinsic value of Europe remaining, well...Europe; that I just don't understand.
But to wrap up by tying this back to feminism-- while there are many complex, interrelated factors that contribute to Europe's demographic woes, there's no doubt some of the things the conservative Christians cite are a part of the dynamic. Recognizing that doesn't mean you're advocating kicking women back into the kitchen or rolling back gains in economic, political, social, and sexual equality. But it might help in actually discussing the larger issue rather than dismissing it as bigotry. Biology may be destiny. Demographics certainly are.
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Reply to Kaleun
[Read the article: Memo from U.S. Christian conservatives to Europeans: Have more babies!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]My friend, I can't speak for others whose remarks you addressed, but as for myself-- you might wish to be more circumspect when commenting upon where and whom your online interlocutors are. Your youth and inexperience are showing. Now it's my turn to make an assumption, but I'll wager-- high school or college student, right?
Sorry to rib you, and my apologies if I'm wrong, but you're mistaken about my alleged ignorance of conditions in Europe. I have lived in Europe for many years and was drawn to comment on this thread precisely because I was directly involved in efforts of EU countries to develop policies aimed at promoting better assimilation of Muslim immigrants.
Your remarks about Turks in Germany are valid, but they chiefly apply to a narrow segment of Muslims in Europe-- Turks whose antecedents came to Germany from a more secular Turkey during a very different time.
Unfortunately, the trend in Europe today seems to be pointing in a different direction. The riots in France in 2006 are the most visible manifestation of what law enforcement and social workers in many different EU cities deal with every day-- poverty, alienation, and disenchantment in growing ethnic "enclaves" from "Londonistan" to Paris to Copenhagen to Amsterdam. And that doesn't even take into account the bloody Balkans conflict with non-immigrant European Muslims that has finally culminated just two days ago with an independent Muslim Kosovo!
European governments deserve their share of blame, but in the end, these growing communities have little incentive to become 'western.' The cultural and religious distance is just too great for too many. Not for all-- but for too many.
That's the challenge Europe faces, my friend. And in my own opinion, Europeans not having babies for whatever reasons and continued mass migration from the Muslim world to the EU will only exacerbate existing problems.
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Yes, Pretty Trite
[Read the article: The best-laid plans]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]But as long as the book has photos...if you follow me....I'm so there.