Samuel Huntington: anti-immigrant; pro-Kerry

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

NY Times Magazine, May 2, 2004
QUESTIONS FOR SAMUEL P. HUNTINGTON
Three Cheers for Assimilation
Interview by DEBORAH SOLOMON

Q: Your new book, ''Who Are We? The Challenges to America's National
Identity,'' suggests that Hispanic immigrants are undermining the greatness
of the United States.

A: Over 50 percent of the immigrants coming into the country are Hispanic,
from Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America. And about half of the people
coming into the country speak a single, non-English language. That is
totally unprecedented.

Q: Some of us find it surprising that a man like yourself, a Harvard
professor and an eminent political scientist, would see the trend toward
bilingualism as such a threat.

A: There are perfectly decent, responsible, democratic countries, like
Canada and Belgium, that are bilingual. But that does create its own
distinctive set of problems.

(clip)

Q: What political party do you belong to?

A: I'm an old-fashioned Democrat. I was dead-set against us going into Iraq.

Q: Will you vote for Kerry, then?

A: Oh, yeah. I've met him several times. He lives a few blocks away from me
on Beacon Hill.

Q: How can you reconcile being a Democrat with your views on immigration
and assimilation?

A: Actually, both parties are divided on immigration. And as a scholar I
have a responsibility to study society and try to call people's attention
to things they might not welcome looking at.

full: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/02/magazine/02QUESTIONS.html


Louis Proyect
Marxism list: www.marxmail.org