For many years, Europe has been engaged in the dangerous experiment of multiculturalism, a social theory that seeks diversity at any cost. At the heart of multiculturalism is relativism, the idea that there is no objective truth. In such a society, one set of beliefs and opinions are considered just as valid as another and there is no attempt to find truth in any matter because someone will be offended. Multiculturalism is not only intellectually dangerous. As this video shows, the ramifications of rampant multiculturalism threaten lives, communities, and even the identity of a nation.
The situation described in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3YQANdvvbY), which is emblematic of most of Europe, is a result of the reality that Muslim immigrants in Europe have not assimilated into European society because multiculturalism proclaims that their culture has just as much right to be present as the historic culture of the area. Thus, there is no reason for immigrants to assimilate into the dominant national culture, as it would be an affront and an offense to them. The secular, progressive European vision of multiculturalism has created a society divided along the lines of Muslims and non-Muslims. The 2005 French riots and the 2005 Dutch cartoon incident show the dangerous consequences of multiculturalism. Might these tensions erupt into an even greater conflict or civil war?
An even more alarming effect of multiculturalism in Europe has been the loss of European and Western culture and identity. The relativism that underlies multiculturalism is actually hostile to Europe’s Christian heritage and rich identity. Thus, we find that in the culture, Europe has all but lost it Christian identity and tradition. Furthermore, when this multiculturalism is codified in social policy, we get the immigration situation that currently exists in Europe: not only are Muslims not assimilated into European culture, they are quickly outnumbering native Europeans because Muslim families are having several children while European birth rates struggle to even meet the replacement rate of two (2 children). European culture is, therefore, literally dying out.
This critical situation in Europe should alarm us as Americans for a number of reasons. First, we are the inheritors of and partakers in the great European Judeo-Christian tradition. The time may come when America is the last bastion of the great Western tradition and identity. Furthermore, America must ensure that, in welcoming immigrants, she promotes assimilation into the American culture to ever enlarge and enrich the great “melting pot” that is America. In doing so, America must resist the pull of rampant, secular, relativistic multiculturalism. It is ultimately a matter of the continued survival of Western civilization.
