I wholly anticipated that my proclamation that I am a culturalist would cause some to unfairly label me as a bigot who would advocate exclusion based on race, national origin, color and religion. I would not. Nevertheless, I still will not shy away from this nettlesome subject which many think about and that many more confuse with issues of race, national origin and religion. To the contrary, the argument that some cultural influences are corrosive, has nothing to do with race or religion.
Unfortunately, this issue is avoided due to the ignorance-is-bliss pall that undue political correctness throws over necessary introspection and deliberation into culture and its consequences. In this void, many groups, no matter what belief system, ideology or theology they devise, are allowed to label anyone an intolerant bigot should they dare subject their culture and its ideology to any serious criticism--especially if due to coincidence their culture allegedly originates under the umbrella of some well recognized world religion, a particular geographic location or are made up predominately of one race.
Let me reiterate that I do not believe that dangerous cultural ideas and influences are endemic to a particular race, religion or geographical location. However, just as the rotation, axis, atmospheric composition and geographic configuration of the earth tend to produce predictable weather patterns in particular areas, likewise cultures produce societal "weather" patterns, including peace and prosperity or war and poverty. "Culture," in this context, does not mean the manners and artistic expressions of a country, race or religion, it means "the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another," "a particular form or stage of civilization . . . " and "the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic or age group. . . " (Webster's American Dictionary 2000).
Nor do I speak of an "Hispanic," "Islamic," or "American" culture as suggested by an anonymous commentator to this blog. Delineating specific cultures is similar to geographically demarcating watersheds. Just as some watersheds nest one within another, some are isolated pockets and basins big and small, and some encompass massive areas in which one branch of a particular watershed is polluted and turbid bearing no resemblance to another branch of that same watershed that is clean and clear, so it is with cultures. There is a World, a Christian, and a US culture, etc. Nested within them like matryoshkas, are myriad cultures. Some with close affinity and some standing isolated and separate like salty dead sea basins. The "drug cartel culture" does not necessarily have anything to do with "Hispanic culture," and it has no connections to race. However, its appearance where ever it resides is not an accident--societies and their culture or cultures cannot divorce themselves from the reality that they may have responsibility for the emergence, survival and propagation of corrupt sub cultures.
Unfortunately, people from particular cultures, like acolytes of organized religions, may swear that theirs is a model of perfection. However, given the current status of humanity, I would venture to state that no culture is without its warts. And, since I can do so without being called a bigot (since I am part of it), I will assert that US culture, with all its qualities, is prone to escapism, excessive materialism, addiction and arrogant bellicosity. Because of these tendencies, it too bears responsibility for the drug cartels that are funded by American addicts. And herein lies the challenge and the difficulty, some cultures, due to the collective sum of their parts, tend to create certain types of predictable societal weather. The trick is to intelligently analyze these tendencies and proclivities and to root out the abhorrent cultural influences while retaining that which is a beneficial and good. Having made that declaration, let me invite others to either tout their perfect culture or critique its imperfections.
This is important because it is only when those virtues and vices are identified that a more rational discussion can be engaged in on how to encourage the development of positive cultural influences and how to resist those influences that are corrosive. While I do not advocate the suppression and censorship of the free discussion of ideas and ideologies within the United States and elsewhere, I submit that it is appropriate for our country to first completely secure our borders to prevent entry to the undocumented (yes I know there are many of you here and most of you are good people) and second to bar those adherents of ideologies that are inimical to our democratic system.
For instance, an acquaintance of mine and an American citizen that I admire believes that the best form of government would be a theocracy such as it exists in some areas of the world. He should never be thwarted from advocating and discussing this position. Hopefully though, through the power of vigorous debate, he and those of similar bent will be persuaded that theocracies lead to tyranny. On the other hand, not only should we ensure that those requesting asylum to reside here understand what our constitution says but we should strive to ensure they understand what it means.
We believe, as Americans, that all men should be allowed to follow the religion of his or her choice. While we may debate were the boundaries of church and state should lie, there is no room for the adherents of cultures that would supplant our civil government with a theocracy. Hence, if you are a foreigner who desires to install your Pope, your Iman, your Bishop or your Prophet as both the supreme religious leader and ruler of this country in order to create a theocracy, you should not be allowed citizenship. Such an ideology is as dangerous, if not more, to our liberty as would be an invading army assaulting our shores to impose a dictatorship and should be repelled at any and all costs. If on the other hand, you are arriving here with the intent to follow your conscious and live in tolerant peace and harmony with others who follow a different faith, then you have a right to call yourself an American.
So, I reiterate, I am a culturalist. I believe that we Americans should carefully consider which cultural influences are compatible with our way of life and which are not. I am not advocating a religious, race, color or national origin litmus test. I am suggesting that citizenship be awarded to those possessing an understanding and affinity to our way of life. Upon reaching a consensus thereon, we should bar citizenship to those advocating cultural ideologies that are adverse to the principles of freedom, democracy, liberty and the rule of law.
Loren M. Lambert (c)
August 11, 2008
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