In recent years, I’ve had several occasions to go to Norway, and a visit to that country will make you think about immigration, assimilation, and all that jazz. So will a visit to Holland, for example. Anyway, I returned from Norway a couple of days ago.
While there, I thought of something Mark Steyn said — one of his greatest Broadway analogies ever. Some people think that a new Europe will be essentially like a cast change of Hello, Dolly! You may remember the “black Hello, Dolly!” (starring the great Pearl Bailey). Sure, the cast was of a different color. The show had a different flavor. But it was still Hello, Dolly!
Will Europe be that way? Will Norway still be Norway, only in hijab?
I think of the blessedly candid remarks made by Andrew Neather, that Labour-party figure in Britain. He said that a policy of mass immigration was intended “to change the face of Britain forever.” He also said that this policy was meant “to rub the Right’s nose in diversity and render their arguments out of date.”
Okay. This brings me to American politics of the moment: President Obama is apparently planning big immigration changes after the congressional elections. He will effect these changes by executive order. I think it’s perfectly kosher to ask him and the Democrats right now, before November 4, “What exactly do you guys intend? What kind of America do you want?”
I don’t think that raising such concerns makes you a Klansman. And if they tell you you are, tell them to stuff it.