Agreed. If one wants to be hired, then one must make some effort to conform to the group/employer norms.... doesn't have to be a complete compliance, but certainly workplace dress and behavior that are not disruptive are essential. Not speaking the common language would seem to be a huge barrier to finding good employment, and not teaching the family to speak the common language just pushes poverty to the next generation.

I think requiring immigrants to learn the language and a little about their new country's history and culture is a reasonable thing to do.... because it helps the immigrant to prosper in their new country.

Social forces push us toward group norms. Group norms may change over time as new cultures are brought into the group, and over time we all adjust to the new norms. I think it is a healthy process and a natural one.

"You! You are not American (or Canadian) ENOUGH! Adjust your attitudes! Stop doing the thing that you were brought up doing."

How would you feel if someone said that to you? How is this contention compatible with the "freedom" in America?

America: land of the free (but only within certain defined parameters). Is that what you're saying?

I have always suspected that people are much more "culturalist" than racist. A black man in a suit with a local accent will be accepted more readily than a street kid (of any colour) in street clothes, or a foreigner with non-Western clothes and an unfamiliar accent.
It's no coincidence that the words "strange" and "stranger" are related.

Perhaps I wasn't clear, my point is that perhaps you should read the persons resume and talk to them about their qualifications. If they're qualified, hire them, if not, then don't. Don't let pre-existing prejudices cloud your judgement.

Couldn't have said it better myself, I've noticed the same thing. I knew a guy who was from Japan, 100% genetically Japanese, but was raised in America with a perfect American accent and all the cultural trimmings of an American. My mind never thought "foreigner" when I looked at him, because he was in the same cultural group as I was. I don't know if this will always be the case, but it was that time...

@Kyd -- We're just arguing over the definition of "patriotism", that's all. If you're willing to accept that your country may have problems, and if you're willing to be part of the solution, then I have no quarrel with you.

PS -- And just for fun:

Is it just me, or did the song "Know Your Enemy" from RATM just start in the background :D.

Seriously though, freedom has always been limited. For example, I am not free to plant a bomb in my apartment complex and then reduce that complex and it's occupants to dust (never mind the fact that I have no desire to do this either, just follow me for a second.) I'm not free to do this because it's impinging on someone else's basic rights to life, liberty and property (as the original saying goes.)

Yeah, it's a very extreme example, but it illustrates an important point. We are not free to do things that might impinge on someone else's rights. Here's where things get reeaaalllly tricky. Which rights are more important? Suddenly we're into a bunch of shades of grey, eh?

I'm not really commenting on what you said per se, I just wanted to point out that rights are infringed on quite often. So cut the hyperbole, k? The issue at hand is what rights need to be respected (the right to be a certain race without consequence), and which should be disregarded (the right to discriminate based on race.)

PPS -- I just can't seem to stop:

Just playing devils advocate: What if they don't care to succeed in their new culture? Maybe they just moved up to be with that friend they grew up with and can't imagine being away from. Maybe succeeding in the new culture isn't important to them in the slightest. Do we need to force them to be successful?

I absolutely agree that the notion of freedom is massively over-hyped, and every right has limitations on it -- speech, bearing arms, privacy, etc.
Let's not forget that the Plymouth Brethren left England to found a new colony not because they were being persecuted; but rather because they wanted somewhere where only their values were in effect!!

I visited my sister who lives in a small town in New England. The local bookshop had a "festival" celebrating books that had been "banned" in the US.
(I'm not sure of the details, it may be that they were considered controversial and someone called for them to be banned, rather than actually banning, I don't know.)
They included childrens books like "James and the Giant Peach"...!!! As I read down the list, I couldn't think of a reason why half of them might cause a problem. I do know that Harry Potter was thought to encourage witchcraft in some quarters.

I don't get the deal with "The Catcher in the Rye", either. The guy who shot Lennon (or was it Reagan?) said "I am the Catcher in the Rye of my generation". But what if he had said "I am the Oliver Twist of my generation"?

Sorry, this is all purely "academic" ramblings and observations. I mean no disrespect. There are obviously many great things about the US (and every other nation for that matter). Equally, I could go on about curious things in the UK or other places I've lived.

Another note on conformity -- it's funny that teenage groups like Goths, Hippies, etc, which aspire to be as non-conformist as possible, often end up being very conformist themselves -- very similar clothing, hair, music tastes, etc. In other words: there's nothing more conformist than a non-conformist!

Strangely, on the topic of freedom, Hydro One is onto Time-Per-Use billing, which means there are peak hours that you pay a lot more to use. Gee Thanks, whatever happened to freedom?

The OP was about Germany though we (I) have used US norms and experiences as an analogy. The issue in Germany seems to be a large number of immigrants moved there, in Merkel's view, to take advantage of their social welfare system and have no intent to become productive citizens or melt into the general population, or even learn the language.

The implication is this is hurting the productivity of the nation and is a drain on resources. If Germany says this is not cultural bias, then I guess we have to take their word for it.

Assuming that is true, then would it not make sense to curtail immigrants moving there for that purpose and encourage the ones already there to become more productive.... as in pay their share of the taxes?

In Jay's example of moving somewhere to be near a loved one, great with me as long as the taxpayers don't have to support them.

Feel free, all, to throw rocks at American freedoms and the pledge of allegiance and other acts of patriotism. We are not perfect and our history is full of examples of errors and miscalculations. Still, on the issue of immigration I would suggest we have one of the most liberal immigration policies of any nation on earth.... currently and historically.

As for illegal immigrants, let's be honest here.... we pretty much turn a blind eye to that at least until there is a problem. A lot of rhetoric, but in the end we do little or nothing to stop it. Many schools run bi-lingual programs. I think English as a Second Language programs are available throughout the US. We have Spanish only TV and radio stations. We are one of the most tolerant, most diverse nations on the planet.

So, yup, I am proud to be an American. And my personal opinion is that immigrants should learn to be Americans, too.... and if they are not interested in doing that they should look elsewhere for a new home.

Mmm... It can be a dangerous assumption, but sure. I mean, paying taxes is the very minimum one has to do in my opinion.

For the sake of historical perspective, the same thing was said about many cultural sub groups in the run up to WWII. People will use any excuse to paint a terrible picture of their enemies, even if the information itself isn't true.

The lesson that we needed to learn historically was to always check the facts in these cases and never turn a blind eye. So...yeah, I guess we should do some fact checking then...

Every modernized country has strict immigration laws. You think the USA is tough? Look at the EU. I have tried to legally get a job in the EU for years now. I figure I could get a job in the UK and work there and then travel Europe for several years while I work out of the UK. I have gotten a few responses on applications but only because the HR person failed to recognize the fact that on my resume it says I live in the USA.

This is because all developed countries have great social programs compared to other less developed countries. Poor people in America live like rich people in some countries. It is true the immigrants do come to developed countries to take advantage of such programs. It is true that they send money they make out of the country. However, I think the numbers used to voice thoughts against immigration are usually skewed to more of a fear mongering tactic than valid data.

Furthermore, there are some people who immigrate into other countries and then have the audacity to request the current government adapt to their way of life and culture. The people who move out of the Middle East and try to get countries like England to adopt Sharia is just asinine in my opinion. A free nation should not have any religious based legislation or be influenced by any given religion.

These examples are isolated and the exception in some cases. However, there is no such thing as a free lunch to quote Robert Hienlein. Meaning if you come to a particular country, or are even born into a particular country that has such great social programs for everyone you have to work and pay your taxes. That is how it works, period.

I think at times the world has become so PC that we are constantly walking on egg shells to even have a basic conversation. When in reality people are generally just happy to be doing whatever it is they do. I eat at a lot of ethnic restaurants. Vietnamese, Lebanese, Greek, Italian, Moroccan, Israeli, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Mexican, Spanish, German, and so forth. All the places I go to are generally run by the ethnicity of the food they serve. The middle eastern place I eat at, which as the best falafel ever, their whole family is from Lebanon. I have eaten there enough I have gotten to know a few and they know what I like to eat there. I almost always get the pita kabob. I chat with the, the lady who runs the place shows me her art work she has hanging up on the walls. They own a market next to the café and they have this guy who sells like every spice known to man. They are happy to be here, they don't press their beliefs on anyone, they pay their taxes and own their own business and their food is damn delicious.

I don't really think people care about culture until it is shoved in your face. Much like religion. Most people just want to get along on their day and not have any trouble. There are ignorant people in the world and they tend to voice their opinions louder than the educated, I mean look at the tea party movement for example.

That's basically what a Chinese friend had to prove before he could get his wife here (Aus.) from Hong Kong. Took him three years of bureaucracy to be reunited.

When it comes to migration I don't have a problem unless it's for the purposes of cultural expansionism. Still I guess that's pretty much the history of the world right there. Cultures rise and fall with civilisations.

Exactly so. This is the deep seated fear that goes unspoken in the debate. Those who write immigration laws, those in power, and by and large the voters who put them there kind of like things the way they are. They are most wary of a large influx of immigrants with a very different culture and who refuse to assimilate into the larger group.

It could mean the end of their culture if allowed to go unchecked.

The numbers are staggering in the US, with the current majority projected to become the minority within a generation.

Something more moderate is what I meant; In China, for example, folks hawk and spit in the street all the time -- it's "normal". In Eastern Canada, that's offensive and in some cities it's actually against the law. Integration involves learning not to do those things you might have been brought up doing when you discover that they offend the locals.

I have had it said to me. I returned to Canada after 22 years in the US and was frequently told I was acting too "American" when I was outspoken.

Of course. It was ever thus. We all have "defined parameters".

In my case it's not culture per se, it's much more level of education.

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I think everyone should live in a different country for a while, or at least go on an extensive journey abroad. It is enriching (I would say essential) to be able to see yourself and your own culture from outside.

Lacking this perspective, lacking a multicultural experience, it is more difficult to truly know our own culture – and ourselves. Anyways, that’s my 2 øre. ;)
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Quite. As Rudyard Kipling put it:

"What do they know of England, who only England know?"

Interesting that ArcticStones' observation even seems to apply in cases like mine; sort of half American, half Canadian. Even in that Northeastern chunk of America I've lived and worked in I certainly recognize very different cultures.

1937 - 1955: New York City
1955 - 1963: Halifax, Nova Scotia
1963 - 1984: Buffalo, NY & Cambridge, MA
1984 - 2010: Halifax, NS.

I can easily recognize folks from any of those places after they've said only a few key words.