Have you read the book While Europe Slept about Muslim immigration in Europe?

Asked by JLeslie (65446) November 20th, 2015 from iPhone

What did you think about it?

I haven’t read it, but someone mentioned it to me. They said it argues the mix of Europe’s PC attitudes to respect other people’s cultures and language, along with the Europeans’ superiority complex, means new immigrants don’t assimilate. By contrast America wants conformity and assimilation, even though we also try to respect traditions and culture. I’m an American, we certainly don’t do things perfectly, but we do have a history of the melting pot, and by the third generation people are usually very Americanized.

Does Europe handle new immigrants very differently than America as a society? Do you think over time Europe will be in worse shape because of it? I know we can’t generalize all of Europe as one block, because each country I’m sure has its own laws and attitudes, but it was interesting to me that possibly the Americans who can seem so intolerant by wanting people to learn English and dress in a conforming way, are also helping immigrants not be marginalized, and maybe helping society and the world in the long run.

Is the American melting pot better at preventing citizens from turning into radical terrorists? We certainly have some here in America. We also have a lot of anti-Muslim talk, which I think is awful and probably creates more antagonism.

Europeans: what is the attitude towards new immigrants in general? Do you find it offensive to expect immigrants to conform culturally? I’m not just talking about Arab Muslims, I mean all
immigrants. Everything from language, clothing, even restrictions on girls and women? Do you think the law and cultural norms of a country trump any religious freedom or cultural differences arguments?