Qian

 

By Adem Ozoor

estern countries do have
an international reputation
regarding immigration and

multiculturalism. According to. the
contemporary norm of these societies,
it is beneficial to have a multicultural
society for various reasons. However,
according to the German chancellor
Angela Merkel, “multiculturalism has
failed in Germany, utterly failed.”

The reason is immigrants,
particularly Muslims, are failing
to integrate into the society. What
is meant by the term integrate is
learning the German language, abiding
by German laws, and respecting
contemporary German fundamental
norms. It doesn’t sounds like too
much to ask, but is Germany really not
asking too much of these immigrants?

Regarding its “western” and

  
   

bread on their tables.
The truth is both the German
government and the immigrants
are at fault in this situation. For the
German government, it must have
more tolerance for foreign cultures.
The blunt reason is these immigrants
are taking on roles that the average
German thinks “I am too good for”
and is certainly not willing to do. Such

Perhaps a second time around?

16

 

“modern” reputation, Germany

(like Eastern countries) has ethnic
culture values that are centuries if
not thousands of years old. Germans
do enjoy their cultural values just as
much as any other ethnic group in the
world. So the question is, if Germans
want to enjoy their cultural values
and fundamental norms, why are they
accepting immigrants - especially those
of completely different cultures?

The only reason is declining
birthrates. The population of Germany
is declining, leaving a population
deficit in terms or the working
class. Therefore, Germany brings in
immigrants to handle particularly
lower end jobs that not many Germans
enjoy doing.

While it may sound like
immigrants are saving Germany’s
economy, this isn’t what most Germans
feel today. Many feel the country is
being overturned by immigrants and
many share strong sentiments that
immigrants are living off welfare and
not respecting the culture - especially
by refusing to learn German. While
these sentiments are commonly
shared throughout Western Europe,
immigrants feel discriminated and
discouraged to play a role in society
aside from working and putting

tasks include dish washing, cleaning,
taxi driving, and endless other low
end jobs. Another very important
thing Germans must accept and
always remember is they’re the ones
who’ ve opened their doors to these
immigrants. In absolutely no way is it
ethical to bring in foreigners to work
for and populate the German economy
and then have no tolerance for their
fundamental values. These immigrants
are literally brought in to fix the
country’s crisis.

Just because someone chooses to
immigrate to a country does not mean
they need to fully assimilate to the
country’s culture. If that were the case,
might as well bring out the bleach
and surgeons and physically make
immigrants look like Germans.

Germany should not take in any
immigrants if she can’t live up to the
standards of multiculturalism. Before
Germans complain about immigrants
and how they are overturning German
society, they first need to remember
these immigrants were brought in to
repair the country. Also, when people
come to a country, they bring their
culture with them. Therefore Germans
need to respect the fact that immigrants
are not obligated to assimilate their

 

culture simply because they are
working in Germany.

On the other hand, immigrants do
need to play a better role at integrating
into their new society. One is definitely
learning German. Because German
is the official language of Germany,
how else do they expect to operate in
Germany without a word of German?
If ethnic grocery stores and restaurant
owners wish to put up signs in their
ethnic language, they should make the
signs bilingual. That way Germans can
understand and at the same time enjoy
a taste of diversity. :

Enrolling their children in only
Islamic schools should be prohibited.
Sending children to Islamic schools
on weekends is fine but for fulltime
schooling they should be enrolled in
the German school system so they
can have a good understanding of the
society they live in. Religious laws in
the household also need to be toned
down. Young Muslims should be able
to befriend Europeans and get an
experience of European culture since
they are living on European soil. It is
absolutely ridiculous to isolate youths
from a society due to its religious
values that differentiate from the
household’s.

Because the issue of the failure
of multiculturalism in Germany is
not a new one, many wonder what
the solution will be. Germany cannot
play the fascistic card that was played
in France this year. That would be
defaming for Germany, especially
because Germany still carries stigmata
from World War II. At the same
time, there is a lot of stubbornness
in the society between Germans and
immigrants. It’s like they are both
standing their ground, with their fists
clenched, not willing to make any
changes. Where will this issue lead,
only time will tell.