Theodore Dalrymple thinks Muslim immigrants are polluting Europe's culture

To be filed under the soon-to-be created "truly disappointing" archive section of this blog is Theodore Dalrymple’s lead essay in the latest Cato Unbound thread: “Is Old Europe Doomed?”

On Cato’s behalf, I will take the liberty of stating that any views expressed by their guest blogger do not necessarily represent the views of the Cato Institute or its illustrious staff. (Interns included, of course.)

I state this disclaimer because I think that, despite his otherwise sound economic musings, Mr. Dalrymple is on to something dangerous and stupid. Some selected quotes:

But there are other threats to Europe. The miserabilist view of the European past, in which achievement on a truly stupendous scale is disregarded in favor of massacre, oppression and injustice, deprives the population of any sense of pride or tradition to which it might contribute or which might be worth preserving. This loss of cultural confidence is particularly important at a time of mass immigration from very alien cultures, an immigration that can be successfully negotiated . . . only if [Europeans] believe themselves to be the bearers of cultures into which immigrants wish, or ought to wish, to integrate, assimilate, and make their own.

In the absence of any such belief, there is a risk that the only way in which people inhabiting a country will have anything in common is geographical; and civil conflict is the method in which they will resolve their [differences.]

Now pause. Breathe that in. It’s a wordy way of saying: Europeans are so (needlessly) ashamed of their culture they’re running a dangerous risk of not assimilating immigrants into it. Dalrymple goes on:

This is particularly true when immigrants are in possession, as they believe, of a unique and universal truth, such as Islam in its various forms often claims to be.

So, if you let Muslims live among you, you’re asking for trouble. Why? Is it because their religion is monolithic and stupid? Indeed it is. Oh – okay, got it. Any solutions in sight, Mr. Dalrymple? Well, maybe one:

If the host nation is so lacking in cultural confidence that it does not even make familiarity with the national language a condition of citizenship (as has been until recently the case in Great Britain), it is hardly surprising that integration does not proceed very far.

Ohhhhh. . . of course! Let everybody know that the language of their ancestral home is as pitiful as their religion. Forget that it’s immensely profitable (in both economic and social terms) for immigrants to learn European languages. Profit alone clearly isn’t sufficing to make them more like us. We should really force our language on them too.

Cough. Cough. Sputter. Gag.

For a fella that Cato’s hosting, this really disappoints.

In (gracious) fairness to Dalrymple, he places much of the blame for European malaise on inflexible labor markets, rigid regulations, and the like.

But the fact that he spends so much ink (er - electrons) discussing how Muslim immigrants are "destroying" European culture . . . it pleases me not at all. It's not so much that he hasn't got his finger on something. I mean, there is widespread unrest among the largely North African immigrant suburbs of Paris, and Muslim Europe is, by and large, poorer and less well educated than Christian Europe. But his explanations are frankly skewed. To hear Dalrymple tell it, you'd think that these Muslims would be ruining Europe under any econcomic circumstances. That any culture (I'm tempted to say "race," but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt) that doesn't have enough pride in itself to fend off those of the barbarian hordes in its midst hardly deserves to continue.

If I may go down on record before any Cato blogger does, I'd like to say that Mr. Dalrymple is talking rubbish and that there is no reason Muslim culture can't contribute to Europe in its own right - undiluted, proud, and vibrant. No assimilation programs necessary. No need for bleach-blonding. Just Muslim culture, as it is. (Pardon the sweeping generalities.)

Period.

I'm sorry that men like Dalrymple mix with Cato scholars, even on a blog where his views will no doubt soon be rebuffed. I'm sure that most classical liberals wouldn't share his views, but the fact that we're even taking him seriously rather bothers me.
For further reading by reasonable (and Muslim) minds, see here.