Haya El Nasser analyzes some just released Census data in this morning’s USA Today and offers up this stunner:
Today, while 19.9% of Americans over 65 are racial minorities, 48.3% of kids under age 5 are.
Now imagine the complexion of this country 40 years from now, when (most of) those older folks are gone and (most of) those youngsters are in charge.
To the point, Dan. Precisely why we’ve got to revamp our educational model to stop paying lip service to diversity and start actually appreciating it and letting cultural diffusion run its natural course.
Geoffrey Greer
http://geoffreygreer.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/diversity-v-acculturation/#more-6
Are you familiar with the book “Boom, Bust, and Echo,” by David Foot? In it, he argues that 2/3 of anything can be explained by demographics. Very interesting analyses in there if you get the chance to read it.
In 40 years most of those older adults, some of whom are racially motivated, will also be gone– but not their kids. What a challenge for the educational community– to teach those kids that society as a whole will prosper if diversity is embraced– regardless of what they hear at home.
At what point do they lose their minority status and become Americans?
@Edward — Uh, everyone we’re talking about here is an American.
@Julie — Don’t know that book. I’ll check it out.
@Fred – diversity is more than embraced, it’s become routine in many places. I live in Fairfax County, VA, near DC, and my son’s kindergarten has middle America white kids, Sikh kids, black kids, Korean kids, Pakistani kids, Salvadoran kids, you name it. It’s not a question of having a special program anymore to learn about other ethnic groups, it’s part of recess, lunch, kickball, riding the school bus, etc.
The implications of this trend are already being felt politically. No one has become more afraid of old white guys than the GOP. They’re doing all they can to hype Nikki Haley and Marco Rubio, and were doing the same with Bobby Jindal before he bombed on national TV last year.
Amazing how the tides turn. I’m looking forward to a world where perhaps “minority”, when used in reference to race, can become obsolete.
Hey Dan –
Short, sweet, and informative. Thanks for sharing!
Looking forward,
Jonathan Flaks
spice of life,most kids that are born in u.s today are as American as apple pie,regardless of their back ground,color,etc…my kids are born here,and love this country,and not much love for our(parents country)so relax,things are going to even get better!don’t close the borders just because you or your parents made it here before the next person,get on with your life.