EL DORADO HILLS, California Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) took a strong stand against multiculturalism at a town hall meeting, arguing that immigrants need to shed their culture, become the American race, and if theyre unwilling to do so, reevaluate whether they want to be in this country in the first place.
Fielding questions about immigration reform, McClintock told the audience on Tuesday evening that he worries current generations of immigrants arent assimilating like in the past but instead retaining the culture from their native land. Theres only one race here, its the American race, he implored to constituents.
McCLINTOCK: Interestingly, that provision for patriotic integration is missing from the Senate legislation. The motto of this country is e pluribus unum, and one of its meanings is from many nations, one nation, the American nation. Theres only one race here, its the American race. And the only way you accomplish that is through assimilation. That is what our immigration laws are designed to promote, and that is precisely what illegal immigration undermines.
After the event, Emmanuel Perez, a Latino man from nearby Auburn, questioned McClintock directly about what it means to be American. People bring their cultures and their personalities with them, which makes this country stronger, Perez argued.
McClintock vehemntly disagreed, accusing proponents of multiculturalism of wanting to divide America into warring factions separated by culture, by language, by attitude. If immigrants arent willing to shed their past culture, said McClintock, then perhaps that is natures way of telling you that, maybe, you should reevaluate your options.
ThinkProgress spoke with Perez after the event, who was disappointed in the congressmans remarks. Were not all the same, Perez said. I believe in the American dream, but his view isnt my vision of the American dream.
