[Or, to be shorter-winded, chaos isn't an inevitable consequence of immigration, and there are social gains as well as social costs.]
Yeah, but Betsy, you're talking about dusky people who believe in all kinds of outlandish deities and spice their food with saffron and equally subversive ingredients.
(also a bit bitter)
(perhaps atop of Canada, considering their current shameless lack of pandering to their illustrious neighbour)
A few months ago I read some right-wing Canadian pundit (Yes, we have them too. Sigh.) go on about how Canada has to choose whether it will follow the U.S. or follow Europe. He was very huffy about the need to keep the U.S. happy and very dismissive about liberal "European" values.
Digression 1: Why does Canada have to follow someone. Can't we be our own damned country?
Digression 2: Wasn't the U.S. originally designed to be the most liberal country on earth? What happened to that? Why do people assume that Europe is liberal, what with the rise of anti-Semitism and all?
Anyhow, shortly after that column was published, Canada's Supreme Court made its interesting gay marriage ruling. I am crossing my fingers for minimal backlash, both within and without Canada.