You keep saying "integrate!!!" as if that is the solution to the problem. It's not. You have to understand that subsequent generations of immigrants, the ones who are born and raised in Germany, are quite well integrated.
Little Istanbul... aka Berlin is not what you would call integrated. Did you happen to see the soccer game between Germany and Turkey, where the Germans were foreigners in their own state capital? That's a pretty accurate snapshot.
They speak without an accent, they are immersed in the local culture.
ROTFLOL... see Der Spiegel above and... Try again.
Yet that is STILL not enough for them to be considered equalsto "real Germans".
This debate began with Sarrazin, followed up by Seehofer, with Merkel recently at bat has come about because these folks haven't integrated.
This is not specific to Germany. It happens all over Western Europe to some degree or another. Even in France or Switzerland, where immigrants are pretty much forced to integrate and learn the language if they want to be able to function in society at all, they're still considered "étrangers", "Ausländer", guest workers the natives put up with because they do the jobs no one else wants to do.
I know it's not specific to Germany; it runs from Stockholm to Sicily, Amsterdam to Klagenfurt. If you want to stay, if you want to shake the handle... then integrate. As stated before; if someone of color has problems... after integrating... are you saying these folks are racists?
Immigrants who make the effort to fully integrate into their new country are STILL not accepted. It's still not good enough. Do you have any idea how damaging that is?
You can integrate and not be a citizen, and fight for citizenship. What is damaging to their cause is not integrating; it causes resentment among the homegrown nationals.
Many immigrants do their part and assimilate completely. It's time governments start doing their part too and help them with the integration process and simplify the path to citizenship as much as possible, instead of making it harder or next to impossible as is still too often the case.
You site citizenship as a necessity to integration; I don't see it that way. And I don't believe citizenship should be easy.
It works both ways. There has to be some give and take or it's never going to work.
No, no, no. There need be assimilation, integration... first. Then thoughts about citizenship. The government need not give. First assimilate, and then we'll talk. Just like securing the borders in the US; first secure the borders, then we'll talk about what to do with the illegal mass that remains.
We'll end up with frustrated and dejected youths, just like the young French Muslims, who are made to feel like second class citizens in their own freaking country.
The French Muslims. How well have they integrated? They've had a half century... how well have they integrated? Mind you... the government tried with their Super Ghetto Projects, just as they did in the US... and all started well... but a short number of years later, government's do-gooder plan evolved into hell holes. In the US we tear them down, illustrating what a failure it is for government to stick their noses in such business.
The solution is easy. Integrate... first.
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