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July 17, 2003
In an earlier post Heart of the nation I argued that Australian conservatism, in recoiling from multiculturalism, was committed to assimilation as a mode of governing the nation. Assimilation here stands for the customs, habits, values and beliefs of an Anglo-Australia that sees itself as running the state. They govern the country. This is an ethnic conception of assimilation and it's mode of governance requires cultural homogeneity.
And liberals? Where do they stand on the nation? Where do they stand on national identity of immigrants? Should they---Arab Muslems--- take on Australian national identity as of a way of being loyal? Clearly they need to have a national identity as they are citizens of Australia and not stateless persons. But what sort of attachment to the country is required by liberals when Australia is threatened by international terrorism?
For instance, should Arab Muslems assimilate? Is there a liberal nationalism?
Liberals would say that the basic liberal principle of equal concern and respect for everybody is what is important here. Individual liberty is the touchstone. So those who want to assimilate to the culture of Anglo Australia should be allowed to; all public policies designed to frustrate these desires or preferences would be regarded as improper interference by the state.
But what about those Arab Muslems who do not want to assimilate; who desire to affirm their difference and to be both Arab and Muslem? Whould they not be seen as disloyal?Would they not be discriminated against for public office---joining ASIO or ONA----on the grounds that they cannot be trusted. They may have formal and informal conections to sleeper cells planted by international terrorists.
Would not this be an ethnically-based discrimination?
So what is required by liberal reason to ensure the governance of the population? One thing that is required to ensure that citizens have a sense of belonging to a polity. How is that done? What are the mechanisms to ensure this?
The short and quick answer is that liberals are also committed to assimilation. Arab Muslems immigrant are required, as citizens, to assimilate to the liberal values of the nation (equal treatment, separation of church and state, individual liberty etc). Though they see the conservative conception of assimilation as bad they hold that their conception of assimilation to liberal values is good. This civic nationality is required by the liberal state.
to be continued.
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