One of the best things about immigration is that it infuses the diversity of external cultures into American culture. One of the worst things about immigration is that it infuses the diversity of external cultures into American culture.

In all of the Arab world, and in much of the larger Islamic world as well, democracy, freedom of speech and religion, and trial by jury are non-existent. Honor killings, laws demanding apostate executions, and compulsory masks for women persist. These are among the reasons why so many Islamic immigrants come to places like Dearborn, Michigan, Jersey City, New Jersey, and Lewiston, Maine. But as Middle Easterners become more like Americans, America risks becoming more like the Middle East.

The horrific murders of four members of a Coptic Christian family in Jersey City may turn out to be a robbery gone awry. Because several of the deceased were outspoken Christians living in a Muslim community, and because of the grisly manner in which they were killed, police are also exploring a more disturbing possibility: anti-Christian fanaticism fueled the murders.

In their piece on the family's funeral, the New York Times notes: "Muslims and Christians have a long and violent history in Egypt." Indeed they do, starting nearly fourteen centuries ago when Muslims killed or forcibly converted nearly everyone in the largely Christian land. The Copts, somehow, survived. The violent religious history continues to this day in Egypt, and perhaps as a result of anarchic immigration policies, in Jersey City too.

Did anybody expect anything different? Unlike immigrants of the latter part of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century who were so grateful to come to America that they learned the language, adopted local customs, adhered to our laws and were generally happy to meld into the landscape here, this new breed wants to live in America for all it’s worth but maintain the languages and customs of whence they came.

This truly sets them apart from the new world they live in and it doesn’t help that most of our new citizens are typically Third World émigrés which makes it even more prevalent that they will bond with their own groups and not try to assimilate due to vast differences in customs.

Europe is now learning this the hard way.

Our weak, vote pandering politicians refuse to set the necessary standards and enforce the ones we have so we continue to be a nation that is more and more internally divided.

I would have to offer a different opinion on this subject. I would say that the vast majority of Muslim Americans have adopted local laws, assimilated into local culture, learned the language, and are generally productive members of their community. I think what seperates this new breed of immigrants from, say, the Irish in the 19th century or the Italians who immigrated here, is that the Muslim culture tends to be more educated, wealthy, and secure in their identity; therefore the desire to be accepted as who they are is not intertwined with economic assimilation.

Of course there are extremists in the religion who are anti-American, as we would call it, but these are isolated incidents that do not reflect on the majority. When it comes down to it, the majority of problems when it comes to crime, murder, and so forth, still originate from African-Americans and Hispanics. I think the Muslim culture on the whole is based on good principles. I do not personally adhere to their beliefs, but looking at our domestic problems, I would wager to say that more religious-adhering citizens such as Muslims, Christians, and Jews tend to be more productive and law-abiding citizens. If they isolate themselves in certain parts of the country, it probably stems from an insecurity on their part; a fear of those who do not understand their culture and religion.

America is not becoming more Muslim. America is strong enough to encompass these cultures. As time goes by, Muslim Americans will not need to isolate themselves in compact communities, they are merly doing it now because of the fear of backlash from ignorant members of our society.

Finally, I do not think they are "ungrateful" to be here. How many muslims have you talked say they hate America? They have more freedom here, and are not oppressed by their governments. I would say they love America, but are still afraid of the unknown, and therefore tend to isolate themselves for security reasons.

The case I was making wasn’t specifically concerning our past and present Muslim population. They are just one of many of groups from many countries who come here and set up their own colonies and the overall issues don’t necessarily run along religious lines anyway.

In general, I think it’s true that the new breed of immigrant is different in how they look at living in this country than in previous waves. As this world and this country take on more of an international flair, there will be fewer reasons for these new populations to consider America ‘their’ country and home.

I don’t think this is good for the future of the U.S. and maybe France is on to something when they demand new immigrants to adopt their new culture and language, essentially forcing them to be completely introduced into French society.

What isn’t a generality is that all newcomers are better educated. Keep in mind, the whole world is better educated by degree now than it was 50 or 100 years ago, but as a diverse group of predominantly Third World peoples, there are many of whom that have come here that definitely are not as educated by the standards we would use here.

So, it is more likely that these days we are getting persons who will be a drain on our social systems than ones who will work to become Americans and add to our rolls as productive members of society.

The point I am trying to make here, is that I would wager to say that Muslims immigrating to the United States are probably more educated and well off than those from Mexico, Haiti, Cuba, or what have you. These are the persons that we should encourage to immmigrate, because they don't drain on the social system; they provide for themselves and their family.

I still believe that one of the overwhelming reasons people come to the United States is because they seek freedom and liberty, a blessing that is not found in many middle-eastern countries. Economic prosperity can be found in these countries, but when push comes to shove, the population is still subjected to the control of the fundamentalist governments. Some of these Muslims, for one reason or the other, have chosen to immigrate here and live in freedom, while still adhering to their religion. Good for them! America is big enough for all of them, and that's what makes our country so great.

As far as the "colonies" issue. How is this different than any other group in American history? Look how certain groups congregated in parts of the country for support. The Irish in Boston and Chicago, the Polish in Pittsburgh, and so forth...as Muslims assimilate more into American culture, as all these other groups have done in the past, the need to congregate in "colonies", if you will, will slowly dissapear.

The odds that this tragic murder was religiously inspired are about the same as the odds that the Patriots will fire Bill Belicheck. Jersey City is essentially one large drug den. Nearly all the drugs in New York City--and in much of the Northeast, for that matter--flow through Jersey City. Things are so bad there that 6/7 days of the week you can snort cocaine on the sidewalk during the middle of the day, and no one will bother to arrest you.

Drugs are expensive and peddling is a big business. There are many gangs, mobs and mafiosos in Jersey City caught up in the trade. Close to 100% of the violent crime that occurs in that area can be pinned to drug dealers and users. Regarding this particular case, the police do not have any leads, but odds are very good that the victims saw something that someone didn't want them to see, and as a result were knocked off. To imply without one iota of proof that the killings were perpetrated by fanatical Muslims is to engage in demagoguery of the most unhelpful and disgusting kind.

The Muslim populations in Michigan, Jersey City and Lewiston have done no harm. These people tend to be hard workers, and also model citizens. It is difficult and expensive to move to the United States. Many Muslims now living here were lawyers or doctors in their native countries, but gave that up to pursue a new life in the United States. They value education and their children may be found at America's most prestigious universities. All this achievement is particularly remarkable considering the hatred and abuse they shoulder from white supremacists. In Lewiston, Maine, for example, there have been "white pride" rallies designed to scare the Somalians out of town. No less helpful are posts like "Jersey City Jihad?" which suggest that American Muslims seek to execute Christians as payback for events that occurred in Egypt over 1000 years ago.

to hell with freedom and democracy, freedom is misunderstood, being able to say any half ass thing that comes in your mind is counter-productive...i do believe dictators are just in killing and jailing people that object, and the people that object have a right to revolution, its a bloody cat and mouse game but is necessary. You can't have fire and shelter without cutting down a tree, and you can't have change without experiencing the extremems, otherwise there is comfort and that breeds complacency...viva la revolution

Towel-Heads go home!!!

"Towel-heads"? Wow, you are a bigot.

The Jersey City crime was solved. It was a robbery gone wrong, by a former drug dealer, Edward McDonald, formerly of Lewiston, but currently living in Jersey City. Edward was the upstairs neighbor of the Coptic Egyptian family.
A week later police in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine area arrested the grandfather of Edward's girlfriend. This man, Victor 'Papo' Torres, supposedly runs a crime family that operates between Lewiston and Jersey City.
Along with cocaine and cash police seized several pipe bombs from a car parked outside the Torres residence in Auburn.
There was no Islamic connection to the crime. But from time to time there are Somali people in the Lewiston-Aurburn area arrested for different things. They seem to be no more or less inclined to get in trouble with the law than people from any other group.