Modern Population Control Movement Motivated By Nativism

categories: Foreign Policy, Media, Nativism

Published August 17, 2009 @ 11:00AM PT

Andrea Nill of ThinkProgress yesterday criticized recent pieces by David Friedlander and Joseph Chamie arguing that the U.S. should "rethink its 'pro-growth immigration policies' and consider the 'demographic realities, future population projections and likely environmental costs' of immigration."

Andrea nicely takes apart the argument on its merits and highlights the rather odd statement from Chamie:

As a result [of increased non-European immigration], America will increasingly look, sound and act differently over the coming decades – which is neither good nor bad but different.

Well, I'm glad he cleared that up. I wonder if that sentiment drove the choice of the photo he used to accompany his article, which shows a group of Latin@ migrants of indeterminate nationality (read: "Mexicans") which could have been used for any still shot or photo reel on every single Bill O'Reilly and Lou Dobbs story about immigration for the past four years.

[Image: Workers who to Chamie are "neither good nor bad but different"]

Looking at the votes for immigration restrictionist group NumbersUSA's favored nativist politicians, it's clear that the population control movement which puts these ideas out there for "respectable" figures like Chamie and Friedlander to parrot has absolutely no commitment to environmental policy, only to the messaging benefits of environmental bandwagoning.

The politicians in the House who NumbersUSA rates most highly voted against the recent climate change bill 5 to 1. (And I am fairly certain that those who voted against didn't do so out of disappointment over an insufficiently pro-environment bill). Based on this analysis, politicians are in favor of protecting the environment or in favor of deporting immigrants en masse, but rarely both.

I asked restrictionist leaders John Tanton, Mark Krikorian, Roy Beck, and Dan Stein to respond to this information 40 days ago, and none of them bothered to answer. Maybe this is an issue they'd rather not get into, because if you look very closely, the shallowness of the population control movement's commitment to the environment becomes quickly apparent. I hope someone will notify Joseph Chamie and David Friedlander.

Share this Post

Comments (4)

Wouldn't it make a lot more sense to search out the facts about population growth and its impact on a country or the planet as a whole no matter where that growth comes from rather than focusing on those with some sort of so-called ulterior motive on this issue?

There are plenty of unbiased statistics out there supporting lowering or at least stabilizing population growth backed up by viable research. That is what we should be focusing on and addressing.

Posted by Mark Lindley on 08/18/2009 @ 06:34AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Mark
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
Does anybody have a definition for "nativist"? is that like a "patriot"? Or a "local"? Or a "resident"? OK, population stabilization is a residential issue. Howzat?

Posted by Wire Paladin on 08/18/2009 @ 10:56AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Wire
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
Wire Paladin,

Nativist means one favoring the indigenous founding population, which in the USA is Anglo-German.

Posted by Steve Harris on 09/16/2009 @ 11:42AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Steve
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
Yes, and nativism is what most country's citizens feel about protecting their own traditional societies, languages and cultures. How is that a bad thing? That doesn't mean they won't let in any legal foreigners to live among them and to assimilate to their country . But to hear the far left, pro-advocates talk it is akin to racism and other vile things. Of course these same people have no problem with Mexico remaining a Hispanic nation in every way and certainly not to lose that in an unnatural way like illegal immigrationa as we are doing. Hypocrites!

Posted by Mark Lindley on 09/16/2009 @ 12:25PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Mark
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply

Add a Comment

For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

Comment

Check Spelling

Email me when there are new posts to this thread
Comment Policy

Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the ideas covered in the posts. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; that contain ad hominem attacks; or that are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion.

Author

David is an attorney in Philadelphia, PA, where he helps immigrants to the U.S. navigate the complex immigration legal system. Views he expresses at change.org are his alone and don't represent the views or opinions of his employer, Nationalities Service Center. The information contained on this site is intended for educational and advocacy purposes only.