The Wymans have a tradition that graduating from highschool grants the privilege of choosing a family trip. This seemed quite sensible when there were only two potential candidates, and both were Eurocentric Arts & Humanities Tribe like their parents. Adding in two sons who were actual Europeans added in the expense of two more trips to Europe – not to mention additional Christian school and college costs.
But it’s Part Of Their Education, a phrase that comes to encompass just about everything you think would be good for a child, and we have gotten some great trips to Europe ourselves out of the package. The first son chose London, Scotland, and points between by rented car in 1997. The second son chose Dublin, London, and points between by rented car in 2002, at which point we had the two Romanians as well. The older of the Romanians chose Budapest and Transylvania. This got a touch messy because three of the boys were working at the orphanage and clinic in Beius in 2005 for greater or lesser amounts of time. Their obligations and different interests separated us slightly throughout, so that we had parallel trips that were semi-shared. Because of airline problems, we all got some time in Shannon as well.
This year will be the last family trip, and Chris has chosen Munich and Oradea. The trip is scheduled around the wedding of their once-lost older brother, so we will be going to a Romanian wedding as more than spectators this time.
That is a great many places, and many more were on various lists one time or another as possibilities for visiting: Luxembourg, Belgium, Versailles, Constanza, Paris, Greece, Italy, Zurich, and some I have forgotten.
According to the emerging demographics, if my sons continue the tradition, a lot of European cities may be off the list for this type of educational travel. On the basis of the people they have right now, with no further immigration, plus the likely projected children, many of them will be more than 50% Muslim cities. Plus, the Muslims there will be more radical, insular, and intolerant than those you would find if you planned a trip to a Muslim city such as Cairo or Istanbul. And with such concentrated districts wielding political power, the nations themselves will be only halfhearted allies in any War on Terror. They will be sources of danger for Americans, not respites from it.
That’s Mark Steyn’s projection, anyway. The numbers seem to back him up on this. There will still be the England or France or Holland you have a picture of in your head, but it will be mostly rural, and populated by old folks. It’s hard to imagine that the big draw tourist attractions – the White Tower, Tower Bridge, the Eiffel Tower – will be shut down or destroyed. They will still be there attracting Europhiles from around the world, selling souvenirs in the shops, and if the guides dress differently, look darker, and have non-British accents, what of it? The museums may give you more trouble, as much of what you came to see at the Prado or the Louvre will no longer be on display. Much of it offends Islamic sensibilities, and there are already items being quietly removed and stored in the basements.
Don’t expect the charming pubs, cafes, and beer gardens; the high fashion, edgy theater, and nightlife will have moved out as well. I admit, it seems impossible to me.
If it were the eastern Europeans, Indians, or West Indians who were taking over it would be a quite different picture, we think. Characteristic Britishness or Germanness would change somewhat, as it does in every generation, and take on darker hues or extra foods. But it would be a permutation of the old culture mixed with newer strains. Islam is quite opposed to this. That religion’s intent is to provide a replacement culture, not a blended one.
So says Steyn, and his data is persuasive. My younger readers might want to get to Europe fairly soon, if you want to still observe the cradle(s) of Western Civilization. The native Belgians and Italians aren’t having many children, you see, and many city schools are already predominantly Muslim. Muslim families do tend to have children. There are no factors which suggest either the native European or Muslim habits will change on this.
It is unwise to project much further than the next generation, but it does bear at least passing consideration. Native Swedes and Spaniards are moving to other places, and the number of their children continues to project down. Europe 2040 - what do you see? Why do you think so?
Steyn is not nearly as pessimistic about America, and I will meander through that topic sometime soon.
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