September 26, 2006

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09/25/06 - A Canadian Reader Says “Reaching Out” Doesn’t Mean Translating Into Twenty-Five Languages

An Ohio Reader Says That Charges of “Racism” Cannot Undermine Indisputable Facts

From:  [Name Withheld]

Re: Edwin S. Rubenstein’s Column: Bad News For American Students, Workers---Massive H-1B Increases Rise From Dead in “SKIL” Bill

I found Rubenstein’s article of interest but am frustrated at how the central elements of his argument could possibly be undermined by his mention of race.

Allow me to explain.

Someone writing on an anti-non-immigrant visa/ anti-off shoring and outsourcing email list to which I subscribe called attention to Rubenstein’s column.

Yet, even material merely quoted by Rubenstein that criticized black and Hispanic academic achievement evoked the charge of “racism” from some in our groups.

I’m tremendously frustrated by this knee-jerk reaction and don’t believe that Rubenstein is a racist or advances a racist perspective.

In Rubenstein’s defense, I mailed this reply to those on the mass mailing list:

“Rubenstein’s wording might lead people to incorrectly see him as anti-black or anti-Hispanic.  But Rubenstein was quoting from two distinguished University of Pennsylvania researchers, Erling E. Boe and Sujie Shin.” [VDARE.COM note: Questions about their research methodology should be directed to them. E-mail Boe here and e-mail Shin here.] 

H-1B and all non-immigrant visas adversely affect well-educated and highly skilled Americans of all races including non-white naturalized Americans. I wish Rubenstein had pointed this out.

It is troubling however that mention of race, without qualification, can lead to rifts among people opposed to offshore outsourcing and NIV programs – people who are joined in a “Left-Right” alliance.

Edwin S. Rubenstein replies: Facts are not racist. Fact one: We are the most racially diverse of the leading industrialized nations. Fact two: our public education system is (arguably) the most troubled, with inner-city racial minorities poorly educated relative to their suburban and ex-urban peers. It follows that an apples-to-apples comparison of scientific and math proficiency between U.S. and our competitors must adjust for race - and that is exactly what the study I quoted does.

Of course, Blacks and Hispanics are harmed by the influx of high-tech H-1bs. But their numbers are small compared to that of whites and Asians.