The Explosive Nature of Global Mobility

In the 1970's (yes, that long ago), I produced a
documentary with Franklin McMahon, Sr.,
World Cities 1970's. Franklin, a fine American
artist, sees himself (he's still alive and painting)
as an artist reporter. He went around the world
and drew what he saw, and we translated that
into a documentary that reported on the world-wide
migration of people from the rural to the urban,
and from country to country.

What we saw were the beginnings of new problems
that would be forced on old societies. When you
have treasured cultural, historical and political
documents--the Magna Carta, the U.S. Declaration
of independence & Bill of Rights, the cultural
code of ethics, books like the Bible--in clear conflict
with the cultural ethics of other countries through
mass import of a labor force, questions of cultural
assimulation and clashes become very important.

There are societies that are still mulling familial roles,
sexual customs, religion in politics, the relationship
between government and citizens, the very foundations
of our civilization in this country, and indeed in much
of Western Europe. We have immigrants living in the US
who kill their daughters for refusing dictated marriages.
We have sects that believe in polygamy. We have men
who believe their wives and children are their possessions.
We have new people who don't believe in religious freedom,
and others who believe power is right.

Assimilation is a slow and difficult process. Generational citizens
of our country often expect too much too soon of the imports.
And the new people naturally hope to continue the values
and customs to which they have been raised.