Illegitimate Hispanic Family Values?

“In the public debate over illegal immigrants, advocates on both sides of the issue have included Hispanic family values into their arguments. Interlocutors such as President George W. Bush have praised the family values of Hispanic immigrants and argued that, in an era of moral relativism, they would strengthen the national character. Not to be out-done, the opposing camp has published a plethora of articles suggesting that Hispanic family values are, in actuality, the very anti-thesis of American values.

Leading the charge are Heather MacDonald of City Journal, and Steven Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies. Citing statistics on “illegitimate births,” Mr. Camarota’s recent article, “Illegitimate Nation,” paints not only a grim picture, but proposes that there is an endemic pathology in Hispanic culture with regards to illegitimate births. The arguments therein are, without a doubt, compelling, but flawed and untruthful in their conclusion because, as I remind my students, an argument may be “nothing but the truth” but not the “whole truth.” A partial truth, thus, while creating a technically “valid” syllogism may still be fallacious.”

Comments are closed.