Deminski: Embrace the American culture or get out

There's something bigger going on here.

Ahmad Khan Rahami was a naturalized U.S citizen who some say became radicalized. But there's something bigger going on here than his bombs, his shootout, his arrest. There's something bigger going on than the U.S. citizen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks and the U.S. citizen responsible for the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida.

We have too many people coming to this country who hate being here. Too many people who are not embracing the culture. No, this in and of itself is not a crime. However coming here with an animosity and a refusal to be part of us sets one up for radicalization.

The mother of Rahami's child says he "seemed standoffish" to our way of life. In an interview with Fox News, she said she thinks he was brainwashed. I would posit one can't be easily brainwashed without, at the very least, an ambivalence towards America. The woman said, "He would speak often of Western culture and how it was different back home. How there weren't any homosexuals in Afghanistan." Want to make a bet, Ahmad?

"He seemed standoffish to American culture."

Think about those words. He seemed standoffish to American culture. That standoffishness evolved to hatred and radicalization. How often on any given day in New Jersey are you seeing signs of immigrants being standoffish to our American culture? I see it daily. From immigrants refusing to ever even occasionally alter their style of dress (and I'm not talking about religious garb), to people coming to this country and living here ten years or longer and refusing to learn a word of English.

One gets the feeling too many immigrants want only the benefit but keep our country at arm's length. This is supposed to be the great melting pot. I'm in favor of that. But only if you melt, blend, assimilate. When you come here, live here, then disparage us for admitting gay people live among us and granting them their rights, there's something wrong with you. When you disparage us for treating women equally, for allowing people their religious freedom as long as they aren't hurting anyone, there's something wrong with you. Those of you who are coming to America not to embrace freedom, not to embrace the American way of life but for selfish reasons, we don't want or need you.

He seemed standoffish to American culture. Look around and see how many examples of this you find on a daily basis. Those who are standoffish to American culture, remaining in their ethnic enclaves, remaining closed-minded, refusing to learn the language, refusing to truly embrace and assimilate can easily become the next Ahmad Khan Rahami.

I would love to see his capture being the end of this story, but there's something bigger going on here.

—Jeff Deminski

More from New Jersey 101.5