Let me see. If I remember correctly 1950 was but a few short years after the Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles, the internment of Japanese-Americans in World War II, and a few short years before the first real cracks appeared in the world of Jim Crow. It was also, if I remember right, well before we abandoned the ethnic quota system of preference in immigration.

I wouldn't presume to contradict such emminent experts, but this does suggest to me that behind the so-called adaptation and assimilation to "American Prostestant Values" was a considerable amount of mob politics and naked legal force.

This might have something to do with the illusion that all of America back then was pretty much like "Leave It To Beaver" or "The Ozzie Nelson Show", with a few quirky exceptions such as "Amos and Andy", Lucy's husband Ricky Ricardo, and Jack Benny's manservant Rochester.

the most significant political scientist of the last half century

Perhaps in his own mind. I'd put Robert Dahl, Warren Miller, Arend Lijphart, Philip Converse, Anthony Downs, David Mayhew, and probably a dozen others ahead of Huntington. Though, in fairness, Huntington's bad ideas have probably had greater influence than any one else's over the past 30 years or so (assuming we don't consider Noam Chomsky a political scientist; if we do, then his bad ideas have been even more useless for public discourse).

“They have made of the heroes of this country their own heroes, and look to the success of the American commonwealth as the crowning glory of mankind;”

The foundation Cuban Americans have layed has turned Miami into an international destination and the gateway to Latin America not unlike NY or LA. While Spanish is key to transacting business here due to the close ties to Latin American.

No further proof of Cuban's contributions to USA and their willingness to adopt America and it's values and ideals as theirs is the late Roberto Goizueta born in Havana and later became CEO of Coca Cola, who some say lead Coke through it's glory years. http://www.libertyhaven.com/thinkers/robertogoizueta/robertofidel.html

Miami currently has a conservative pro business (Cuban-American) mayor and has never advocated the liberal policies commonly found in California precisely because of the strong Cuban base which is predominantly republican, in many cases they are American citizens always extremely Pro-America and patriotic. While I share the concern of the balkanization of America the author’s example was poor. It is true that many Latins have chosen Miami as a destination and Spanish is the predominant language in many of neighborhoods of the recently arrived. But English is still the key language and any second generation’er speaks primarily English. Miami has become "Latinized" but no more than saying New York is Italianized, or Boston Irished or San Franciso "Chinaized". In the end the overwhelming majority of immigrants come here for one reason, to build a better life and join the American Dream and that is in the end to be American.

I do want to take issue with your final 'graph, however, where you say:

While Huntington is correct that Latin immigration is different from the overseas variety because of scale, contiguity, and other issues, the fact remains that ethnic enclaves--Little Italies, Chinatowns, and so forth--have existed for over a century. Almost without fail, Americanization has always taken place within a generation or two.

What you say is true. However a major change has occurred within the last 40 years. THat being official recognition of other languages by our govenrment, in the name of multi-culturalism. The reason that, as you say, "Americanization has always taken place within a generation or two" is because a lack of bending to thee other cultural forces. The message sent by such lack was clear; "Want to get ahead in America? Great. Become a part of OUR culture."

That message is no longe being sent. The result of htat lack is already being felt.