I'd like to join the argument over multiculturalism that Daniel Stoffman initiated here last Saturday. He says "culture is not just about superficial differences but also about core values." I'm afraid I don't see why culture is about values at all, much less core values. Values are always shifting, and they don't stay core for long: They compete, fade or find ways to coexist. Efforts to designate some as "core" or "essential" to "national identity" may simply be attempts by some to fortify their position against new challengers. That moves us into the realm of politics.