The Melting Pot Myth

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America for centuries has given a sense of hope to many throughout the world, since it allowed the chance for individuality among its citizens. Immigrants have traveled in masses to this country in order to express their religion freely in the hopes of not being judged or chastised. The newly found inhabitants of America all wanted to live the “American Dream” full of opportunities. This dream brought many people with different ethnicities together, causing them to interact and eventually begin to accept one another. With the many different languages, and cultures pouring into the country, it became more diverse. The idea of a “melting pot”, the mixing of different traditions to become one culture that shows no dominance, is a goal that America has constantly tried to achieve. An ideal which seems achievable is far out of reach for the American population. America will never be able to become a “melting pot” but instead remain a “salad bowl”, a nation that interacts with each other but continues to contain distinguishable parts, because of its diversity.
America has made several strides to become a “melting pot” in the eyes of its people. Beginning with the civil rights movement, which pushed for blacks and whites to be equal. No longer wanting whites to be seen as an inferior race, the term “separate but equal” came about. Although blacks and other minority groups gained the same rights as whites, segregation did not conform to the “melting pot”. After several riots, boycotts, and protest America began to listen to its people and desegregate public schools, restaurants, and other public facilities. The issue of equality moved from different races to gender. Women were seen as an inferior to men being an unheard voice in the back...

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...itizens. These very different cultures shows how America will continue to remain a “salad bowl”.
America is a very diverse country that contains numerous ethnicities interacting together, not bound to one culture. Since our nation is not tied under one culture the ideal “melting pot” will never be achieved but the “salad bowl” will continue to be a metaphor that describes the nation perfectly. Media plays a big role in portraying this “salad bowl” within the country. With the countless advertisements that not only display the typical “White American” but also people from other cultures as well. For instance the Axe Peace commercial displays many people from different ethnic backgrounds coming together in order to advocate peace. Also American language continues to transform picking up a myriad of terms from the various ethnic groups that reside within this country.

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