What happened to our "Melting Pot"?

It is amazing that the first ones that answered this post are from people who live in a country where there are many different languages. IKn my opinion, the Americans should answer first. IOne thing I admired about America was that people came from different backgrounds, but they all turned to Americans. I listen to quite a few American programs and I see people of different colors and ethnic background and they all speak like Americans, and their accents are the regional accents of the part of America they live in. The only people I see speaking with a foreign accent were recent immigrants. But now it is becoming like Canada where you hardly lose your accent and that makes it easy to divide people or give certain groups privileges. For years we Canadians were not known as Canadians but English-Canadians, French -Canadians etc. and they tried to ovecome it, but then we got multicultuarism that does not work. I do I can see learning new languages, because that would help if one travels or if someone from a non-English country needs hel;p wilth English, but mulitcultuarism and division does not work.

I'm not the biggest history buff out there, but it seems to me as if being "equal" eventually just made it okay to keep people separate. We were going on the right track. We were integrating society well. But that wasn't good enough for some, many of whom found out that they could make great livings off of perpetuating "racism" and telling tales of "the man" and lashing out against wealth and white and the wealthy white. That seemed to create a culture of "us against them," and being equal was no longer the goal. The goal was to be different and unique and proud of it and having your own culture and your own standards instead of "selling out" and integrating in other ways. Coming from a Spanish-speaking country, for example, it seems as if Latinos are encouraged to stick together. Even the President of the United States of America labels an entire side of the country as their "enemies." So it's encouraged at the highest of levels that folks band together. And just try to speak a little differently, act a little differently, or hold a different viewpoint in some parts of the black community. You'll be eaten for dinner. And growing up around Jersey and in MD, I've seen it too many times to count. It's not only minority cultures either. Even some of today's European immigrants, even if they're third-generation, are basically clinging to "their own." I don't know if they get the same encouragement to do so, but it just seems like a safer play. And it's definitely something genetic in us to stick to our own, as we've been with similar people far, far longer than we've been integrated as one. So when it's encouraged not to change that, nobody's going to change that. Nobody wants something unfamiliar if the don't have to have it. Maybe it's always been like this and the melting pot was always just a slogan and never a reality. I can't speak to that. All I can say is that the message of old, calling for equality and a fair shake, has transformed into people wanting separate standards based on their skin tone or country of origin. Even with young kids, we see Latino students lashing out against the American flag IN AMERICA, clinging to a homeland most have never been to but rather know it through their parents. On one hand, you should be proud of who you are, your heritage, and of your culture. On the other hand, it's just ridiculous to be up in arms about wanting a separate standard but still wanting America's equal protections. It's something I don't think you can have both ways. You're either an American... or leave. Folks want to turn America into a custom-tailored garment instead of allowing it to be a one-size-fits-all coat. We are definitely too politically correct as a society to try to change it. We'll keep perpetuating separate status until races and cultures are so bitter toward one another that we end up in civil war. That's the only out for a cowardly country like America.

absolutely. thank you for that. its exactly the right thing. if you believe in the Bible and some do, it even says in there, "A house divided, will not stand" its whats happened to many nations that have disappeared. we should all try and consider being true Americans or else go back to where we are claiming we are.

Hi nanajanet, how are you? After long gap I got you. It is true America is a multinational country. India also like that. The difference is that they are not immigrants. All are son/daughter of the soil. Actually America is a country of immigrants.All have separate identity. Language is different. But the English speaking people dominate there. Official language of America Is English. So media of communication is English. The issue you mentioned that is the problem of first generation. In second generation they will be perfect American.

The thing about the United States is that is a mixture of different cultures. But at the same time, while we should respect and acknowledge where you come from, you should never forget where you are right now. For better or worse, if you're an American, you're here legally, and you should really embrace that fact. Learn what is like to be here and enjoy that. I'm not saying completely sweep your old life under the rug. Memories are a fond thing. However, when an American goes to another country, they must learn the language of that country. Otherwise they would gain some form of ridicule. Should it be different for people to come here? No, fair is fair, and everyone needs to embrace where they are now. We will respect where you came from(well for the most part), but you got to respect the fact that you're here.

I am from india, we have thousand above languages in our country. And many religions. But we all are living with equality feelings. The cultures and society conditions may differ, but we all know a common thing that "we all are human beings". Some times we face language problems, but with our feelings we can over come it.