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Melting Pot?

The idea of the "melting pot" has been instilled in us since we were children; however this may be the last generation that will retain the outlined idea of such a "melting pot." Es decir, dónde todo está mezclado until it is completely uniform - indistinguishable. (and in my mind, "indistinguishable" meant "indivisible")

However, my wife recently mentioned to me that she heard a better term - that the USA is more like a "fruit salad" - en lo que everything is jumbled together but each piece retains its individual characteristics.

Actually yes, America is more like a fruit salad. Take a bite out of Manhattan you'll get a far different flavour than if you nibbled on Arizona. But it would all still be in the same crystal bowl.

It's all in what you want America to be, immigrant-wise, so to speak. Do you want the immigrants to give up their culture? Or do you want them to retain it? What makes us feel more comfortable? The answers lie in each individual's feelings about this great nation.

I don't have the answers. Melting pot, fruit salad, gumbo, pot pie, whatever . . . as long as, at some point, we could all learn how to work together to keep it strong - instead of ripping each other apart and tearing the fabric with it.

Fabric: reminds me of my absolute all-time most favourite description of America - Jesse Jackson in his "Rainbow Coalition Speech" during the Democratic National Convention in 1984, in which he called America a "patchwork quilt" - many different pieces of cloth all woven together with the same unifying thread. (Of course, this unifying hope will forever be offset by his offhand remark about NYC being "Hymietown" but then, nobody's perfect!)

Acceptance . . . accept it.

Before it's too late.

VG

posted by Verble Gherulous @ 7:59 AM