Assimilation or Multi-culturalism: That is the Question
Maybe we need a combination of the two.
What does it mean to be American? Does it mean everyone talks
the same and looks the same and believes the same things? Does
it mean forgetting everything that our parents and grandparents
had to go through to get to this country? Does it mean
forgetting all the customs and foods and stories they were
raised with?
Wouldn't that be awfully hard to do? And wouldn't this be a
boring place to live?
This country was a huge land with very few inhabitants and then
people from all parts of the world left their own homes and
troubles and came here with one goal: to make a better life for
their families than they could have in their homeland. They were
the entrepreneurs, the hard working, stubborn, brave people who
came with nothing and made something of themselves. In the
process they built a great country for us.
George Washington said in 1783 that our borders were open for
the wealthy and educated and oppressed and persecuted of all
nations and religions, who were free to participate in all our
rights and privileges - if these newcomers followed American
standards of decency and proper conduct. He wanted them to
assimilate to their new country's values. And most of them did.
Most of these European immigrants considered themselves
Americans and never saw their homelands or families again. This
was mainly because travel to Europe was difficult, not because
the new country insisted on it, although it made assimilation
easier to accomplish.
The goal used to be for all immigrants of different backgrounds
to "melt" into a new race of people. During the civil rights
movement of the 1960s, this ideal was challenged when we were
encouraged to celebrate diversity and move beyond this melting
pot. Assimilation was changed to multi-culturalism.
Multi-culturalism is promoted by many, but it doesn't give the
people a common goal, belief or even language anymore. Many of
the immigrants here now have no knowledge of the history of this
country and no interest in learning it. They have no loyalty to
any common idea or belief, and often don't consider themselves
Americans. A large number never learn English and never learn
their rights or responsibilities and never become a part of this
country. What can we do to help them become Americans?
The task of assimilating into a new culture doesn't rest with
the people already there, it is the responsibility of the
immigrants to take advantage of the opportunities that are
offered to them in their new home. They must try to adapt to
life in this country. It doesn't mean they should forget their
own customs, it doesn't mean they should change entirely, but it
does mean they should do their best to learn the language and
the rules.
When Americans look back at their history of immigration, they
assume that assimilation is a relatively easy process, since
their parents and grandparents did it. But it is very hard for
immigrants to give up old languages, customs and practices so
they can be absorbed into their new society. Most people possess
a strong, passionate attachment to their own culture and way of
life and in most cases, they are emigrating because of poverty
in their own country. If their country offered them a good life
for their families, most of them would stay home.
We need the immigrants who are here and will need more all the
time. We should find a way to combine the assimilation we used
to strive for and the multi-culturalism that so many want now.
We have to convince these new people to become Americans without
giving up all of the customs from their former homes.
We need more Americans, not just citizens (or non-citizens)
living here who never fit in.