Diversity in the United States - Term Paper Example

? Diversity in the United s. May Diversity in the United s Diversity is a that is very often in the news, because people in the United States of America are coming to realize that it is only in working together that we can make this nation strong. There are many threats in the world today, including wars, natural disasters, and even deliberate acts of terrorism, and American people need to stick together if they are going to survive and prosper in the future. America is also in a position to help other countries with its wealth and knowledge, but only if its government is able to treat those from other cultures with respect. One of the most interesting facts that I have learned in the last few weeks, is the way that America was first created by a mixture of different peoples. I had always known about the settlers from Europe and their conflict with the Native Indians in the early days, but I had not realized just how many different national origins have made up the people of the modern United States. Looking at modern American culture, with such different styles as Hollywood films, rappers, classical orchestras and all kinds of local folk, country and rock music it is obvious that a creative mixture is going on. Learning about the different groups, such as Africans, British, Italians, Spanish, Japanese, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans etc, has opened my eyes to the rich cultural history that we all share. When I see this big range of cultures, this helps me to understand that immigration is a permanent and healthy tradition that America needs to manage well. People want to come here, because it is a great country to live in, but at the same time, we need to find ways to accept each other and get along peacefully together. My own background already combines two very different cultures, since my parents are from the Philippines and Jordan. I grew up in a Muslim country, with a Muslim father and Christian mother. I can see that there are many differences between these two major religions, but what I have learned is that both of them have a belief in God, and both of them deserve our respect. I have seen how Muslims looked down on Christians (in Jordan) and Christians looked down on Muslims (in the United States) and this shows me that people are influenced by their own place of birth, rather than by any particular logic. I think my mother must have endured quite a lot of hardship to be married to my father and I think it took great courage for her to bring me to the United States and start a new life in a new country. She has been able to find a job, and I have been able to learn English, because this country welcomed us at a time when we needed a safe place to go to. Seeing this against the background of America’s history of diversity makes me very proud to have joined the many thousands who have brought their own culture into this country. I think that in the next thirty years or so there will be more immigrants to the US, including some from China, because of the attraction of the lifestyle and the freedom to think and speak what you want to. I hope that there will be a better agreement about immigrants from Mexico and the South American countries, because I believe that this has the potential to cause some tensions if it is not regulated properly. One big change that I see coming in the next thirty years is that there will be more people like myself who have a mixed heritage of more than one culture. Hispanic and Asian populations are growing faster, and so the proportion of these groups is likely to rise (Census Bureau, 2011). I think this is a good thing, and it will make people generally more tolerant. This is because second and third generation immigrants tend to marry outside of the narrow culture of their parents, and this will bring about more mixing of cultures, and more children who have the benefit of seeing things through different perspectives. A big challenge that the U.S. faces is the fact that different cultures have strong views about some issues, such as abortion, the death penalty, homosexuality or religious expression. At the moment there is mainly a division between conservative Christians and liberal people, but I think in the future the debate will have to become broader, to take account of a bigger spectrum of opinion. It may be necessary, for example, to separate religion completely from politics and from education because at the moment people with strong views are trying to dominate each other, and this is not fair to the people who are in minority groups. If these major areas of politics and education are left neutral, then people can teach their children whatever moral, religious or political views they want when they go home. It is going to be a challenge for some leading people to let go of their power in these areas, but if America is serious about diversity, then they will have to do this. The benefits of a diverse society are that the country can see things from many perspectives, and this lets them consider a bigger range of options when they have to make decisions. American entertainment and all the arts are richer and fuller with contributions from different groups, and this mixing encourages creativity and innovation. One way to encourage more pluralism is to give money to these areas, and to support the particular specialisms of the different cultures. I think there should be more foreign languages taught in schools also, because in my experience speaking other languages brings more understanding about other cultures. The media is full of good examples of cultural diversity, and this is seen in the range of media stars on television and in films who come from different cultural backgrounds. Some depictions of particular groups are negative, however, and this can be seen in news reports about crime which too often imply that African Americans are to blame. In the weeks after the 9/11 attacks there was also a lot of negative reporting about Muslims, some of which was not true. Muslim beliefs vary a great deal from place to place, and it is not fair to assume that they are all terrorists. Some old films, especially Westerns, which are very much loved by older Americans, show the native Americans as if they are savages, and this is a prejudice that does not reflect all the good features of the different tribes who lived on this continent before the settlers arrived. The American constitution was designed to cover all the people in America, and not just the white people, but I think this is too often forgotten (Takaki, 1993, p. 374). Recently I have noticed that many programs on television, such as the talent show Pop Idol, for example, have a range of different nationalities and cultures in the judges and in the competitors. They also feature a lot of different musical styles, and think this is good, and encourages diversity. It is only in the last eighteen months or so that I have become aware of the true significance of culture and diversity in American society. This is because I was too young to understand global trends until now, and tended to see everything in terms of my own family and circle of friends. Now that I have had a chance to read about diversity issues in the context of modern trade and industry, as well as society as a whole, it is becoming clear to me that this is one of the most important issues that the United States, and indeed the whole world, is having to deal with. The main thing that is pushing people to consider this issue of diversity seems to be globalization: “The constantly growing interdependence of nations and peoples of the modern world, the development of a global economic system, and the rise of transnational business and international corporations, have brought all people of different cultures into face-to-face interactions on a scale unequalled in history.” (Naylor, 1997, p. 4). I think America needs a different way of dealing with difficult issues. I am going to change my views about some moral issues, I think. I do not agree with abortion, for example, but I am coming to believe that people should be allowed to disagree with me and choose their own moral position. This kind of issue has a very great impact on people’s lives. I would still respect a woman who had an abortion, even if I think it is wrong, because each person must make their own decisions and be responsible for their own life. I do not think it is good to make decisions on behalf of other people. Sometimes I think America has become too proud of its own strength, and it has forgotten that there is a lot to be learned from the way things are done in other countries. I would like to see more government work on looking at how to solve social problems by visiting other countries, such as Sweden and Japan, where problems like morality and crime are regulated more harmoniously. I think Americans need to learn humility, and to stop using up the earth’s resources for wasteful progress. Perhaps it is time to look to other nations and find better ways of living in peace together. References U.S.Census Bureau (2011) 2010 Census Shows America’s Diversity. Available at: http://2010.census.gov/news/releases/operations/cb11-cn125.html [Accessed 05/24/2012]. Naylor, L.L. (1997) Cultural Diversity in the United States. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey. Takaki, R. (1993) A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Boston: Little, Brown and Co. Read More