Cultural Integration: A Diverse America - Research Paper Example

 1 What is culture? Culture is a way of living of a certain community of people. This entails differences in language, traditions, ethnicity, behaviour and other things that separate one community from the other. The individuality of a culture is the underlying factor that defines a certain community, although change is inevitable and culture may be modified in time, major part of it is retained to have its identity strong and intact. Community growth is tantamount to cultural growth. As a certain community emerges continuously, its culture becomes more emphasized. The bigger the size a community is, the more famous its culture becomes. Culture gave name to Christians, Muslims, Jewish and other religions known to date. Since culture is what makes a group of people different from the other, it makes us know who a certain group is. Christians for one are known to start and end a prayer with the sign of the cross. Their prayers end with an Amen, too. These behaviours that this group of people have are part of their culture. (Robinson, N.W., 2001, p. 68) The origin of a person may be distinguished by merely observing his/her behaviour. Just like with what is mentioned in the earlier paragraph, a person who does the sign of the cross is a Christian. The same goes with ethnicity. You will easily know if the person is an Asian, African, Latino and so forth by just looking at the skin colour. A yellow skin is surely an Asian; a white is a European or someone who has European Cultural Integration: A Diverse America 2 ancestry (Americans), brown is either a Latino or and Asian and black is an African or someone who has African ancestry. Cultural History of the US America has an Anglo majority that is dominant politically and economically. One of the most essential characteristics America has as a country is its ordeal with slavery and the socio-economic inequalities based on race. The former is primarily an economic phenomenon. With the country’s history, slavery has coexisted with socio-economic inequalities in the 16th century until the early 20th century. The main example in the modern day is the Southern US. Approximately 4 million slaves lived in the US with a market value closely to $4 billion just before the Civil War. People in power enjoyed the benefits they get from their slaves that can be compared to their assets. The Southern US was formed through its withdrawal from the Union before the Civil War and was linked to slavery with a number of succeeding battles for civil rights of African-Americans. In the modern day, these are the sunshine states and the new economic frontiers. The dawn of multiculturalism started to abolish slavery in the US. With the range of immigrants that fled to the US, which brought different cultures in the land, the US government finally realized that all of them are immigrants, including the Whites, leaving Native Americans the original citizens. At the end of the era of slavery, all immigrants in the US were accepted as Americans, putting a hyphen in the ancestry; African-Americans, Mexican Americans, Cultural Integration: A Diverse America 3 Asian-Americans and Hispanic-American. Only Americans with European ancestry is exempted from the hyphen. (Lee, A. R. O. B. E. R. T., 2005, p. 297-304) Understanding Multiculturalism in the US Multiculturalism emerged in America in the 19th century. Due to the massive number of immigrants in the land, which one of the highlights of the American society, it brought different cultures in the country. It was eventually accepted as an official policy. Multiculturalism has brought positive facets in America and is still continuously growing. Although there are still forms of corruption relating multiculturalism, this is very minor today. Diversity in culture is what America has as united country. Though they only have one flag, the mainland, it houses a number of races and colours. America today is not plainly White, but a mixture of different races and mixed races. Racism in the US is punishable by law. In relation to America being multicultural, acceptance of different races has been implemented. Violators, depending on the degree, can be penalized by law. This has brought changes in the used-to-be ways of the American society. (Koppelman, K. L., & Goodhart, R. L., 2005, p. 66-81) Acceptance of different traditional dresses in educational institutions is present. Textbooks with multicultural approach have been introduced as one of the positive effects of multiculturalism in America. Though English is the main language in schools, other languages are being introduced, not a foreign but as another Cultural Integration: A Diverse America 4 language. Other subjects not present in other countries that only have a single culture are being taught in schools. Such are literature of different cultures in America, history, sociology and philosophy. Multiculturalism gave birth to cultural diversity in the US. Almost 5 billion people are multicultural under the age of 18. Since mixed marriages have been more common as time goes by, people with mixed ancestry have emerged tremendously. This multicultural issue cannot be ignored since it entails different aspects of living, ways, traditions and behaviours. Apparently, America is dealing with it with its utmost might since their country has the lion share of the statistics. Difference in religion is one aspect of cultural diversity. In America, there are a number of religions present due to its huge number of immigrants from different parts of the world. Since these immigrants bring their own religions, these become part of America. Benefits of Multiculturalism Being a country with the mix of different cultures, America embraces them all. It opens itself to different cultures, customs, traditions, behaviours, dishes, etc, which eventually have become part of America. 1. New Ideas Multiculturalism in America brings new ideas in the land. This entails a vast selection of new dishes that is not originally their own. Food for instance, pasta is an Italian rich cuisine, though it’s first seen in the Ancient Greece and Rome, it is now vastly Cultural Integration: A Diverse America 5 seen in almost every corner of America. Same goes for pizza, tacos, pierogies and many others. This is a great example of cultural integration. America is simply tolerant to other cultures so long as other cultures do not take away another of their own culture. So a German-American should not say to an Italian-American that it is wrong to eat lasagna on Thanksgiving Day. This shows integration of another culture with the American culture. Celebrating holidays of different cultures is also an example of cultural integration. St. Patrick’s Days is a good example. This is a celebration of Catholicism in Ireland. Due to a huge number of American populations with Irish ancestry, this is also celebrated in America. This explains that Irish traditions are present in the hearts of American people. (Koppelman, K. L., & Goodhart, R. L., 2005, p. 106- 113) 2. Creativity Multiculturalism is the gives birth to creativity. If a land is not culturally diverse, then all people will sound the same, look the same, act the same, and be the same with the rest of the population in the land. Imagine yourself being the same with all of your neighbours - liking the same music, same fashion, and same way of thinking. Isn’t that a little too boring? A diversified culture embraces all the differences each one has with each other. It enhances the way of thinking of every person since it makes them think. If America doesn’t have multiculturalism, then all will be the same. Creativity will be put into trash since everybody thinks alike. There will be no other new ideas and most probably, America will not be as open as it is today. Men will be dominant and Cultural Integration: A Diverse America 6 women will stay at home and sew broken zippers and cook while waiting for their husbands to arrive from work. Blacks will be slaves and they will not be identified as American with African ancestry. Terminologies will still be politically incorrect and the socio-economic and racial discrimination will still be on the surface. In short, America won’t be the United States if not for cultural diversity. (Koppelman, K. L., & Goodhart, R. L., 2005, p. 118- 125) 3. National Unity Another thing that a multicultural land like America brings is unity to its people. Due to acceptance of one culture to another, it unites and strengthens America and it bridges the gaps among the cultures present. Cultural diversity makes America become open to different cultures. It appreciates every single difference each culture has with each other. It would have been chaotic had America been not diverse due to the presence of a number of cultures in the land. Imagine America without cultural diversity considering the number of different cultures in it. It would have distorted each culture and would have made them fight each other to show who is more superior. (Koppelman, K. L., & Goodhart, R. L., 2005, p. 138-144) Acceptance is what America taught it people. It is the key that has brought the country to what and how it is today. This has resulted to a union of a variety of cultures that has led America to become a country with different cultures but united as one. It now lives up to its name the United States of America. Cultural Integration: A Diverse America 7 4. Invites more Immigrants One of the results of multiculturalism in America is it encourages more immigrants to come to the US. Since their culture is tolerance to other cultures, it invites a lot of cultures to migrate to the US. This is a great enticement to people from foreign lands to live in a land where they are different from all the rest but are openly accepted. (Koppelman, K. L., & Goodhart, R. L., 2005, p. 152-159) Conclusion America has allowed a lot of people to view other religions, traditions, behaviours, beliefs and other things that comprise a culture in a more understanding level. Respect and freedom have become more vibrant as time goes by. They were able to settle the differences each culture has from one another and have integrated the differences for the betterment of the land. Today, America houses different ethnicities and is continuously inviting more. Socio-economic and racial discrimination are now both out of the picture. Though it may still be present to very few individuals, it is definitely not like it was before. Slavery is no longer present and has been replaced by equal opportunities to all. The land of milk and honey indeed has gone a long way on cultural diversity. Its openness to foreign cultures is a product of multiculturalism. LEE, A. R. O. B. E. R. T. (January 01, 2005). US Multicultural Pathways. Journal of American Studies, 39, 2, 297-304 Steiner, S. F., & Idaho State Library. (2002). Building bridges: Books bring us together : 60+ great multicultural books. Boise, Idaho: Idaho State Library Robinson, N. W. (November 01, 2001). "Challenge Us; I Think We're Ready": Establishing a Multicultural Course of Study. English Journal, 91, 2, 68-73. Koppelman, K. L., & Goodhart, R. L. (2005).Understanding human differen Multicultural education for a diverse America. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon Read More