Melting Pot — The Meaning of Assimilation
The USA is a country made up of immigrants from all corners of the world. Some have reached our soil against their will (indentured service and as slaves) others as genuine refugees while a good number as immigrants hoping for a better life for their children. By committing to join the US, they have made a conscious decision to try a new life by attempting to assimilate into the American mainstream. As difficult as coming to a new land is, it does not mean that the first generation has to give up its culture, however to the outside world, they need to blend in, feel American and join the community for the betterment of all of us.
The culture that has been part of any immigrant who has reached our land after the age of 3 or 5 is difficult to dismiss or reject. Furthermore, the mental “programming” that was done by the family and their ethnic friends continues to leave its imprint on the next generation, be it the language, the food, the clothing, and the biasses. In some cases, religion (the spiritual aspect), which everyone is free to practice in the USA, can be a uniting force, however, not if it turns into a way of spreading hate via old biases that made the “old country” impossible to bear. Therefore immigrants need to understand that joining a new society is like a marriage; it requires commitment and many times compromising to be living harmoniously within their new “home.”
Many immigrants refuse to assimilate yet complain about the fact that society at large handles them as “others,” resulting in discrimination. When an immigrant insists that he/she wear the same clothes that are commonplace in their country of origin, as exotic as it may seem and proper for special occasions, they unintentionally stick out like a sore thumb. Having a foreign accent makes it even harder when communicating with others. Young kids who enter schools with little or no command of the English language can end up being the raw meat for bullies who prey on people that are different or appear to be helpless. American society as a whole is not always that welcoming, yet there are exceptions with strong compassion towards others. Apparent behavior is the first external clue that may turn off people who are not part of the same clan. Unpleasant experiences or harmful exposure to a specific group may tag them as undesirables.
Immigration enriches a country with new blood and energy that drives newcomers to succeed. Their fresh perspective from a different aspect adds to our team effort to make America a better place for all. Yet there is no denying that when newcomers insist on keeping their values, customs, and behavior as in the country of their origin, they automatically create a barrier between them and the mainstream. At home (current dwelling), everyone has the right and freedom to act as he/she wishes; however, as long as they are lawful citizens, their home is their castle. Face saving acts such as honor killings, arranged marriages, female mutilation, child brides, multiple wives, or the old custom of female feet binding or hairstyles (queue) can not go on as it used to be back at their country of origin. If a family fears that new social norms are against their beliefs, religious or cultural, they have the right and freedom to return to their country of origin. It is a fact of life that not all transplants, with best intentions, take root.
One of the worst examples of immigrant behavior is an attempt to impose their beliefs and customs on the rest of society (in which they are a minority). Since when the tail wags the dog? Gently asking for a better choice of food (as an example) in the school’s cafeteria is a reasonable request. However, demanding that pork will be removed from the menu because of religious reasons is unreasonable in a pluralistic society. The choice one has in this particular situation is to select other food choices or bring food from home that is more to one’s liking. Minorities have to be cautious about how and what they demand or request since it can cause an adverse knee-jerk reaction from the majority.
One of the main difficulties of open immigration is the concentration of large ethnic groups within a closed area that transforms it into a ghetto or a fiefdom. Significant clustering is counter to assimilation and can bring about a conflict among the various clans that carve-out to themselves a little section of town where they believe they are back home (countries of origin). They forget that where they came from caused life to be impossible, yet they repeat the same mistakes since it feels familiar to them.
To avoid creating little fiefdoms made up of various ethnic groups that resist assimilation, a policy that utilizes a quota system needs to be reestablished. The flow of immigrants from each country must be carefully controlled and well distributed (with incentives) to avoid any clans with all of their problems from back home. All kids must attend public schools and get help with the language and customs of the new country. Community service needs to be mandatory, and schools need to be fully integrated, just like neighborhoods. Some versions of compulsory national service by all highschool kids would enhance the cohesion among all young Americans and will reduce the fear of the “other.”
So assimilation is a mental recognition that one is part of the American society. In this society, one is willing to defend, support, and help to make a better place for all. If an immigrant finds out that this mental transformation is impossible, he/she should consider going back home to their country of origin. This freedom is not available in all nations, so one must consider himself lucky to have choices; this needless to say hinges on personal commitment and shedding old taboos.
Ethnic groups that immigrate to the USA with hidden agendas, such as becoming a fifth column, need to be carefully filtered and monitored. Freedom of religion means the spiritual aspect, not a political one. Any house of a warship that gets into politics or teaches hate needs to lose all federal tax advantage and even be permanently closed. All houses of worship need to lease land from the government for symbolically low rent to ensure that these houses of worship, are not financed by foreign countries, who wish to overtake our heterogeneous society like the wild tropical strangler fig trees. All religious community centers need to be solely funded by the local community without any foreign funds. Permits to build such houses of worship need to meet architectural guidelines, density constraints, and open to the public for services. Services must be conducted in English with a leader educated in the USA from a certified seminary. No foreign “guest” speakers are allowed if their goal is to teach hate and inflame the community against their American neighbors.
Immigrating to the USA is a great privilege and a commitment to join a new culture, a new language, new laws, and a new form of governance. Old cultural habits need to fade away when interacting with other Americans. Anything short of trying to blend in is bound to cause unnecessary friction with other established members of our society. One pillar of the American community is freedom, a gift that needs to be handled responsibly. It allows members of our society to express themselves openly. However, it is not a permit to hate or incite. Freedom also provides the ability to admit that this country does not suit everyone, and as such, each person is free at any time to leave and go elsewhere where he/she feels more comfortable or more wanted. Free choice is one of the many aspects of freedom that depend on the laws of the land that could be in direct conflict with some religious dogma. Live and let live is the best way to think about one’s freedom in the USA.
The much-coveted American citizenship is a chance to restart a new life without the constraints and cultural baggage that choked its citizens from their inherent talents and aspirations. Assimilation is an integral part of this chance to transform into a contributing member of this new society, and one’s new “home.” In this new “home,” which defines it as the USA, a country with a unique culture heavily influenced by its multi-ethnic dimensions.
GAB