Multiculturalism the United States Is a Multicultural

Multiculturalism

The United States is a multicultural nation. Even before the Europeans landed on American shores, the continent was multicultural, as Native Americans are comprised of hundreds of different linguistic and tribal groups. The European settlers in turn came from various European nations: the earliest settlers came from Great Britain and France, and later from Germany and the Netherlands. The international slave trade ushered in several more African ethnic groups, albeit in bondage. During the Industrial Revolution, economic opportunities prompted droves of new immigrants from Europe to move to the United States. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, immigrants from Eastern Europe and Ireland especially added to the multicultural mix that characterized the United States. The great ethnic and cultural diversity that existed at the turn of the last century caused people to start referring to the United States as a "melting pot," where peoples from various nations and backgrounds came together and blended into another society. The melting pot concept has been touted as the primary ideology of Americans and is generally put forth as a positive emblem of American culture. However, other multicultural nations with similar immigration policies as the United States have developed different ideologies to define their collective cultural identities. Most notably, the term "multiculturalism" refers to the celebration of ethnic diversity through the encouragement of the preservation of cultural traditions and languages.

Nations like Australia and Canada have promoted multiculturalism over melting pot. In a society that promotes multiculturalism, immigrants are encouraged to retain their unique identities and traditions, while at the same time adapting to and thriving to their new environment. On the Canadian government's Canadian Heritage website, an article entitled "What is Multiculturalism?" defines the term. "Multiculturalism ensures that all citizens can keep their identities, can take pride in their ancestry and have a sense of belonging ... The Canadian experience has shown that multiculturalism encourages racial and ethnic harmony and cross-cultural understanding, and discourages ghettoization, hatred, discrimination and violence." In a nation that supports multiculturalism, ethnically distinct communities retain the essential character of their historical, cultural, and religious traditions. Mother tongues are spoken freely on the street as in the home. Many Americans support the transformation of American ideology from "melting pot-ism" to multiculturalism because of the positive experiences of ethnic minorities in countries like Canada. Multiculturalism promotes cultural richness and prevents minority cultures, beliefs, and traditions from being obliterated. Multiculturalism enables tolerance because the promotion of cultural pride necessitates exposure to more than one linguistic and cultural tradition. In fact, the Canadian government avers: "Acceptance gives Canadians a feeling of security and self-confidence, making them more open to, and accepting of, diverse cultures."

However, many Americans fiercely disagree with the idea of multiculturalism. Prominent politicians like Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich, for instance, called multiculturalism "crap," and "bunk," asserting that multiculturalism creates problems. Instead, Americans should support assimilation and uniformity. What citizens like Ehrlich are suggesting constitutes the homogenization of American culture. Granted, multiculturalism is a contract. Just as the host society must offer leeway to immigrant cultures and permit them to retain unique ethnic and linguistic identity, immigrants must also be willing to adapt to the social, cultural, and linguistic norms of the United States. Language is at the heart of the multiculturalism debate. When Ehrlich issued his statement, he was partly reacting to a statement by a fellow politician, who had a "problem with a Spanish-speaking McDonald's clerk," (RCADE). When immigrants do not learn English, some problems can and do arise. Therefore, multiculturalism should be promoted as a cooperative policy, one that fosters ethnic and linguistic pride but which at the same time promotes unity through diversity.

Examples of how multiculturalism can and should work in the United States as well as in other nations include cities like Miami, Florida. For decades in Miami, waves of Spanish-speaking immigrants from South America and the Caribbean created distinct ethnic enclaves. Because of the sheer size of the Spanish-speaking community in Miami, newer immigrants did not need to learn English to get by, and the subsequent linguistic divide drove many English-speakers out of the city and created much resentment. Yet after several decades, Miami has evolved into a genuinely multicultural city. Although official bilingualism is still not supported by law, Miami is essentially a bilingual city that encourages both English- and Spanish-speakers to thrive. What makes Miami such a dynamic city is its informal multiculturalism and multilingualism.