Race and ethnicity: definitions, social impacts, and contemporary issues

Race and Ethnicity: Diversity in America

The statement in question here is this: 'Racial and ethnic diversity are as American as apple pie. American public policy ought to encourage as much diversity as possible in language, culture, education, the economic system, politics (at all levels), and society in general.' Whether this is really true, however, is certainly a subject for debate. There are many people who feel that diversity is to be celebrated, but there is also the question of pulling together as one nation for the common good (Kohn, 1980). This can be very difficult to do if there are so many different and diverse people who have little interest in 'being like everyone else.' There are times when diversity is to be welcomed and times when it can become dangerous to the society overall, and this is what will happen if too much diversity is allowed to continue.

Diversity is something that each person has. Everyone is different to some degree, and no two people are exactly the same, regardless of where they come from, what language they speak, or what political party they belong to. However, the same diversity that makes people who they are can cause them to struggle as a group because they have to find common ground, and that is not always easy (Kohn, 1980). When children who do not speak English are put in school, for example, they struggle. If their parents do not speak English it becomes hard for them to practice learning a new language, and that puts them further behind. People should certainly not have to give up who they are when they come to America, but English is the language that people speak here, so they should learn that language (Takaki, 2002).

Other countries expect this, but yet America does not force conformance onto people, which - in some areas of life - actually hurts them in the long run. No one should have to stop being who they are when they are at home or out doing normal things with their friends and family members. However, if they are in jobs or educational opportunities where there are specific requirements, they should be required to meet those just as anyone else would (Takaki, 2002). In order for all people to survive and prosper in America they must work together, and the more that they distance themselves because they feel as though they have to hold onto their traditions the more difficult it becomes for people to accept the ways of others as also being valuable (Takaki, 2002).

This does not mean that people should forget who they are or where they come from, but only that they should also be open to the experiences of others and why people do things the way that they do them. People can learn much from others, but when diversity is encouraged but cohesiveness is not there is little that is learned except how to keep to oneself, and that is not at all helpful. The American people only seem to come together during times of crisis or around the holiday season, instead of being willing to show that spirit of openness and goodwill all year long. Their diversity keeps them from understanding others and America has gotten so interested in being 'politically correct' that it has forgotten the principles on which it was founded, which is starting to anger a lot of people.