Kenzan - Melting Pot

America used to be called a melting pot – a giant pot of stew where the carrots taste like potatoes, and the potatoes taste like carrots. You started out with a variety of distinct ingredients but ended up with one giant brown uniform mush (like the soups in the cafeteria). The melting pot symbolized the assimilation of various cultures into one– the American culture. Somewhere along the line, this idea of a melting pot became taboo and assimilation became evil. You had to respect everyone’s differences, even celebrate them. An assembly on Christianity had to be followed by an assembly on Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Wicca. People stopped simply being American, but became Japanese-American, Indian-American, African-American, etc. America became a salad bowl, where everything is distinct and retains their original tastes and textures. Today, we believe in this salad bowl America. We recognize black history month and Hispanic history month. We respect each other’s cultural differences and encourage children to learn their parent’s languages. We encourage people to retain their cultural identity. But is this what we want? Do we want an America of countless ethnic minorities that focus on their differences rather than their similarities? Do we want a country of hyphenated Americans?I would argue no. We do not want diversity in America. Look at the ancient Greeks. They were a nation of many cultures –a conglomeration of city states each with their unique identity. And what happened to them? They fell because they could not unite together against the Persians. There are other examples too – the Balkans, the Soviet Union, Ireland. An America of divided cultures would follow the path of previous mutli-cultural nations into downfall and ruin.Instead of celebrating diversity and the salad bowl version of America, we should celebrate the similarities that exist among us, like our belief in hope and prosperity. Instead of trying to maintain our different cultural heritages, we should be focused on creating and maintaining the American culture. And as for our separate cultures, we will not forget them; they will add another layer of flavor to the melting pot. And if you still think that celebrating diversity is more important than celebrating similarities, then I ask you this: would you really take a bland and unsatisfying salad (think school salad bar with those Crayola colored dressings) over a hearty, warm, and filling stew (fat free of course and available with or without meat)?