"It is not a Buddhist approach to say that if everyone practiced Buddhism, the world would be a better place. Wars and oppression begin from this kind of thinking"
- Sulak Sivaraksa, "Seeds of Peace"
America has often been called a melting pot, a country where everyone comes together and becomes one homogenous population. Some times it takes a generation, but the children of immigrants will embrace "American" culture. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, "In this country we have no place for hyphenated Americans."
That is, of course, nonsense. The history of America is built on the stories of "hyphenated Americans," each bringing it's own culture to the mix. America is held together by hyphens. And duct tape.
Throughout our history there have been "waves" of immigrants from different countries, waves usually fueled by events in those far away lands. One example is the waves of Irish immigrants in the mid 1800's. One and a half million men, women and children came to America from Ireland fleeing famine as well as economic and political oppression.
Each wave met with resistance, and in many cases out right hostility, from those already here in America. Many of those showing them that hostility were themselves immigrants or the children of immigrants.
Like so much hatred in human history, the animosity shown the new comers was based on economic fear, and fueled by ignorance. Each group forgot their own history all too soon, forgot that history on purpose, and allowed politicians to inflame their fears and manipulate them.
Yet as Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists."
The fear mongers proclaimed that the fill-in-the-blank who came here would ruin America. They decried them as lazy, as thieves, drunks, whores, and insane.
But the truth, as always, was a universe away from the rumors and propaganda. People who gave up their homes, gave up belongings, gave up everything that was familiar to them, and moved to the other side of the world prove themselves to be the most courageous of us all. Many came here with little more than the clothes on their backs, and made a risky voyage across a dangerous ocean to do so.
And with them they brought their culture. Their foods, their music, their literature, and all their arts. After they arrived they shared these talents with their neighbors when they could. Sometimes it was a slow process, but it did happen.
And then the next generation is born and grows up. And the children of the immigrants are more open to accepting the "American" culture.
But by that time the culture has itself changed. Just as the children of the immigrants have adapted to a new cultural norm, the cultural norm has adapted to changes in the population.
Changes brought by the immigrants.
Part of what is seen as the adoption of the "American" culture by the newest generation is really nothing more than the acceptance of new technologies. That acceptance is not unique to this country, it goes on all over the world at the same time.
So each generation moves further in time from their ancestral roots, they move further away from their parent's customs, manners, and values. Really they are moving further away technologically as well as culturally. And the culture itself is moving away from the past.
But again, that's not a unique situation in the world. Not today and not in the past. Parents have always decried the way their children seem to turn their backs on their parent's world. As author J. B. Priestley remarked, "Like it's politicians and it's wars, society has the teenagers it deserves."
It would be a mistake to see that as purely an immigrant issue. Teenagers whose ancestors came from Italy 5 generations ago, or France 10 generations ago, embrace Anime, an art style that was born from Asian culture.
Yet if we do our job as parents and adults correctly we can instill in the children of America the flavor of their history and culture. They may turn their backs on that heritage during the rebellious teen years, but they may return.
Many cultural groups hold various festivals around the country to celebrate that heritage, to share it with their fellow Americans, and pass it on to their children. Whether it is the CelebrAsian Festival, The Latino Heritage Festival, or Octoberfest the goals are the same. The costumes and dances are a vehicle to pass on a heritage, and the pride that goes with it.
Many of my ancestors come from The Netherlands, but I don't need to wear wooden shoes every day to feel the pride of that heritage. Besides, they really hurt.
The real issue, the important thing to keep in mind, is that the analogy of the melting pot is not the most accurate metaphor. In a meting pot the goal is complete homogeneity.
But in this country we all bring our own culture and heritage to the common table. And together we create that overall flavor that we call America, while at the same time maintaining the individual flavors of our ancestors.
We aren't living in a melting pot. America is a pot of stew.
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