In class, we watched a commercial where a Canadian said that he believed in diversity and not in a melting pot. Matt said it best when he said "I think he is implying that in America we expect people to lose their identity and individuality in order to blend into one whole... and that if you come to America you need to surrender yourself to the common whole." As a group, we believed this to be untrue and a very primitive way to view the American society. The melting pot does not symbolize the trivialization of the American people but rather puts the emphasis as being seen as an American no matter what you look like or who/what you believe in. There were several commercials after 9/11 that focused on being an American.
These commercials were a powerful tool in remembering that although we are different we are one. To imply that America is a place where you cannot be yourself is to be uneducated, but to believe there is a place in this world where people are free from all racial prejudice is ignorant.
Group Members - Matt, Kallie, Anthony, Yu, and Courtney
Group Members - Matt, Kallie, Anthony, Yu, and Courtney
I think you are correct in identifying two opposite impulses that have existed within our culture for several hundred years. On one hand, immigrants who came to this country (especially in the 19th century) sought to be assimilated into "American society," and baseball served as an especially useful tool. On the other hand, individual groups also wanted to maintain their unique identities and did so by creating organizations like the Caledonians (Scottish) and Turner Societies (Germans). I don't think the process has to be either/or, but often involves aspects of assimilation as well as differentiation--with one emphasized more at times than others.
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