The New Melting Pot
Author: Fruzsina Csery

The term 'melting pot' refers to the idea that societies formed
by people of different cultures and religions will produce new
social and cultural forms, where these cultures lose their
individual characteristics to some degree. So the 'ingredients'
in the pot fuse and create a completely new product. Nowadays
this term is commonly used – sometimes not correctly.
Scientifics and demographers agree that 'melting pot' does not
accurately describe Americans' national identity. Bill Frey,
American demographer divides the country into three regions,
and he labels only one region 'Melting Pot'.

The history of the melting pot theory originates from the time
of the first immigration wave. The United States was imagined
not only as the land of opportunity but as a society where
individuals of all (European) nations are melted into a new
race of men. Later, in 1908, I.srael Zangwill used the term as
a title for his production - a vision of America as an Eden
where all ethnicities and cultures melted happily into a
harmonious whole. From that time, the term became widespread.

But today, it seems that the United States is not a melting
pot, but rather a 'salad bowl' or a 'mosaic'. Different
ethnicities and groups keep their discrete identities, while
maintaining relations among each other.

The country has regional characteristics. These regions are
being shaped by different immigration and domestic migration
flows. 'While it is true that America is becoming more racially
and ethnically diverse, this diversity is hardly spread evenly
across the country' – alleges Frey.

According to his new division (the three regions), the Melting
Pot consists of Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois,
New Jersey, New York, New Mexico and Texas. These states are
home to 74% of the nation's combined Hispanic and Asian
populations but only 41% of its total population. Most
immigrants cluster into several, mostly coastal metropolitan
areas: New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Miami,
etc. The overwhelming majority of immigrants come from Asia and
Latin America – Mexico, the Central American countries, the
Philippines, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

There is a relatively new immigration policy that emphasizes
family reunification and encourages migration to occur in
chains, connecting co – nationals at both origin and
destination. That new policy, a response to charges that the
law favored white Europeans, allowed immigrants already living
in the United States to bring over their relatives, who in turn
could bring over more relatives. As a result, America has been
absorbing as many as 1 million newcomers a year, to the point
that now almost 1 in every 10 residents is foreign born.

This 'new' melting pot is not mainly a melting pot of Whites,
what's more, it's losing Whites. 'These losses are occurring in
both the central cities, and suburban communities and reflect a
flight from urbanism more than a flight from diversity' – said
Frey.

Census 2000 shows that 'migration paths' are changing and
different relations have evolved among ethnics. The original
theory of melting pot is outdated and does not exactly describe
Americans' national identity. Today, there is more emphasis on
preserving one's ethnic identity and cultural roots than melt
into a unity.

About The Author: Fruzsina Csery wrote this article to
http://www.firstfloridafsbo.com/