Immigrants from all over the world have come to the United States to live. Our population consists of individuals and groups who have different ethnic, cultural, racial, and religious backgrounds. That is why the United States is often called a nation of nations. In the United States today, many different ethnic and cultural groups contribute to the social, economic and cultural values of our society. This has also been the case throughout our history.
Each cultural group has made significant contributions to the development and social customs of the United States. For example, while English is our official language, many words of other countries and cultures have been added to our vocabulary. Yam (African), cookie (Dutch), pretzel (German), tobacco (Native American), and ranch (Spanish) are words describing things we think of as being "American". .
What is American? What is an American? These are not easy questions to answer. Certain people see the United States as a "melting pot," which means that the characteristics of different groups and individuals have blended together to form the country and culture we share. Others see the United States as a "salad bowl," which means that the different groups and individuals have retained many of their unique characteristics. There is truth in both points of view. Each recognizes that the United States is a product of its rich cultural diversity. .
Humans are not perfect species, and we all have our flaws. One of our greatest flaws is fear. Humans fear everything that is unfamiliar and strange to them. For example, during World War II, we mistreated the Japanese-Americans by putting them into camps after thinking and fearing that they were spies for Japan. By celebrating America's diversity, that fear is automatically eliminated as a result of familiarization with the "stranger".
In addition, another great purpose stands behind celebrating multiculturalism.
