Multiculturalism vs Assimilation America is a place where many cultures and races co-exist, so there are many different opinions and beliefs. Of course there is bound to be tension and misunderstandings, which unfortunately escalates (in some cases) into violence that we hear about in the media. So what is the solution? Should we all assimilate to one standard or should we recognize our individual cultures and consider ourselves multicultural? The answer is not an easy one to define. America is made up of the gray area between these two opposing views. Thomas Bray, an editor for the Detroit News talks about the recent poll against bilingual education in California in his editorial, Memorial Day and Multiculturalism, in which he presents a strong argument for assimilation, "A nation unsure of it's roots and values may not survive long as a nation- witness how close even `multicultural` Canada is coming to crack up because of the drive by separatist French Quebec to secede and form an independent nation.". (Bray, 3) Bray suggests that to be a strong nation, we need to define what is `American` and everyone should live up to one standard. American culture, beliefs, and values should all be defined. Bray says that if we don't have one standard than how can we be as one nation? How can we be identified as one nation? He emphasizes the need for assimilation, "Assimilation is a bad word these days. But it's a tested method of achieving `E pluribus Unum`. (Bray, 4) Perhaps it need not be harshly administered in the old days, but a country that has no standards to assimilate to is a country without a core and a country deep in trouble." Bray's view is that of many Americans who think that America and American culture should be defined with roots that go deep into British history, and not by it's many other roots around the world. That America can be defined by one mainstream culture that everyone in the country assimilates to. I believe that there are too many different people in the country to think that everyone is the same. The fact is that people are different, and no one can change that. As part of our study of culture, my peers and I were asked to write a paper reflecting our own cultural background. I have always considered myself "all American". I shop, I eat fast food, I drive my own car, and watch too much television.
Throughout history, there have been various perspectives of multicultural differences. According to Meriam Webster (n.d.), culture is “the beliefs, customs, arts, institutions, and the thoughts or products of a particular society or group.” Unfortunately, African Americans, Native Americans, Italians, Irish, Jews as well as various other cultural groups have been profoundly discriminated against and negatively stereotyped (Good Therapy org.). With the frequent mingling of cultures in educational settings, the workplace, and in the social arena, we are bound to encounter cultural differences.
In today’s society, Cultural diversity in the United States of America can be seen in all aspects of life, such as in the media, workplace, household, and schools. Cultural diversity is defined as the characteristic of diverse cultures, as contradicting to monoculture, as in a homogenization of cultures, affiliated to cultural decay. In this present stage America, most individuals inaccurately use phrases such as “American culture,” or “Western culture,” as if such common and standardized cultures exist. People, in general, neglect to acknowledge the presence of cultural diversity, and cultural differences within the American society.
The core standards of America are founded, in principle, on the basis of its diversity and equality among citizens. Begin- ning with its Declaration of Independence, the United States distinguished itself from other modern nation-states by establishing a country of men who were different but equal. Yet, despite the unifying images America projects within and beyond its borders, the idea behind E Pluribus Unum does not resound as one might assume it would.
The debate on the federal minimum wage is an ongoing issue. Both supporters and opponents to the minimum wage have valid arguments and multiple studies to defend their rationale. However, these studies and statistical reports may be concent...
In 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act was passed and ever since, the United States has required that all firms that do at least $500,000 worth of business per year pay their workers a minimum wage (“Handy” n.pag.). Because it affects so many workers in so many different aspects of the economy, the minimum wage plays a big part in the cost of labor and how firms deal with those costs. A change in the minimum wage, which would seemingly affect only workers, can actually be felt sometimes all the way down to the consumer, who might end up paying for it in the end—unless the firm finds another way to pay for the mandatory raise for all its workers, such as a decrease in its workforce or a change in the production process. These changes the consumer might not noticeably feel. A change in the minimum wage has several short-term and long-term effects on the economy that can be either beneficial or devastating to society at large.
Gitterman, Daniel P. “Remaking A Bargain: The Political Logic Of The Minimum Wage In The United States.” Poverty And Public Policy 5.1 (2013): 3-36. EconLit. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
Raising the pay for minimum wage workers will be the proper way to create effective results, yet there exists those who oppose an increase. Neal Asbury, an American entrepreneur, writes “Raising the Minimum Wage Brings Minimum Benefits” to express how a hike in wages will increase unemployment levels. The author introduces a survey done in 1992 regarding economists’ beliefs towards an increase in minimum wage, where 72 percent claim it would hurt unemployment levels (Asbury). According to this claim, more than half of economists argue that if a rise in minimum wage is to occur, unemployment will soar among the country. Businesses will be prone to lay off employees or hire fewer workers because of higher costs and will lead low-skilled workers to be jobless. An increase in pay will lea...
Small businesses operate with little capital and net profit margin. Opponents argue the increase of the minimum wage affect the small business owners the most because they have a hard time paying employees. The oppositions believe increasing the minimum wage creates a market distortion (“Federal Minimum Wage”). It means the government intervention in raising the minimum wage causes a higher price floor that defines as the minimum price for the employees’ service. Because of a higher price floor, it reduces the employment opportunities and business profit. For instance, according to Mark Wilson’s “The Negative Effects of Minimum Wage Laws”, he writes about a study conducted by Barry Hirsch and his co-authors about the methods of how employers adjust to a newly imposed minimum wage. In their study, employers cushion the impact of the minimum wage increase by “requiring better attendance, insisting that job duties are completed faster, imposing additional task on workers, minimizing hours worked with better scheduling, and terminating poor performers quickly.” In addition, businesses try to push the rising cost to consumers, which result in increased competition from imported goods. This makes them less competitive. The negative side of increasing the minimum wage affects employers, employees, and customers since study suggest every dollar bump to minimum wage workers come from the business owners’ or clients’ pockets; in addition, employers impose more job responsibilities to
...ve used the alias Robin Hood in their crimes. For example, in 1498, a man named Roger Marshall led an uprising of 100 people and used the alias Robin Hood claiming his actions were typical of the legendary figure. There is a very good possibility that a real man may have inspired these aliases. However, British historian Barrie Dobson claims that Robin Hood was possibly just a nickname for criminals.
The United States has been, and is, a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. As
The Culture of Americans is diverse and evolving constantly, due to changing interests, landscapes, religions, and geography.
Economists point to inflation as the main cause for low minimum wage. Inflation is described as “a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of mone...
Experiencing a society of multi-cultures is beneficial through a variety of concepts to epitomize each individual identity. A person may vary in the degree to which he or she identifies with, morals, or...
However, the fact of the matter is: there is no single story of Robin Hood. The written sources that exist are based on oral tradition, and obviously, the story in its entirety may vary. The first known mention of Robin Hood comes from late in the thirteenth century, and the first books were written centuries later. Therefore, it is difficult to conjure one story with complete factual accuracy. The following is the standard version as written by American author Howard Pyle and includes many major stories of Robin Hood’s endeavors.
First, to really dig into Robins Hood?s identity, one needs to understand the legends that consume this character. He was known for stealing from