Many people claim that foreigners should assimilate and be American.What does that consist of?

Question

I've seen many posts about how immigrants should assimilate into being Americans.What does that mean?What defines the American culture?Is it just speaking English and only eating hot dogs and burgers?And if so would that also mean that the Native Americans should assimilate and become more American?Just wondered.

Answer 1

there is a very good saying for this...."When in Rome Do as the Roman's"... In other words people have an easier time if they try to assimilate into the culture inwhich they are residing. For instance, I always notice that when you go to the parks on the weekends its like different cultures will stake out their "territories", and congregate. That's fine, but it would be nice if all cultures would be accepting of other's. I don't think its eating hot dogs...I do think its speaking English, our native language, and attempting to adopt some of our ways, like Thanksgiving, or Christmas, and enjoying those things which our culture deems very important and necessary. We enjoy football over soccer for the most part, we like baseball. That is assimilation into a culture. Americans are very accepting of other people groups, but they don't like it when other people groups only do business within their groups. It sort of shuts Americans out. For instance, Americans keep a 2 foot distance from each other. When a foreigner stands 1 foot in front of you Americans get very upset. We all have comfort zones, and so I would suppose that it would be understanding what our culture deems as important. We all say "have a nice day", well its boring and stupid, but we still say it....learn to say that...its a gesture that we use, but its important to our society. So, I would think its learning what we do as a society, and trying to assimilate.

Answer 2

Well, when you start talking 'culture', there are some general points, honoring our holidays, speaking our language, moving out into our culture and out of 'little italy/israel/mexico/arabia/ china ' etc., and spending less time obsessing on your ethnicity and more time getting on with your own life. Oh, and learning our history wouldn't be so bad either, and basically doing everything you can to get a solid fresh start. If you emigrated to the United States, it must be because you wanted to get that new start because the old country didn't have something you needed, or it had something that you didn't want, so instead you chose to start over in the US. No one said that was easy, but there's online resources on the web, even, to help things along. Main thing is, you consider yourself an american, and not a hyphenated-special-interest/ gimme free money-american/hopeless welfare case. Seeking legitimate employment would be good, too.

But, the FIRST STEP in all of that is applying to become a LEGAL citizen. This being the 21st century and all, I think you can even start the ball rolling online.

Answer 3

Assimilation is an easy idea.. when the Europeans came to this country, they learnt how to plant their gardens the way the indians did, and learnt things from them that helped them survive..
When the immigrants came into Ellis Island, they filtered into the country, and they learned English, didn't expect signs put up all over the place, didn't expect preferential treatment and learnt what being American was all about.. and most had studied up on it before coming here. They became a part of the culture, and enriched the country they adopted.
When illegals come in and refuse to learn the language, expect all kinds of concessions, take jobs for lower than minimum wage, regardless of the fact that doing so is also illegal and hurts the rest of us, expect us to rewrite our constitution and laws to suit them, and then we are discriminated against in some places because WE don't speak THEIR language, welllll, surprise, surprise, we aren't going to like you, we aren't going to want to get along, and all we are going to WANT to do, is ship you back to your point of origin, whether it be mexico, honduras, arabia, pakistan, etc..
This has been a very rational, logical explanation, hopefully, it's able to be read by everyone who reads these things. If not, English is taught in lots of places.. I am not going to learn spanish or another foreign language because I live where I live, in America, ie, the US, and my language is English.
Good day
One thought to Klaatu, african patriots?? where did that come from and what is your context? or did you read it in a book?

Answer 4

Only the lowest form of Americans want everyone just like them. I do believe that the mass majority of American people would like residents to at the very least speak english and not ask to have all the signs changed to other languages.

There are places in America especially in NY where I'm from where you can't find an sign in English. Makes it hard to find the subway I tell you that much! It's funny how much that means, especially to a people who expect somebody to speak english when they visit foreign places. We are an arrogant bunch.

But the difference in culture and people is what makes america rich culturally and the vast majority would love to continue to experience life through the occassional foreigner's eyes.

After all, only Native Americans are true Americans and all the immigrants since have done nothing that even looks like assimulation.

Hope that helps some.

Answer 5

The problem stems from the idea of a nation-state. By definition a nation state is a socio-political entity with one culture, language, etc. Only switzerland is a proper example of a nation state. Every other country breaks the rules by accepting foreigners and trying to get those others to integrate within their country. England(indian)France,spain,germany(north africans)u.s.,canada(latin americas) china(tibetans) etc. Assimilation is something a true nation-state never does because you can never truely assimilate outsiders, and the problems with the dissolution of your own culture ,is what brings problems that america and europe have today.
America is worse because the aboriginal populace now known as native-americans were forced to assimilate into the european culture brought in by force by outsiders. What an irony, that today the descendants of those colonists who forced the native peoples to assimilate into them and forced the enslaved african patriots,now called african americans, to assimilate through them now complain about others assimilating.
America does not have a strict culture because the population is to diverse.
One people, one culture, one nation, one state.
Melting pots, many people, many cultres, many nations, many states.
That simple people.
Believe it or not
go to this site
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation-state

Answer 6

Haven't heard this claim! But I hope they only mean that immigrants should learn English. No one should expect immigrants to cast off their ethnic and cultural identity, especially since there is no definition of what "American" is in that sense. To me, it is a citizen of the United States. One of the beautiful things about the United States is its diversity in culture.

Answer 7

confident. Come to think of of it we've way too many variations in our very own us of a besides. as a result I propose we deliver a bill till now congress. we ought to committ each grownup and newborn over the age of twelve to a re-training application. the objective of this application would be to make rather everyone think of and act an identical. we will not difficulty too lots relating to the extra youthful babies with the aid of fact we are in a position to indoctrinate them early wuithout too lots touble. This application will incorporate medicine and hypnosis. If we see the babies or overdue adults veering from the attitudes we can deliver them to particular camps for the stressful circumstances. Then we can deliver a computerised unit to ever abode to be certain those attitudes are being enforced and accompanied. Come to think of of it... there is way too lots international variety. So... as quickly as we paintings on oiur very own us of a we can ought to triumph over the international; which would be hassle-free pondering we are already all on one accord with the aid of fact we predict of and act an identical. of direction-- this is rediculous. this comprehensive situation with any luck no person could ever heavily evaluate. The shudders i will already think of teach an exciting American factor nonetheless. This us of a replaced into consistent with distinctive concepts, nationalities, thinking varieties, et cetera. This us of a does not even have an stable language. don't think me? Do the learn. I the two appreciate and appreciate maximum of those variations. We continuously scream approximately our very own rights. in spite of the fact that; regrettably maximum Americansa who scream loudest approximately their rights are additionally screaming loudest against different's rights. actuality is we ought to appreciate the variety of others. it rather is component to what makes united statesa. what it rather is.

Answer 8

For me it means not putting America down and trying to change it into where it is you came from. Hold onto your heritage, but don't cram it dwon the throats of everyone else. America, love it or leave it!

Answer 9

A large part is learning the language. No sane person should suggest you forget where you came from, only realize where you are.

Answer 10

They can start by learning the language and showing respect for the country and flag.