Immigration
It is a matter of fact that the United States of America
is a nation of immigrants and that it is definitely shaped by them. The reasons
for immigration are dreams of people.
I like to mention three main groups of immigrants. Firstly, there are those
immigrants who came for religious reasons. These people emigrated
to the New World in hope of finding a country
where they could practice their faith without restrictions of the government.
They hope of a religious freedom. The second group I like to mention is the one
of the political refugees. This people have problems with their government.
Many of them suffer from harsh political persecution and hope of a political
freedom. Last but not least, we should not forget the economic refugees. It is obvious
that they left their country for economic reasons. Poverty and unemployment
force people to leave their own country and emigrate
to the USA.
They hope of jobs and to find a better life and financial conditions. They want
safety, equality, development of their potentials. But the reason for
immigration is not only the escape. It can be also a positive picture of
another country. The dream that all immigrants had in common was the dream of a
new society. It is a matter of fact that the American nation is a nation of
contrasts, a nation of discrepancy. There is still social and racial
inequality. The increase of immigrant make Americans
thoughtful. Questions like if immigration means more economic growth or social
friction. They are worried about the territory. They don't know if America absorb so many people with different languages, different
cultures, different backgrounds.
Hispanics
are Spanish- speaking people from central and south
America and the Caribbean. One group of Puerto
Ricans on the island (born and staying there) want to become part of the USA because
they want to escape poverty. Another group in N.Y. with jobs and a secure
living want independence for P. Rico because they want to keep their paradise.
The fear
of losing culture:
At first immigrants only think of the necessities of life (not of culture); the
children of immigrants have, grown up with the American culture and see their
parents homeland as a paradise; on the one Hand America assimilates Hispanic
culture (pop songs, food, movies) on the other it tries to keep the immigrants
out; Hispanic Americans want both, assimilation and preservation of their own
culture; the most important thing in the Hispanic culture, next to the
language, is their ethnic mixture; Hispanic culture, sense of community, North
American culture, individualism; Hispanic and Anglo culture will change each
other and create something new.
Melting
Pot: metapher
meaning a place (country) where people of different ethnic backgrounds leave
their old identities behind and develop a new one (Americanisation).
Salad
bowl: metapher
meaning a country where people of different ethnic backgrounds keep their own
culture and beside each other.
