What does it take to be or become an American? A question which all citizens could ponder without ever being able to answer it specifically. However, after hours upon hours of intense concentration and contemplation, I've done it. To become an American citizen, one must accept the common culture. Parts of their own history must be sacrificed or left behind.
Ameja, Pauleen. “ABCD: American Born Confused Desi.” Desi Club 6 Apr. 2004. 1 June 2009 .
Barnes, Brookes. “Her Prince Has Come. Critics, Too.” The New York Times 29 May 2009: 1+2. 31 May 2009 .
“Calzones.” Epicurious.31 May 2009 .
Elliot, Andrea. “After 9/11, Arab-Americans Fear Police Acts, Study Finds .” The New York Times 12 June 2006: 1+2. New York Times. 31 May 2009 .
- - -. “A Muslim Leader in Brooklyn, Reconciling 2 Worlds .” The New York Times 5 Mar. 2006: 1,2,3,4,5,6. 31 May 2009 .
Google’s Multicultural Work Force. Picture Slide Show. 2009. The New York Times 11 Apr. 2009. 1 June 2009 .
Kingsbury, Alex. “In Defense of Civil Rights; The Justice Department renews the fight against discrimination after years of neglect.” U.S. News & World Report 146 (May 2009): 44. eLibrary. ProQuest. New Trier High School Library, Winnetka, IL. 31 May 2009 .
Salkin, Allen. “American Girl’s Journey To the .” The New York Times 24 May 2009: 1 or 7 .
An American citizen is a synthesis of assorted values. Yet, when Caroline Myers thinks of how one goes about the process becoming an American, it becomes clear. It just takes backwards cognition to get the definition. The American identity has been shaped by many other countries. This range of diverse cultures is what makes it difficult to pinpoint a specific American culture. In Michael Grahams interview, he questioned if an actual American culture existed. Then he teased about strip malls and cheese burgers being a large part of the American identity.For example, music has transformed from decade to decade, but we've adopted it from other countries. The cliché/overused description of America's diversity is known as the "melting pot" metaphor. Although many sociologists find this description to be outdated, the melting pot refers to America's integration of different ethnic groups. It refers to the acceptance of the new culture. However, it seems that immigrants lose some of their own cultural identity and roots to their native countries when they become American. Therefore, to become an American one has to sacrifice some of their own cultural identity to assimilate. America prides itself off of its diversity,however, acceptance of all the various groups hasn't happened completely. Racism and racial profiling are still prevalent within American society today. The country's foundation seems based off of conformity and "Americanization." It seems ironic that our country has developed thanks to many races and countries, yet many whites still find themselves superior to other races. Immigrants are expected to learn our language, sense of style, music, etc. They really are just expected to conform. It's not like people are extremely willing to learn about the various cultures that make up our country. Cultural ignorance looms around us. Fitting into American culture is the main worry of an immigrant because the nation does expect so much of them. Is America's tolerance of diversity a facade? These topics will all be explored by the Cultural specialist, Caroline Myers. She likes to be referred to as the Cultural Connoisseur.
Margie: It was a very brief Interview. But she had a lot to say. We sort of disagreed because she told me she really has "stayed in touch with her Belizean roots."
Google seems to have an extremely diverse group of employees. Caroline Myers wouldn't expect anything less from the Holy Search engine. Half of the engineers working at the head quarters in Silicon Valley, California were born overseas. Google just loves to recruit foreign employees. They celebrate diversity by naming each work room after foreign cities. Google sees diversity as a bonus to their company and embrace it in a trendy, geeky way. The company even hires an immigration specialist! The woman who currently holds this title is Christine Doyle. She helps employees deal with the increasingly restrictive visa and immigration rules. This job entails tasks like processing visa forms which are punctuated by crises, and keeping frustrated workers sane. Apparently, "Google estimates that it spends about $20 million a year on its immigration efforts"(Multicultural Work force). It doesn't stop here folks. Google's cafeteria caters to it's international employees by serving many varieties of ethnic cuisine. The rest of the country could take a hint or too from the people over at Google. Take the time to learn about and appreciate other cultures. When asked, Parker (another interviewee) mentioned that Google would probably one of the best places to work in the U.S. as of late. Caroline Myers would have to concur.
The term, "American Born Confused Desi" refers to an individual who is culturally confused. They consider themselves Brown on the outside, yet white on the inside. These feelings stem from loss of cultural identity. When one is of a different descent, but then grows up in the U.S. it is hard to keep that connection to one's original background. For example, in this article the girl is told by her father "remember we are Indian." She understands that she's Indian, it's just so hard for her to stay true to her culture when America has such different values. Nisha was raised in Madison, Wisconsin. Growing up in Wisconsin seems like it would truly be a true blooded American experience. Nisha went to kindergarten with other little American children and when she came home she was expected to participate in her family's regular cultural and traditional activities. She gave the example of eating her mother's spicy Indian food. She was trying to be accepted by all of these children but still please her parents at the same time. WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND KINDERGARTNERS ARE FOUR AND FIVE YEARS OLD. That is a lot to ask of someone who is four feet and under (probably completely inaccurate, Caroline Myers doesn't currently know any Kindergartners). Children are just trying to fit in in most cases. It's hard for them to embrace their differences and coming to a new country (especially the U.S.) would not be easy.
As already discussed, racial stereotyping is a common problem among citizens of the United States. However, children could be some of the most guilty when it comes to this epidemic. Kids are often sheltered and don't really understand people who are different than they are, which is somewhat excusable because they are still pretty uneducated/naive. However, parents should be teaching children from a young age to embrace cultural difference. If that is what America is all about AHEM. In Nisha's case "John and Tammy are always assuming Nisha doesn't know as much or feel exactly like them because...well...she's an Indian. Neha and Rahul expect Nisha to like and laugh at the same things that they do because...well...why wouldn't she? She's an Indian isn't she? This is the problem. These children don't know anything about her culture. Similarly to Janet's experience. When interviewing Janet Yuan, Caroline Myers learned that people had funny perceptions of Canada and many generalizations. Janet moved to Wilmette from Canada when she was around ten years old, she mentioned many students asking her if she used the word "eh" a lot. These kids in Nisha's store just assume she is foreign and doesn't understand or doesn't have anything in common with them. Nisha is in fact American. Maybe she has a different family background, but she was also born in America. She's not an alien. Recap: fitting in with the other kids, pleasing her parents, being an American, being a good Indian girl. DILEMMA.
Disney is releasing a new movie at the end of this year. It is entitled "The Princess and the Frog." It's quite controversial because it is the first black Disney Princess!This is a breakthrough for the always credible Disney network (just kidding Christensen). It is extremely exciting that Disney has finally somewhatcaught up with the Politically correct times. However, this movie could be potentially promoting stereotypes. First of all the Prince seems to be a much lighter skinned black man. This has caused a lot of controversy, because it has gotten the black community to suspect that Disney doesn't believe a black man rightly deserves the title of a "prince." Additionally, the firefly character (Ray) has been given a southern dialect. This has angered people because it seems like he has been given the stereotypical uneducated Southerner persona. The princess apparently transforms into a frog (sorry to ruin the plot) after kissing one. So finally a black Disney princess, yet she spends the majority of the movie as a frog? Something is wrong with this picture! Clearly Disney has been known for it's history of stereotyping. However, it does say something about our country as a whole. The creators of the film say that every decision has been carefully thought out. They are deathly afraid of scrutiny. However, Caroline Myers thinks this could possibly be taken the wrong way, not by the children, but by the adults. The NAACP and Oprah have apparently been consulted during the creation process, but when asked "Ms. Winfrey declined to comment. A spokesman for the N.A.A.C.P. said the organization had no immediate comment"(Her Prince Has Come). It's interesting that the two refuse to give their input.
Looky here, America What you done done-- Let things drift Until the riots come.
Now your policemen Let your mobs run free I reckon you don't care Nothing about me.
You tell me that Hitler Is a mighty bad man. I guess he took lessons from the KluKluxKlan.
You tell me Mussolini's Got an evil heart. Well, it mus-a been in Beaumont That he had his start--
Cause everything that Hitler And Mussolini do, Negroes get the same Treatment from you.
You Jim crowed me Before Hitler rose to power-- And you're STILL Jim crowing me Right now, this very hour.
Yet you say we're fighting For democracy. Then why don't democracy Include me?
I ask you this question Cause I want to know How long I got to fight BOTH HITLER--AND JIM CROW
Bear with Caroline Myers here readers. This poem was clearly written many years ago. It's an old poem and the state of the country has obviously improved immensely. However, this poem is one that leaves a lasting impression. Langston writes about the Fascism of World War II and how the people of Germany are being heavily oppressed. It's when he compares those problems to America and it's racial inequality, that this poem becomes powerful. For example, when he states "Cause everything that Hitler and Mussolini do, negroes get the same treatment from you"(ll 17-20). Langston reveals America's hypocritical actions. They feel the need to go mend the inequality in Europe when their own nation isn't even granting citizens in their own country the same privileges. WOW as long ago as this all was, it's still apart of America's history. As much as people would like to block it out of their minds, it happened and it won't be forgotten. It's better that it not be forgotten, because then it can be taught in school. Students can learn from the country's mistakes. Caroline Myers has pointed out many racial issues still existing in the United States today, but it's important to realize how far it has come.
This is a map of the different ethnic groups and where they live in the city of Chicago. This map shows how many incredibly diverse even just one city is in the United States. However, these groups have seemed to all have stuck together. Different ethnic groups like to remain together, but in urban settings especially. Chicago is a great example of the cultural pocket set-up. The groups like to stay together, because they feel much more comfortable and are easily able to identify with their particular ethnicity. America is diverse but it seems that cultures still like to stay together.
The same pattern follows for the entire country. It's very interesting to examine where each cultural group has settled. This is a very recent map. Check out the website, because the map is very interactive. Why do these Ethnicities decide to settle in the same areas? Does it have to do with cultural acceptance? When one lives with people of the same decent, there is an absence of racial discrimination and there are many commonalities. People don't want to have to give up their roots and this is how that solution has been solved. There is a false notion that U.S. is completely intermixed.
At the turn of the 21st century, the country has experienced another great wave of immigration, the biggest since the 1920s. It's also been the first time that the number of ILlegal immigrants have been greater than the legal ones. The U.S. hasn't been particularly happy with all of the new citizens coming to the country. Many politicians tried to work out a certain guest worker program, that would lead to a path of citizenship. However, the senate couldn't agree and the legislation died. Since Obama has taken office, his administration has been diligently working to get illegal immigrants some sort of status. Keep in mind readers, this issue has been argued about since 2004. An accord was finally reached in April of this year! Yet, with the horrible economy the amount of Mexican immigrants has severely decreased. It took SO long for the government to finally agree on this issue. The nation appears so accepting, however, when their opportunities are at risk it's a different story. People are just so concerned with foreigners seizing their employment opportunities. People panic that these immigrants are going steal their jobs. Up until 1965, the way we dealt with even legal immigration was an embarrassment. The laws clearly defined superiority. It appeared that we favored Northern Europeans (whites) above other cultures. After the assassination of Kennedy the Immigration and Naturalization law was passed. However, even that had hidden motives. Congress had debates about particular nationalities: "Congress was saying in its debates, 'We need to open the door for some more British doctors, some more German engineers."(All Things Considered). This proves the fact that there was a motive behind "leveling out the immigration playing field." They were still being discriminative! They did not think about the possibility of Black or Asian professionals. This is all a very big display of cultural ignorance. America has been shaped by many different cultures. Yet, how much does the average American know about each one? A question to ponder...
This is a "comic" from a website which pokes fun at American propaganda. This artifact was produced after the terrorist attacks of September eleventh. After Al Qaeda took down the Twin Towers, racial profiling was at an all time high. Arab-Americans and Muslims were being labeled as terrorists. They were falling victims to hate crimes and intense discrimination. America usually promotes diversity, but then turns against their own people in time of crisis? Caroline Myers thinks this is absolutely ridiculous. Americans lost trust in this group of people after the attacks. Most Americans knew absolutely nothing about Al Qaeda when they made these generalizations. .Citizens were just automatically associating people of Middle-Eastern descent to be part of a terrorist group, which is SO offensive. They felt like their civil liberties were at risk. Immigration of Muslims to the United States decreased after 9/11, because of the fear of not being accepted and prejudice. In an article written by the well respected news reporter Andrea Elliot, she interviews a Muslim imam. Mr. Shata recently came over to the U.S. and is learning the ways of the country quickly, according to him. He comments about the changes he's witnessed:"America transformed me from a person of rigidity to flexibility," said Mr. Shata. The Muslim faith is strict and America is obviously much less restricted. He has learned to become an "American imam." It is apparent that immigrants conform to certain standards when they make the journey west. Integrating his faith and traditions with American culture hasn't been easy; "For many Muslims in America, life is a daily clash between Islamic mores and material temptation. At the center of this clash stands the imam." (Muslim Leader 1). For all Muslim immigrants keeping their traditions, as well as adapting to their new surroundings is difficult. America expects people to adapt and finding that cultural balance is a definite hurdle.If you want to read the article...
Caroline Myers really thought that first person was a necessary component of blogging. Then this notion was smashed to smtihereens. Aren't blogs supposed to be from the point of view of one particular individual? Caroline Myers thinks so. Caroline Myers talked to some randomly chosen unbiased scholars within her class. Here are their opinions. "Rachel Gershon is too upset to answer" she exclaimed. A young man stated "Eric Campbell uses first person everyday and when Eric Campbell learned he had to always refer to himself as Eric Campbell, Eric Campbell was mad." This is all Caroline Myers has to say. Good day.
Sandra Cisneros is an extremely well known Latina author. She is definitely one of the most prominent figures within the Chicana literary movement. She has written numerous novels, some including: The House on Mango Street, Caramelo, Loose Woman (Poetry book), and many others. Cisneros explores controversial topics within her writing, like gender, ethnicity and economic inequality. She came from a Mexican background and lived in the U.S., so she went through that identity crisis growing up. She said she had difficulty because so much was expected from her as an American. Yet, she was trying to stay in touch with her Mexican roots at the same time. She often felt like she didn't belong to either culture.
In Cisneros short story entitled, Barbie-Q, she delineates the life of a young girl growing up in Chicago. This young girl goes to a flea market where she picks up a barbie who has survived a warehouse fire. Therefore, the doll has some defects. Cisneros tries to address many heavy topics within this two paged story: gender stereotypes, economic inequality, and societal expectations. The barbie doll embodies perfection and for this little Latina girl, it's a mold she's never going to fulfill. Barbie is white with a perfect body, fair complexion, and luxurious wardrobe. This young girl gets the idea that this is an identity she has to take on to be an American. The barbie doll is supposed to represent the American cultural norm. The idea of a cultural norm even seems ludicrous. Differences are supposed to be celebrated and not frowned upon. This young girl has this flawed barbie doll, which perhaps suggests that she too is flawed. Should this young hispanic girl have to change herself to be accepted?
Calzones don't seem to be the most commonly accepted pizza form. Surprisingly, when Caroline Myers mentioned that she was using calzones for her recipe for this project, many of her fellow classmates replied with "What's a calzone?" Yet, they are simply delicious. The dough pockets seem so generic on the outside, but bite into one and it's mind blowing. There's melted cheese, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, pepperoni, sausage, zucchini, onions, sausage, carrots,the options are endless. This cheesy treat truly embodies America. The outside represents American conformity. All citizens conform to specific American cultural standards. Then inside the doughy delight are the several unique ingredients, representing all of America's diverse cultures. In her interview, Betsy Graham stated "immigrants don't have to lose their cultural identity. They must hold on to their individuality and keep their cultures. America as a whole has adopted other cultures, which has added to the melting pot." What Betsy didn't agree with is the idea that becoming an American involves losing some of one's native ties and traditions. She really focused more on the notion that America is great because people can stay connected to who they are. Caroline Myers really enjoyed the time spent with Betsy. It's time to rapidly conclude this post. Caroline may or may not have become ravenous in the making.
Recipe
1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F to 115°F.)
1 envelope dry yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups (about) all purpose flour
1 large red bell pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 pounds red onions, sliced
4 sweet or spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into large bowl. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Mix in oil and salt. Add 3 3/4 cups flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until blended. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with more flour if sticky, about 10 minutes.
Place dough in oiled large bowl; turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, char bell pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed and slice pepper. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add red onions; sauté until brown, about 25 minutes. Set aside. Sauté sausage in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until cooked through, breaking into 1/2-inch pieces with spoon, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Mix both cheeses and oregano in bowl, season with salt and pepper.
Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Dust 2 baking sheets with flour.
Punch dough down. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide into 4 equal portions; shape each into ball. Roll out dough balls on lightly floured surface to 9-inch rounds. Spread 1/3 cup cheese mixture over half of each round, leaving 3/4-inch border. Cover cheese on each with 1/4 of onions, 1/3 cup cheese mixture, 1/4 of sausage, 1/3 cup cheese mixture, then 1/4 of bell peppers. Fold plain dough halves over filling, forming half circles. Pinch edges of dough firmly together to seal.
Using spatula, transfer 2 calzones to each prepared sheet. Pierce tops in several places with small knife. Bake calzones 15 minutes. Reverse baking sheets and bake until tops of calzones are golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.
Has anyone ever heard of Raymond Kaskey? Caroline Myers sure hasn't. Raymond is the artist who created this majestic looking statue entitled, "Portlandia." This statue is located in downtown Portland, Oregon ( How Raymond thought of the title no one will ever know). This structure is the second largest copper statue next to the Statue of Liberty.The helping hand, reaching out to give guidance, really puts the cherry on top of the American sundae. Kaskey has kept the statue relatively low profile because he wants to protect his design. There's supposed to be no reproduction of the image of the statue itself. This woman appears to be the stereotypical Greek Goddess. She's holding a trite, which are usually used as weapons. The fact that she has a weapon portrays her strength, along with her bulging muscles. Her hair is done up in a twist and she's sporting a toga. The statue is supposed to reflect the diversity of a community. Is this the only way America knows how to portray Greeks? With bulging muscles, flowing hair, and togas? This statue is not too old, so that can't be used as an excuse. It also seems ironic that a piece of artwork trying to celebrate diversity is in a random location that no one has heard about. Portlandia is located just above street level, and faces a narrow street, which is lined with trees. There is also limited automobile access. The fact that the image itself can't even be replicated is bizarre. Caroline Myers finds it all too ironic...
The American Girl dolls are supposed to be so realistic and historical! Is the release of ethnic dolls just for their image? Caroline Myers thinks this post could get a little angry. Therefore, this entry is a mere suggestion that the reader check out this Article-->(http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/fashion/24Doll.html?pagewanted=2&sq=american%20girl%20doll&st=cse&scp=3). The fact that a process of releasing a doll would take eight years is baffling. They tossed and turned over the idea of her hair color:
"Hair color was a big issue, debated for years. At first it was a dark auburn, but it was thought that might be too untypical. Ms. Boswell said. Then dark brown, the most common hair color for Russian-Jewish immigrants, was discussed. But perhaps that would be too typical, too predictable, failing to show girls there is not one color that represents all Jewish immigrants."
This seems over the top. The rest is up for the reader's interpretation.
Did Grandma call your Asian neighbor, "Oriental" again? It happens to the best of us. I know, it's particularly difficult not to lose your cool when she mislabels Ethnicities. Especially after spending all of that time in India while on your gap year. The older generations are just trying to keep up with Americas rapid transformation across the politically correct spectrum. We have to be understanding where grandma is coming from, but at the same time she has to keep up! America puts forth this idea that as a country we are extremely accepting of other cultures. However, it seems that we don't really take the time to learn about the other cultures that make up our country. For example, grandma not knowing that Oriental is a term that is no longer used or polite. This song is poking fun at how politically correct America tries to be. Yet, it does reveal that racism is clearly still prevalent. Racial stereotyping happens so much it often goes unnoticed. Additionally, the fact that is happens so often it's almost accepted. Caroline Myers has heard her fair share of racist jokes. It just seems so hypocritical that the U.S. is supposed to be the land of diversity and people are still discriminating against certain ethnicities.
Below are the lyrics to the song. Follow along! Make sure to read the analysis at the end : )
LYRICS (SELECTED LYRICS)
Kate Monster: Well, it's a touchy subject. No, not all Monsters are related. What are you trying say, huh? That we all look the same to you? Huh, huh, huh?
Princeton: No, no, no, not at all. I'm sorry, I guess that was a little racist.
Kate Monster: I should say so. You should be much more careful when you're talking about the sensitive subject of race.
(...) Kate Monster: Well, you're a little bit too.
Princeton: I guess we're both a little bit racist. Kate Monster: Admitting it is not an easy thing to do...
Princeton: But I guess it's true.
Kate Monster: Between me and you, I think
Both: Everyone's a little bit racist Sometimes. Doesn't mean we go Around committing hate crimes. Look around and you will find No one's really color blind. Maybe it's a fact We all should face Everyone makes judgments Based on race.
Princeton: Now not big judgments, like who to hire or who to buy a newspaper from -
Kate Monster: No!
Princeton: No, just little judgments like thinking that Mexican busboys should learn to speak goddamn English!
Both: Every one's a little bit racist Today. So, every one's a little bit racist Okay! Ethnic jokes might be uncouth, But you laugh because They're based on truth. Don't take them as Personal attacks. Everyone enjoys them - So relax!
Princeton: All right, stop me if you've heard this one.
Kate Monster: Okay!
Princeton: There's a plan going down and there's only one parachute. And there's a rabbi, a priest... Kate Monster: And a black guy!
Gary Coleman: Whatchootalkin' 'bout Kate?
Kate Monster: Uh... Gary Coleman: You were telling a black joke!
Princeton: Well, sure, Gary, but lots of people tell black jokes.
Gary Coleman: I don't.
Princeton: Well, of course you don't - you're black! But I bet you tell Polack jokes, right?
Gary Coleman: Well, sure I do. Those stupid Polacks! Princeton: Now, don't you think that's a little racist?
Gary Coleman: Well, damn, I guess you're right.
Kate Monster: You're a little bit racist.
Gary Coleman: Well, you're a little bit too. Princeton: We're all a little bit racist.
Gary Coleman: I think that I would Have to agree with you. Princeton/Kate Monster: We're glad you do.
Gary Coleman: It's sad but true! Every one's a little bit racist -
All right!
Kate Monster: All right!
Princeton: All right!
Gary Coleman: All right! Bigotry has never been Exclusively white
All: If we all could just admit That we are racist a little bit, Even though we all know That it's wrong, Maybe it would help us Get along.
Princeton: Oh, Christ do I feel good.
Gary Coleman: Now there was a fine upstanding black man! Princeton: Who?
Gary Coleman: Jesus Christ.
Kate Monster: But, Gary, Jesus was white.
Gary Coleman: No, Jesus was black. Kate Monster: No, Jesus was white.
(...)
How many Oriental wives Have you got? Christmas Eve: What? Brian!
Princeton: Brian, buddy, where you been? The term is Asian-American! Christmas Eve: I know you are no Intending to be But calling me Oriental - Offensive to me!
Brian: I'm sorry, honey, I love you. Christmas Eve: And I love you.
Brian: But you're racist, too. Christmas Eve: Yes, I know. The Jews have all The money And the whites have all The power. And I'm always in taxi-cab With driver who no shower!
This isn't even the end of the song! However, the song is trying to poke fun at people's need to be politically correct. Yet, the lyrics are so truthful. Generalizations are made daily about different cultures. Stereotyping is a part of human nature. People get offended by jokes told about their particular race or ethnicity, but then they continue to tell jokes about other groups. It's all just so complex.
Did Grandma call your Asian neighbor, 