From: black.hole.4.spam{at}gmail.com (Don Hills)

In article , "Gary Britt"
 wrote:
>...
>We didn't have Gaelic or Italian classes and instruction in our public
>schools.  It was sink or swim learn English.  We didn't have ballots in
>Italian or  German or Gaelic or Yiddish.  They were in English, and
>immigrants took pride in learning English and adopting the mainstream
>culture.
>
>Now we tell them don't learn English, don't adopt the mainstream culture,
>don't seek to be part of the larger society in language, appearance, and
>general beliefs.  That is FAR WORSE for the melting pot that is our
>strength, than some overt discrimination.
>...

I know it's not a good thing to quote a large chunk and then just say
"I agree", but in this case I feel that what you said bears
repeating often. The "melting pot" approach doesn't result in a
loss of the immigrants' ethnic identity. Rather, it produces a hybrid
society which is vigorous and exciting.

--
Don Hills    (dmhills at attglobaldotnet)     Wellington, New Zealand

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