USA - A Melting Pot Not A Salad Bowl

For most of American history, the United States was referred to as a Melting Pot, where people came from all over the world to become Americans.   While immigrants always honored their previous cultures, traditions and faiths, as was the case with this Blogger's Italian Grandparents, there was always a recognition that people came to America to be part of a new culture with new traditions.   There was never a question that English was the American national language required for integration into our society. 

About thirty five years ago, Socialists in America and the lame stream left wing media instead began referring to America as a Salad Bowl, by comparison, with people living in our country with separate and distinct cultures and languages of their own.   And, look where we are today.  The United States is now divided by class, race, ethnic origin, religion and sexual orientation like never before since the Civil War.   This notion of the Salad Bowl is destroying our nation. 

We used to be one nation indivisible under God.   Instead, we are many nations within the United States, Red and Blue States and a variety of self serving interest groups all trying to get a bigger share of the pie at the expense of others.  The Socialists preach class warfare to divide our nation to win elections.   We have grid lock in Congress because our elected representatives often hate each other and simply cannot work together to get anything done.

50% of Americans pay no income taxes as all contributing little to support our nation.  They are the Takers in society.   The other 50%, the Makers, pay all the income taxes in the United States to support the Takers.   The notion of hard work that built the United States is under attack as is our free market capitalist system, even though it has led to more prosperity for more people that at any other time, or place in world history.

It is time to cast aside the Salad Bowl concept and get back to the Melting Pot.  Immigrants who voluntarily come to America, must learn English and become Americans leaving behind prior allegiances.   Those who come to America must adhere to our distinctly American laws, traditions and culture to make us once again one nation under God.  This does not mean abandoning their faiths or traditions; but it does mean assimilating to become truly American.   If immigrants are not interested in doing that, then they should remain in their home countries.  America is a special country built on the blood, sweat and tears of millions of Immigrants that became Americans and fought for our freedom.   Most important, we are not the Old Country that people came from.  Instead, America is the new country that people came to in order to escape the Old Country.  Let's never forget that.