Sociology

Introduction
Whether America is a salad bowl or a melting pot brings about a hefty discussion and debate. A melting pot is a society where ethnic backgrounds are not highlighted instead everybody comes down to being only American. A salad bowl, on the other side, is a society where ethnic and cultural differences are eminent and appreciated.

In my opinion, America is moving from a salad bowl society to a melting pot society. This paper will further describe what melting pot and salad bowl mean. It will then compare both the views and in conclusion, it will show how labeling America as a melting pot is more fit for it as a society with multiethnic dimensions.

Arguments
Before a debate starts on whether America is a salad bowl or a melting pot society, it is important to note what both the terms mean exactly.  A melting pot is a name for an American society where no emphasis is given on where people come from or which religion they practice or how they live lives. It celebrates the notion that every one is simply American and follows stringent American ways. When people are thrown as ingredients in a melting pot society, they melt down to become one Americans.

An argument given for this is that where America has Americanized many of the global economies then America itself does not celebrate ethnic diversities within its territory. Instead, everybody boils down to becoming hard core American and adopt the American lifestyle. It is true also that many African Americans, Hispanics and others are living the American life and dreams.

Another argument is that after the start of the war on terror America has started to disregard many ethnicities like Paksitanis, Iranians, Afghans, etc and religions like Islam. Many people have been forced out of America, have been held as pisoners, or have not been allowed to enter America due to visa and other restrictions, making America a melting pot society.

Living in a melting pot society brings with it many sacrifices revolving around the dilution of different cultures into the American culture. However, the American culture is thought to be a superior one so people adopting it benefit from this superiority.

Salad bowl, on the other hand, is the view that America is a society where differences are celebrated. When people are thrown in a salad bowl society as ingredients, their differences complement each other, just like in a salad. Many people view America as a salad bowl society

Robert Kennedy celebrated America as a salad bowl society when he wrote that our attitude towards immigration reflects our faith in the American ideal.  The ideal being talked about here is the fact that people from all ethnic backgrounds can prosper in the US (Henderson, 2009 pp. 132).

When you walk down the streets of the cities of US, it is easy to see people from many different backgrounds such as African American, Hispanics, Indians, Caucasians, Asians and many others. Even in schools, the student bodies and faculties comprise of both Americans and Non Americans (kzoo, 2009).

The good thing about living in a salad bowl society is the exposure to many different cultures, histories, religions and stories. However, it may result in division more than unison, and may create even more differences than already exist. This is true, to an extent, for America also.

Conclusion
In conclusions, its true that America has emphasized on immigration and has given people with different ethnicities to prosper in the US. The biggest example of this is the African American races popularity in the US. However, recently because of the terrorism and fighting it, it has decreased this liberty for culturally diverse people especially Muslims, and is moving towards a melting pot society, ensuring that people living in America follow the American ways.