What Is It About America?

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   SpanStarposted 13 years ago

   Has diversity benefitted America or has it hindered America.  If diversity has benefitted America then why are people so down on differences?

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      Texasbetaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      What does "...so down on differences" mean? Do you mean, why are so many people so outspokenly against some of the differences we have with regards to race in the US? I wouldn't say that is a US problem, but a human problem. Using the US as a scapegoat serves no purpose. People are typically fearful of those who are different from themselves, and race is the easiest differentiation alongside gender. Diversity by definition exposes more people to different types of people, thus nullifying the fears, and blends people to be more unified. Diversity is always a good thing.

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         safiq ali patelposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         America is down on diversity. The upper house, the house of representatives, the number of governers are all still majorty white and male. America has a long way to go before it's middle section promote, allow or accept real diversity. The Union has still had no female president and there is mass discontent to it's first non white President Obama. America is many things. But one this it is not is diverse in powerful places.

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            wildernessposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            And would you reasonably expect the majority to be elected from a minority of available candidates?  Of course they are white; the majority of the population is white.
            
            There are relatively few female candidates for president as well.  Should we then choose a president based on sex or ethnicity instead of (perceived) capability?
            
            At the same time both sex and ethnicity is slowly being eliminated as both groups move "up" in the ranks of power.  It is not reasonable to expect that as soon as we decide to treat all people the same that it would mean that all people are equally capable of performing all tasks.
            
            In less than my lifetime I have seen both women and minorities go from completely unable to hold and perform tasks at the highest levels of business to commonly doing both.  The majority is still white male, of course, but that is changing as more and more viable minority candidates for such positions are being produced with decades of experience behind them.

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               wormdoposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Why do you think there are relatively few candidates for president? It's because women are discouraged from going into politics and especially from running for president. Why would any woman think she could become president? It's not as if she can look at former women presidents and say "if they can do it then so can I!"
               
               Sadly, our society is still very bigoted. But you're right that it is changing, and that's a wonderful thing. I hope I can see much more diversity in the government within my lifetime, so people from all walks of life can have their voices heard.

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                  Rafiniposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  I believe the first woman to run for Vice President was in 1984.  (Geraldine Ferraro)  Why didn't another woman run for VP prior to Sarah Palin?  (oh, and in case you're wondering - VP's aren't elected by themselves.  They're only voted into office if their presidential running mate is elected president)

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      weholdthesetruthsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      What do you mean by "diversity"?

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      canadawest99posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I think diversity is an excellent human goal, however, when it comes to the mechanics of running a country, diversity is an obstacle.   Trying to cater to all the interest groups can make for bitterness and rivalry, especially if its not made clear that the country's priorities come over any group or person.  I think you see a lot of that in the U.S. these days.  Politicians have catered to whatever groups dominate their states only to end up breaking the bank in promises.

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   AnnCeeposted 13 years ago

   Why come to America if all you want to do is duplicate the country you are leaving?  Melt baby melt.

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   Bronson_Hubposted 13 years ago

   Diversity in America...
   
   The new diaspora style of today snubbed out days of the American melting pot where we all share our cultural uniqueness to become a new breed of evolved world citizens.
   
   Each person who reads this can think of 10 valid reasons that explain why this happened.  It seems like our present culture became too snotty to accept something like a melting pot and instead prefers a salad where the pieces remain separate but coexist in the same bowl.
   
   Another perspective might see the new cultural groups in America not wanting to adapt to a new way of life and would rather put up a cultural fence, and not only that, change the current American to match the region they emigrated from.
   
   Who did this, how they did that, when searching for the cause, finger pointing ensues which leads to more salad bowl and eventually proverbial restraining orders on the other pieces of lettuce, tomato, and whatever else you throw into your salad.
   
   So what brings us together?  The dressing   Now if anyone can explain the unifying qualities of our culture besides excessive consumption, please elaborate.

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      AnnCeeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      The most unifying quality is that of compassion and charity as demonstrated over and over again during times of crisis.  We see it on a small scale in our own lives and on a large scale during catastrophes.

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      rocketjsquposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Bronson,
      I like your analogy of a salad bowl.  Years ago America was considered the melting pot.  Immigrant cultures blended together to become American.
      
      Now it seems people come to America and bring their culture with them.  Thus creating more of colony of their homeland within America.

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         couturepopcafeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Colony is the right word.  Like colonies of aliens who come to the planet and suck the life and resources out then move on.  Many of today's immigrants come here for a better life but they find alienation so stay among there own kind.  Many come simply to take without giving back, they don't want to integrate into society, they want to stay within there own groups and take over.
         
         And by the way (not directed at anyone in particular) Obama is not the first non-white president.  Remember he's half white.  Why does this never get mentioned?

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   Mighty Momposted 13 years ago

   Interesting analogy -- the salad bowl vs. the melting pot.
   We are a country founded on the hopes and dreams of immigrants. Waves of immigrants. That is our very foundation: Give us your tired,your poor... etc.
   The nationalities that have been here longer -- English, Irish, German, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc., and of course African Americans (who did not come here voluntarily), have homogenized more into "American."
   Newer immigrants take longer to assimilate.
   Russians, Hmong, Mexicans more visibly retain their mother country cultures. But no doubt after a few generations, will become more "Americanized" as well.
   
   We are still the land of opportunity.
   I agree with what you said,AnnCee. We ARE an extremely generous country in a crisis.
   But, an equally American trait is the quest for financial independence, stability and wealth. I will not say that greed is at the root of it (for most people). Just the desire to provide for their family and raise children whose lives are better than ours and our parents'.

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      dutchman1951posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      well put Mighty Mom but still a "pipe dream" kind of thing to say. Its money and the freedom to fight for it thats allowed in America and restricted in Other Countries by Dictators or Governing systems that will not allow it.
      
      It is pure Human survival of the fittest and nothing more. No one really wants basic necessity, they want it all. But when you can not get there, you justify it saying all I want is better for my Kids. Its B.S.
      
      You'd take it over another in a second, because that is your human nature. It is in all of us, and race or country has nothing to do with it.
      
      Human=Animal behavior, reguardless of how well of a Business suit we dress in. And it is not exclusive to the US at all.  It is the reason Dictators rise up to eliminate resistance.

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   A la carteposted 13 years ago

   Quite simply most, not all, and I stress not all, Americans are insular and self absorbed believing themselves the only race worthy of notice. They set themselves up for ridicule by their very ignorance of the wider world which is a shame because I truly believe the average American is kind, thoughtful and interested but their system isolates them. Just once in a while it would be nice if an American realized that Queensland is in Australia or Johannesburg is in South Africa.I really hope that the Americans out there understand that what I say is believed by 2-3 billion people.

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      weholdthesetruthsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      What is this American "race"?

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   Mighty Momposted 13 years ago

   I think the poster meant "country" not "race" but I am not certain.

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      weholdthesetruthsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      What, you claim psychic powers?

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         PrettyPantherposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Geez, chill out, she said "I think" and "I'm not certain."

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            weholdthesetruthsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            No, I will NOT chill.   Either she is claiming psychic powers, or is trying to "run interference" for someone, to avoid having them answer their own question, by suggesting changing the question, so that people aren't called to account for what they think and say.   
            
            Intellectual integrity...  Once you have it, you won't be a liberal.   So, I hold people's feet to the fire, to make them face their own lies.   Even the ones they believe.

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               PrettyPantherposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               You like to read an awful lot into things.  Hmmmm, I wonder if you're always right....?

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                  weholdthesetruthsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  I am.

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   SpanStarposted 13 years ago

   Congratulations on providing a significant number of diverse perspectives regarding America. The majority of responses were enlightening and valid as I see it. We as a nation of Americans have benefited and are still being benefited by the diversity which built America for example the efforts of the Chinese laying railroad tracks, Oppenheimer like so many other foreign scientists that have aided America in its times of need.
   
   How is it that we can know diversity is perhaps one of the key elements that has made America great but we constantly fight against diversity?
   
   It is interesting that when America comes under attack we are no longer Black, White, Mexican, etc. but we are now all Americans as was seen during the 9/11 terrorist attack.
   
   My recommendation would be that we need to stop fearing diversity which has been the key ingredients to making America a great!
   
   America History:
   
   1867 the U.S. purchased Alaska and nearly all Russian left except a few missionaries of the Russian Orthodox Church working among the natives
   
              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_h … ted_States
             -------------------------
   This website:http://cprr.org/Museum/Chinese.html
   
   Reflects on the efforts of the Chinese to lay down railroad tracks from east to west for the first time in America
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   the American Revolutionary War: eight Irish Americans signed the United States Declaration of Independence, and 22 American Presidents, from Andrew Jackson to Barack Obama, have been at least partly of Irish ancestry. (See "American Presidents with Irish ancestry"
   
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_American
             -------------------------
   Since the liberalization of immigration policy in 1965,[2] the number of first- generation immigrants living in the United States has quadrupled,[3] from 9.6 million in 1970 to about 38 million in 2007.[4] 1,046,539 persons were naturalized as U.S. citizens in 2008. The leading emigrating countries to the United States were Mexico, China, India, and the Philippines.
   
   
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigratio … ted_States
             -------------------------

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