The phrase “melting pot” was originally used in the 18th century to describe how people from varies of region gave up their original cultures, backgrounds or races and combined them into a common identity. Although this term was created to emphasize the future unification of immigrants in America, this process of “melting into one” could also seem as forcing others forget their own culture and fit them within the new American culture.
In the reading “Trans-National America,” the Randolph used the events during the WWI to explain the idea of “melting pot” was still hard to reach. In his second paragraph, he described how people still had their nationalistic feelings within them and would keep them even it was during the war period by stating
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Even if the nation tries to assimilate all races into one, the blending of cultures and identities were the reason why America is call the home of all. One solution he provided for this situation was like a double nationality. While the people came to the United States to search for new way of living, they still could have hold their own culture identifies as well as passing them down to the future generations. The historical arguments Randolph used to support the critique was the events during the British Colonists period. Different people came to the new world with their own perspectives including new hopes for the future, and we should not force them to combine their ideas into one.
In the other hand, Randolph's historical arguments was totally contrast with those asserted by Evans in support of the Klan's conception of Americanism. Evans was more support of keeping the national pride as whites and wanted to enforce the common culture. In his idea, there was a strong pride or “supremacy” for whites and a denial or “lookdown” for the cultures that were different.
In my own opinion, I will more like to use the term salad bowl instead of the melting pot to describe America. The idea of melting pot is too much of forcing, but within the salad bowl, each individual can still have his or her own part and identity while some of them combining with each