Multiculturalism is defines as the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level (2011). It is amazing to see how many different views there are on the topic of multiculturalism. Some people believe that a multicultural society shouldn’t exist; some think that studying and teaching multiculturalism is unnecessary and others believe that acknowledging that multiculturalism exist means changing history.
In an article by Samuel Taylor, he wrote about the changes multiculturalism plays in the school’s history department. He states that history is simply a point of view illustrated by various story tellers. I can visualize how history can be a point of view because there are always two or more sides to a story and then there are the facts. History is taught from a certain person or person’s perspective. The article stated that the degree of importance of certain historical events will differ amongst the races. What is important to one race may not be relevant to the next. For example, slavery is relevant to blacks but it holds no significance to the whites because their lives would have little if any, historical changes if slavery didn’t exist. It also states how teaching multicultural history is a major challenge. Because American history not only involves America and Americans, but it also includes the history of other races, nationalities and cultures this makes teaching history a challenge. It opens the door to uncertainties on which point of view should be favored without causing confusing or tension amongst students. In teaching history not every perspective can be taught. It was stated in the article that numerous varieties of history textbooks have been published to accommodate a particular culture in a particular school or district. The schools that are highly populated with blacks would have history textbooks that cater more to black American history, and so forth. I think that all students need to learn about all cultures history because to some degree we are all connected through our roots and each of our races and cultures have come into contact and has inspired one another on some type of level at one point in time in history, rather that encounter was pleasant or not there is still a message or lesson to be learned.
It is not a surprise to me that the white nation still wants America to be considered ‘White America.’ I am not even surprised by the extremes in which these nationalist go through to get rid of other races. According to an article by PJ Tobia, he pinpoints how there are massive amounts of people that cannot stomach the idea of America being a multicultural nation. There are so many people that are still hoping for the past to catch up to the future and bring back the idea that whites are the superior race and no other race should have any equal or higher authority over them. The article states how these individuals are content with having other races and cultures living on the American soil, however they are not suppose to be share the same social statuses. They are supposed to be caterers and miners for the whites; they believe there should be no equality amongst them and other races. I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and everyone has the right to dream whatever dream they want. I feel that we were all born equal because we were all born sinners in which are offered the same opportunity to get into heaven. Some people are just stuck in their ways of the past in which they pass down to their children to continue a cycle that will never end; therefore children born in this generation are living their lives with views and understandings of the past which disables them from embracing the new diverse nation. This cycle can never end if fear remains a factor; fear that the white history will be forgotten. History is documented in so many books with so many different views that it is impossible for any of it to be forgotten. I believe that people are content with living with views from the past; they allow their comfortable state of mind to paralyze them and keep them from moving forward and embracing the new way of living.
All around the world multiculturalism is taking place and is being accepted. America has embraced it more so than other nations such as the Europeans, the British, and the Turkish have. In the article, Why multiculturalism is wrong, states how other nations such as the Netherlands will not allow multiculturalism to take place in its nation. Although the Dutch and the Chinese people have migrated to the Netherlands they have not been welcomed with open hands and are not allowed to indulge in the traditions of the Netherlanders. The Dutch or the Chinese people are not allowed to learn languages that are not of their culture. Chinese people are only allowed to be taught Dutch, even the children that were born in the Netherlands are not allowed to learn other languages. I think this is terrible. I admire the fact that America allows its students to be taught other languages. This increases their opportunities in becoming successful. I think that that is done to maintain some sort of control over the nation, so that everyone knows their role and the boundaries they should and shouldn’t cross. I think diversity is a great concept to have; it opens up the door to so many great ideas, and revelations. Every culture has something to offer and if we can all work together this world would be a better world.
References:
Taylor, S. (Unknown). The challenge of 'multiculturalism' in how Americans view the past and the future. Institute for Historical Review. Retrieved from http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v12/v12p159_Taylor.html
Treanor, P. (2007). Why multiculturalism is wrong. Nation Planet. Retrieved from http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/multicult.html
Tobia, P.J. (Feb. 2009). Pithissippi burning: Race, white nationalism and American culture. Retrieved from http://www.nashvillescene.com/pitw/archives/2009/02/23/pithissippi-burning-race-white-nationalism-and-american-culture
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