How women are treated under the melting pot.
The first article written by Paula Gunn Allen tries to show how the modern American Indian women struggle in the United States. “Modern American Indian women, like their non-Indian sisters, are deeply engaged in the struggle to redefine themselves” (Allen 1). They are said to have to endure with the tribal definitions of women with the industrial and the post-industrial non-Indian women definitions. This shows that they are not able to express their selves as their traditions require, but are forced to dwell on what the new traditions that surround them say. Therefore, this comes as a struggle by trying to copy what the American women are doing. The concept that had been adopted by America was one that all people whether immigrants or native Americans could express themselves appropriately.
This is not the method that America had adopted of the melting pot where people of all traditions could fit into the system without any differences. It also shows that women are treated differently depending on where they come from. “That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman?” (Allen 33). This shows that due to their culture and appearance they are treated differently from how the Native American women are treated in their country. This is by their fellow countrymen as it has been seen in this case to be men who treat them differently.
Is the melting pot upheld in institutions?
Living in such a diverse nation where there are many races and cultures, people should be treated the same be it in the school, church or hospital. “No one is expecting physicians or nurses to work within the health model of their patients, but by showing some respect and understanding for it, the can greatly increase patient’s trust” (Galanti 10). In this case it shows that an equal treatment of all people can help gain the trust of people that are not from our race and tribe. An example is the health sector which is very much wanting and by attending to all the patients equally, and it will increase their trust in the doctor.
This can be applied in all areas where people of different races meet for services that are offered there. The people who are practicing or giving the services should be able to serve all of the people present equally. This will increase the people's trust in the services, and they will be satisfied which will show that the country still believes in the programs. This has not however been achieved as patients in hospital are treated differently and so are the students in the school. You will find that there are schools which have their majority as white people, and blacks will not be treated the same when they join these schools. They are treated as if they were outcasts or something that will make them lose hope in the school and the whole system at large. Therefore, this also proves that the idea of the melting pot is not being upheld, and people still do not uphold the melting pot that helps in promotion of unity.
Does the melting bowl as practiced in the United States satisfying to visitors?
Some people visiting the United States are always unhappy when leaving due to the way that they have been treated in their stay in America. Many foreigners that visit the country always leave unhappy expressing how they feel that they were left out and were not welcome. This is because the issue of melting pot is not practiced, and the society behaves rather like a salad bowl. This shows that the melting pot does not exist, but the salad bowl is instead the main method that the people use. The salad bowl implies not all the things that are in the plate are the same no matter what has been done. They will still remain to be them even when something new is brought in.
“Over dinner I warned my four roommates that, from then on, no one should go near that housing project. ‘We should avoid the street, especially the part near the project’” (Liu 63). This shows of how the people visiting the country get scared when the events o racism and stereotyping happens to them. They feel unhappy after they while in the country and will always look for a chance so that they can leave. They are unhappy because they feel that they have been left out and that they have no chance in this community. This makes their survival difficult as people are not following the melting pot but rather the salad bowl.
Works Cited
Allen, Paula G. Where I Come From Is Like This. 1-35 (). Print.
Galanti, Geri-Ann. Caring for Patients from Different Cultures. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008. Print.
Liu, Zongren. Two Years in the Melting Pot. San Francisco: China Books & Periodicals, Inc, 1988. Print.
