America: Not Exactly a Melting Pot

America:  Not Exactly a Melting Pot

In a well-known quote by Carl N. Degler, an American historian, he aptly explained:  “The metaphor of the melting pot is unfortunate and misleading. A more accurate analogy would be a salad bowl, for, though the salad is an entity, the lettuce can still be distinguished from the chicory, the tomatoes from the cabbage.”  The idea of a melting pot seems to imply that all of the components will combine together to form a new substance and retain none of the original properties of the individual components.  While American is often referred to as a melting pot, in reality, the ethnic, racial, and religious groups that make up American do retain some of their cultural identities in many cases.  Moreover, America tends to embrace the multicultural citizens that make up the diverse and dynamic social fabric of the nation.  As more of a pluralistic society, America allows its citizens more freedom in individual choices and does not suppress minority groups’ diverse beliefs and customs (Smith, 1978).  In fact, the composition of diversity in America allows individuals to be a part of their own ethnic, religious and cultural groups while still maintaining a sense of nationality as an American citizen.  Unlike most other nations in the world, the United States exhibits a uniquely dynamic relationship between ethnicity, race, and religion which results in its own unique set of social issues and benefits. 

Since America was created with its own values and ideologies, this country experiences social issues and the benefits of diversity in ways that are unlike most other nations.  In “A Tradition of Choice:  What It Means to Be American,” Garvey states that “there are no readymade identities in America” (1999).  Complex factors such as the freedom of religion and the immigration of people from cultures all around the globe contribute to a uniquely American version of ethnic and religious understanding.  For instance, as Smith explains in “Religion and Ethnicity in America,” Europeans do not have two separate words for ethnicity and nationality as we do in America (1978).  However, in America many citizens consider themselves Americans by birth, but they regard their ethnicity in terms of their ancestry.  Additionally, they have the ability to make their own religious choices.  Oftentimes, American citizens have diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds even though they identify with a singular American nationality.  Contrastingly, Americans consider an Italian living in Italy as Italian in both his ethnicity and nationality.   Thus, unlike the majority of other nations in the world, considering one’s nationality to be American does not mean the person identifies with any one particular ethnic group. 

Similarly, unlike many other countries across the globe, America does not have one established national religion.  Being American does not necessarily mean you are a Christian or a Jew.  In fact, Americans represent numerous sects and denominations of a variety of religious traditions ranging from the more traditional religions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism to a variety of lesser-know or newly-emerging religions such as Wiccan, Voodoo, or Unitarian-Universalism.  The plurality of religions and the Constitutional right to choose one’s religion in America create a separate religious identity and nationality for Americans.  However, in numerous countries around the world, one’s nationality defines one’s religion. For example, if one is from the United Arab Emirates, one is most definitely considered Muslim.  If one is Serbian, one is Orthodox (Garvey, 1999).  However, if one is American, he is permitted to choose his religious affiliation.  America was founded on principles of religious freedom by many diverse settlers who had moved to the new land for the freedom to worship how they chose without persecution.  Since the First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” United States citizens are given the freedom to choose what religion they practice and how they interpret and express those beliefs. 

Therefore, unlike citizens of many other countries, Americans have a unique “fluidity” when it comes to religion (Garvey, 1991).  Not only is there no national religion in America, we are also not necessarily defined by the religion of our ancestors or the traditions of our geographic region.  The absence of violent religious persecution on a large-scale in America allows Americans to find a religion that works for them as individuals (Garvey, 1991).  Thus, Americans are given the choice to keep the traditions of their ancestors, to reinterpret those traditional beliefs, or to convert to an entirely different religious faith. 

The freedom to choose one’s religion has also created another uniquely American phenomenon—what Rousseau referred to as a civil religion. As Schaefer explains in Racial and Ethnic Groups, America’s tendency to join the secular and the sacred—the public with the religious—creates a pluralistic society in which no religion is considered greater or more privileged than another.  Instead, a set of moral beliefs is outlined based on the fundamental principles of various religions, but is not associated with any one denomination.  Thus, while Americans don’t have an official national religion, the separation of church and state is not always a simple issue in America.  For instance, the Pledge of Allegiance uses the words “one nation under God” but does not specify one particular religion’s concept of God.  Likewise, a variety of religious symbols such as crosses and stars of David adorn many of the tombstones in our national or secular public cemeteries (Schaefer, 2012).  Thus, while the separation of church and state are guaranteed in America, the influence of religious communities undeniably plays an active part in the secular aspects of the lives of American citizens.

Specifically, the influence of religion on the politics of the United States creates another uniquely American set of circumstances.  As Brown argues in “Religion, Political Discourse and Activism among Varying Racial/Ethnic Groups in America,” religious communities and clergy play an influential part in the establishment of the political beliefs and social values of their congregations.  On page 301, Brown explains that the “co-mingling of religion and politics in the U.S. is an outgrowth of a religious-civic culture grounded in principles of religious freedom and guaranteed in the First Amendment” (2011).  Since Americans have a freedom to choose not only their religion, but how they practice, express and interpret that religion, they will vary accordingly in their political beliefs.  Since religious ideologies range from Liberal to Fundamentalist, so, too, do the political beliefs that various congregations hold (Schaefer 2012).

For example, in “America’s ‘Culture Wars’ Tradition, Barone points out that people tend to vote for candidates that practice their own faith (1992).  Likewise, people tend to choose their religious affiliations with some consideration of their own individual political beliefs.  People often feel more comfortable around similarly minded people who share common beliefs and customs (Brown, 2011).  Thus, an individual who is a Tea-Party Republican is not likely to join a liberal religious community such as a Unitarian Universalist church.  Moreover, because people in a religious community tend to have similar mindsets and share common ideologies both in religion and politics, religious centers and houses of worships often become avenues for political advancement as well.

United under a common religion, Americans can not only find others with whom they identify, they can come together in a public forum to discuss politics.  A shared set of symbols, songs, stories, beliefs, and rituals allows members of a religious community to form their own identities as Americans.  Religious communities offer followers moral guidance and a public forum for the sharing of information. Not only does this affect the way Americans think politically, it also shapes their political actions and behaviors (Brown, 2011). 

For instance, in many religious communities, the clergy encourage a certain set of political beliefs and practices that correspond with their religious understanding of the world and their particular religious doctrines.  The leader of the religious community shares a common set of beliefs with his members, and he has the trust and respect of the members.  Typically the religious clergy will encourage a certain political beliefs and endorse political candidates who share common cultural and spiritual beliefs and values (Barone, 1992).  For example, more conservative denominations such as Catholicism or Orthodoxy endorse candidates and political groups who are typical pro-life (Brown, 2011).  Recently, the Catholic Church also has openly opposed the Democratic plans for health care reform since the church does not believe it should have to provide any money for employees’ birth control since the church traditionally opposes pre-marital sex and the use of birth control.  On the other hand, more liberal religious groups such as Episcopalians openly endorse gay marriage, while more conservative religious groups hold on to a belief that marriage is a holy sacrament between a man and woman.  Other religious groups take political positions on issues such as stem cell research, human rights, and war.  Thus, while church and state are technically two separate entities in America, many social issues in our country are viewed through a moral lens and promoted, rejected and debated in American religious communities (Brown, 2011).

The influence of these religious communities holds the power to endorse a political candidate, make financial contributions to causes they favor, and to influence the members of the religious community.  For example, the leader of the religious community often has a captive audience on a regular basis (Brown, 2011).  Members of the congregation respect and identify with their religious leaders, and thus the pulpit becomes a forum for politics.  Thus, within the social network of the religious community, certain political ideologies and candidates will be discussed and endorsed (Smith, 1978).

Another uniquely American function that religious identification serves citizens is the social networks that are created by the various religious communities.  From colonial times, through the various periods of immigration, and still today, religious communities provide people a place where they can congregate with likeminded people who share a similar set of traditions, beliefs, stories, symbols.  Congregation members were and still are often of similar socioeconomic status and ethnic background.  The shared interests, backgrounds, beliefs, and values allow members to for friendships and a sense of belonging.  Common values concerning family arrangements and sexual standards create a common sense of understanding among members of a religious community (Barone, 1992).  This not only has psychological benefits for the church members, it also allows them to have an increase in opportunities and channels of support.  For example, church members often have access to counseling, prisoner rehabilitation and assistance, addiction recovery, assistance during financial crisis, and even job training and opportunities (Brown, 2011).  Churches, synagogues, and other religious communities promote the education and upward mobility of its members (Smith, 1978). Historically, churches have even offered various racial and ethnic groups assistance in achieving civil rights (Brown, 2011).  

One example of a churches becoming involved actively in a social and political movement historically was when it united African Americans during periods of slavery and segregation.  Churches fueled the civil rights movements led by religious leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ralph Abernathy.  Likewise, churches played a crucial role in helping African Americans get involved voting for political candidates (Brown, 2011). 

Importantly, religion is only one aspect of American life that can create social change, spread political ideals, and build a sense of unity based on shared interests.  The ethnic diversity from the various groups of immigrants historically in American wove a complex, every evolving dynamic between embracing the traditions and customs of the old-world with exploring the new freedoms, ideas, and that were offered in America.  Americans were uniquely able to choose to observe some of their ethnic customs while assimilating to American norms in other aspects of their lives (Smith, 1978). 

For immigrants to a new world, it was a benefit for them to have a support group made up of people with similar ethnicities who often shared similar languages, customs, backgrounds, and religions (Smith, 1978).  Ethnic organizations were created to protect and advance its members’ economic, social, and religious interests.  Common bonds such as shared national origin, ancestry, religion, language, and culture helped immigrants adjust to life in a foreign land.  These commonalities created a sense of unity and oneness among the various ethnic groups of immigrants (Smith, 1978).  This sense of brotherhood created an ethnic paradox that allowed immigrants to maintain some of their values and traditions while trying to assimilate to life in America (Schaefer, 2012.) 

As the heterogeneous make-up of Americans became more complex, through intermarriages, diverse public schools, urbanization, changing ethnic make-up of neighborhoods, and the continued redefinition ethnic and racial groups, America’s ethnic paradox continued to play a role in the preservation of diverse ethnic groups and customs.  In modern times, ethnic identification still allows many groups of American financial, social, and psychological benefits.  Ethnic pride that became popular in the sixties continues to show itself in American in a variety of ways including ethnic festivals, grocery stores, and restaurants (Schaefer, 2012). 

In addition to the sense of self-identity that Americans get from their various ethnic associations, we have also adopted many aspects of the variety of cultures that are present in our country.  On a symbolic level, one finds traditional ethnic neighborhoods such as Little Italy or Chinatown.  Likewise, Americans have popularized many ethnic foods, forms of entertainment, and holiday traditions such as the Christmas tree and Saint Patrick’s Day.  Quite often, America celebrates its diverse population and embraces many of the different aspects of a variety of cultures (Schaefer, 2012).

However, the complex ethnic make-up of American society also leads to several uniquely American issues such as the widely-debated need for bi-lingual education.  In addition, after the 9-11 terrorist attacks, Americans have faced the emergence of Islamaphobia in the U.S.  Bias against certain ethnic groups is an ongoing problem in American society and leads to problems such as discrimination and racial profiling.  America also has its own unique version of racism that does not exist in many other cultures.  For example, Jamaica immigrants are often quite surprised at the existence of racial tension and racial tension between blacks and whites in America because it virtually does not exist in Jamaica.

Concluding, the effects of religion and ethnicity produce both benefits and issues that are unique to the diverse country that America is.  As a country comprised of immigrants from around the world who uphold the Constitutional right to the freedom of religious choice, America is very different from many of the other countries in the world.  In America, affiliations such as nationality, race, religion, and ethnicity are not one in the same.  To be American can mean one identifies as American citizen, but he still makes his own religious choices and maintains his own ethnicity.  Ethnicity and religion create common bonds between subgroups of Americans, but it also creates a diverse and uniquely American culture.  The effects of religion and ethnicity on social attitudes and behaviors in America are as diverse as the people that comprise the population of the country itself.

Works Cited

Barone, Micheal. "America's 'Culture Wars' Tradition." U.S. News and World Report 1992: 24-25. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 June 2014.

Brown, R. K. "Religion, Political Discourse, and Activism Among Varying Racial/Ethnic Groups in America." Thesis. Wayne State University, 2011. Review of Religious Research 53.3 (2011): 301-22. Print.

Garvey, John. "A Tradition of Choice." Commonweal 1999: 7-8. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 June 2014.

Schaffer, Richard T. "Ethnicity and Religion." Racial and Ethnic Groups. 13th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2012. 114-45. Print.

Smith, Timothy L. "Religion and Ethnicity in America." American Historical Review 83.5 (1978): 1155-185. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 June 2014.