I found that this article had me reeled in from the very first paragraph. The entry that caught my attention goes as follows: "America is a unique sociological fabric, and it bespeaks poverty of imagination not to be thrilled at the incalculable potentialities of so novel a union of men. To seek no other goal than the weary old nationalism, belligerent, exclusive, inbreeding, the poison of which we are witnessing now in Europe, is to make patriotism a hollow sham, and to declare that, in spite of our boastings, America must ever be a follower and not a leader of nations."
I had to read this passage a few times to try to wrap my mind around what I thought Bourne was trying to say. I concluded that he is stating that the "melting pot" that is supposed to be America is a sham. It is nothing more than a fantasy and unattainable. He is stating that although America is socially unique, the actual idea of Americanization is not possible. All of the people that have come to America have basically conformed to what they are told is the "American standard", a cookie-cutter version of their true selves.
I'm not sure that Bourne was trying to say that this idea of a melting pot should be let go and that America should just deal with the fact that this American ideal does not exist. If America is to be a true melting pot of cultures, why are these "immigrants" asked to change their views, values, religion, and culture to fit in with the "right" way to be an American? He is suggesting that perhaps this will never work out the way it was sought out to work.
I liked this passage because it highlights the fact that the Anglo-Saxon mold just does not fit every single family or individual that comes to America. No one should be asked to change for a system that ultimately does not work. I think this relates to this class because it shows that political views and cultural views are pushed upon people just so that we can say that we have Americanized those who have migrated to America.
Stacey Andino
I'm not sure that Bourne was trying to say that this idea of a melting pot should be let go and that America should just deal with the fact that this American ideal does not exist. If America is to be a true melting pot of cultures, why are these "immigrants" asked to change their views, values, religion, and culture to fit in with the "right" way to be an American? He is suggesting that perhaps this will never work out the way it was sought out to work.
I liked this passage because it highlights the fact that the Anglo-Saxon mold just does not fit every single family or individual that comes to America. No one should be asked to change for a system that ultimately does not work. I think this relates to this class because it shows that political views and cultural views are pushed upon people just so that we can say that we have Americanized those who have migrated to America.
Stacey Andino
