With the approaching holidays and people of all traditions and nationalities coming together to celebrate, I found myself thinking about the image of the great American melting pot. The melting pot is supposed to be a symbol of the United States’ accepting nature and people of all walks of life coexisting peacefully.

What once signified the fusion of different cultures, nationalities and ethnicities in a harmonious common culture now represents the complete assimilation of immigrants and the loss of the vibrant ethnic traditions that compose this multicultural nation.

Reaching the idyllic image of the melting pot should not be America’s goal. Rather, Americans should take steps to create unity between ethnic groups by respecting others’ heritage and reducing discrimination, while still maintaining a common bond that ties all Americans together.

Celebrating only American traditions can lead to the loss of the diversity that defines the United States. My great-grandparents came to America from Poland, but my family does not celebrate any Polish traditions because when they immigrated here, the expectation was to become fully “American.” To be successful, their Polish traditions had to fade away over time.

Some prefer the image of a patchwork quilt over a melting pot to describe American society. This idea allows for America’s diversity to remain intact and for each race or ethnicity to celebrate its own culture. This sounds like a harmonious society; however, it separates the groups too much, not allowing for a common culture to really connect them. The patchwork quilt image also doesn’t include the necessity for people to mix with different groups and take responsibility for one another.

The melting pot and the patchwork quilt are the two extremes. But I think Americans’ goal should be to accomplish the metaphor of a stew. This image ensures that people can celebrate their respective heritage, but the groups also mix, which is imperative in a multicultural nation.

The first Thanksgiving provides insight into how American society should be. The pilgrims and the Native Americans were two separate groups of people who were practicing their own traditions and, in this particular situation, came together and shared in a new celebration.

People need to remember that being an American (whether you are an immigrant or born citizen) means that you have the right to celebrate and honor your respective heritage while still being part of the American culture. We should not attempt to make everyone fit into the mold of a “traditional American,” nor should we isolate people based on ethnic background.

What we need to work on is giving people the respect Americans of all backgrounds deserve. If you look at the United States’ history, there are countless examples of persecution and discrimination based on race or ethnicity. The fact that we have an African American president and people of different ethnic backgrounds in esteemed positions across the country is irrefutable evidence that we have made great strides in terms of being more accepting. But we can make further progress by stopping racial and ethnic persecution through stereotyping and discrimination.

While everyone can be more accepting of people who comprise our multicultural nation, the image of the stew is still the most accurate metaphor to describe America because it allows people to celebrate their own heritage and be a part of American traditions.

Claire Noack can be reached at noac8702@stthomas.edu.