Thursday, March 4, 2010

The wrong approach to assimilation

I was also very interested in what Raphael Gallegos discusses in terms of assimilation and specifically the Huntington essay. After reading the essay, I think a lot of the issues associated with the negative view point of assimilation occur because of negative stereotypes that are given. I remember reading that it was assumed that Latinos aren't concerned with education and the assumtion that second and third generation Latinos are "ashamed" of their native language and the fact their parents usually do not speak English. This really struck me as something really unnecessary, while it may be seen in isolated cases, I certainly don't think that most second and third generation Latinos (or any immigrants for that matter) are extremely ashamed of their heritage and language. While communication among the American society may prove difficult, it is not necessary to fully give up one's values and languages to be accessible in society. Overall, I agree with the idea that assmiliation is often perceived as negative and one-sided, when it can be process that be extremely beneficial to everyone. Unfortunately, it's the closed minded approach to assimilation that leads to the negativity surrounding it.

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