| Act like an American by John S. Pinto |
| The posting on an online bulletin board screamed 'GET OVER IT.' 'You are in America, act like an American.' According to a newspaper article, the anger was directed at Somalian immigrants in Minneapolis. The Somalians had declared certain jobs offensive to their Muslim faith. Many Somalian cab drivers refuse to transport passengers who carry alcohol. Some Somalian cashiers refuse to handle products containing pork. To the immigrants, it is a question of religious freedom. In America, you are free to practice your faith. But, are you free to inconvenience others because of it? This is a question that is becoming more and more important as new immigrants, especially from non-European countries, emigrate to the United States. Asians immigrants are not a homogenous group. We come from different backgrounds, different cultures and have different religious beliefs. In our day-to-day activities, there are bound to be clashes because of our differences. If there is a clash, who will prevail? If it is non-religious difference of opinion, we can settle our differences in the courts. If it is a true religious difference of opinion, how are we going to resolve it? If one's religion clashes with civil law, which will prevail? These are some of the questions that we must ponder as we assimilate into American society. In previous generations, people emigrated to flee from wars, persecution or for economic reasons. Our reasons for emigrating will influence how we assimilate into the broader society. It is a human trait that we want to preserve and pass on the things that we feel are valuable. I would venture to guess that we think that our heritage is worth passing on to our children. Our experience will probably be like that of previous immigrant groups. The immigrant generation will hold on to the 'old ways' and try to pass them on to the children. Some will be successful, while others will not. As the generations progress -- with intermarriage and mobility -- our cultures will blend into the larger society. The United States has welcomed new cultures and adopted many cultural traditions of its new citizens. I would say that our cultures will also be preserved and passed on. They will exist in the larger society, but also distinct from it. As for some of the other questions, we will probably see new laws that reflect some of our religious beliefs. However, we will not see laws that cater to any particular religion. David W. Miller is executive director of the Center for Faith and Culture at Yale University. He is author of the book "God at Work." His opinion is that the laws of this country will trump religious tradition. In conclusion, I would say that in 50 years our descendents will be 'Acting Like Americans!' |
 |
 |