In the modern era they refer to the “salad bowl” rather than the “melting pot” because “melting pot” implies cultural erasure during integration, but “salad bowl” combines while maintaining individual unique characteristics.
This started to be a thing when I was in grade school and I definitely thought it was pretty silly. I remember my 7th grade history teacher not knowing how to respond when I asked if the salad bowl included the native Americans whose culture the US tried to destroy.
In the modern era they refer to the “salad bowl” rather than the “melting pot” because “melting pot” implies cultural erasure during integration, but “salad bowl” combines while maintaining individual unique characteristics.
Wait, it’s not because they want to slather us in vinegar and oil and then eat us?
This started to be a thing when I was in grade school and I definitely thought it was pretty silly. I remember my 7th grade history teacher not knowing how to respond when I asked if the salad bowl included the native Americans whose culture the US tried to destroy.
(I was a precocious smart-ass at the time)
As a serial immigrant I don’t particularly care what they call a multicultural society as long as they accept people who were not born there into it.
But then I have to think about salad and that’s not enough red meat!