Cultural References And The Multicultural Policy example essay topic

In today's society, there are many different terms and definitions used to describe multiculturalism. For example, "melting pot", "mosaic", and "assimilation" are the most commonly used terms today to describe multiculturalism. However, with societies different definitions of multiculturalism there will always be stereotyping, bias opinions, racism as well as problems associated with cultural references. Nevertheless, by raising awareness of the multicultural policy in future generations one could only hope to eliminate such behaviours. One of the ways multiculturalism had been defined is by the term "melting pot".

Melting pot is when a culture, say for example Japanese, moves to the United States of America, the Japanese would then take on an American culture, which then becomes the majority culture. Gloria Yamato sates that we must reclaim whatever parts of our ethnic heritage that we have lost. She feels that this so called "melting pot" has succeeded into turning us into "fast gobbling generics". In the story, "For Matadi" by Amita Handa the author says that girls couldn't go to school because they weren't looked at in the same way that the boys were (280, Amita Handa).

Not allowing girls to go to school is prejudice, because of the fact that they " re equal, and are not different. However, in the Proclamation of the Canadian Constitution, Pierre Elliot Trudeau stated "I speak of a country where every person is free to fulfill himself or herself to the utmost, unhindered by the arbitrary actions of governments" (430, Pierre Elliot Trudeau). This means that he believes everyone is enjoy themselves to the fullest and not to hold back anything about themselves. The second way multiculturalism had been defined is by the term "mosaic". Mosaic is when there are many cultures in one place but all of the different cultures can practice their own beliefs without being looked down on. However, in the story "Wing Chips" by Mavis Gallant this is not the case.

An English father asked the child who was French if that was the reason that the child's father was always around frogs (pg 206, Mavis Gallant). That is not only bias and racist but also it's rude and uncalled for. Nevertheless, Pierre Elliot Trudeau always has something encouraging to say, for example, "I speak of a Canada where men and women of Aboriginal ancestry, of French and British heritage, of the diverse cultures of the world, demonstrate the will to share this land in peace, in justice, and with mutual respect" (pg 430, Pierre Elliot Trudeau). However, there are many advantages and disadvantages associated with cultural references and the multicultural policy. For example, awareness and diverse identity are example of advantages and disadvantages of multicultural policy. Also the loud more outspoken group get exactly what they want, where as the more held back and refined group do not.

This isn't necessarily fair for the more refined culture. The third way multiculturalism had been defined is by the term "assimilation". Assimilation is taking a culture, and making that culture like your culture, by following your cultural beliefs. It has been said that assimilation is somewhat the same to the term melting pot because you are changing both cultures to something else that they are not.

In the story "One Ocean" by Betty Quan, this is what they didn't want to have to do anymore. The father had told his daughter "no more sacrificing our own symbol of fortune and happiness" and told her to "start a new life in a new place" (pg 186, Betty Quan). It has also been said by Art Spiegelman "that in a racist culture, everybody is racist. What you do after that is interesting: "Do you avoid it? Do you ignore it? Do you act as if you weren't?" (Art Spiegelman).

This could be a bias statement because in a racist culture not "everyone" is racist, everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion but it's not necessarily everyone else's opinion, one just assumes it is. However, Henry Louis Gates, Jar think that racism represents a profound failure of the imagination. This could also be a bias opinion because what does the imagination have to do with racism, one does not need an imagination to not make racist remarks. Therefore, there are many different definitions of multiculturalism.

There will never be a single definition for multiculturalism. However, melting pot, mosaic and assimilation are the most commonly used terms to describe multiculturalism. One would hope that by rising awareness of the multicultural policy today that, that could help eliminate some stereotyping, bias opinions and racism. In addition, by raising awareness one could only hope to eliminate problems associated with cultural references.