Conflicts of American immigrants: assimilate or retain ethnic identity

From Anglo-conformity, to the melting pot, and into the era of cultural pluralism, the way of the American immigrant has changed. From having the ability to assimilate to finding barricades, intentional or not, when attempting to adjust to the American mainstream, the American immigrant's technological environment has changed. The early white, English-speaking Protestant immigrants conformed to the American society quickly. More recently, immigrants encounter different challenges as they try to adjust while maintaining their cultural identity. The new immigrants continue to arrive in the United States with hopes of achieving opportunities not available in their country of origin. At the same time though, the United States, rich in cultural and ethnic diversity, overflows with racially based riots, police brutality towards immigrants, looting of immigrant businesses by local citizens, and welfare reforms that specifically limit not only illegal immigrants, but legal residents as well. Either way, the American mosaic continues to expand. Whether its diversity offers opportunities for cultural expansion or acceptance of ethnic differences and similarities, each group is an important 'piece.' If the mosaic is to expand, all members of the American society need to allow for such participation. The Chinese immigrant will be accepted entirely as a member of the larger contributing society. The Hispanic will be invited to attend decisionmaking conferences, and the Cambodian will be sought for advice, if necessary. The non-white citizens will hold more upper-management positions. Homogeneity will give way to heterogeneity, and the United States of America will stand true to its constitutional promise of '...freedom and liberty for all'!.