In my opinion, the greatest social and cultural factors we face in today's society are getting along with and understanding people of varied cultures, learning from them, and teaching them what it means to be an American. For instance, thirty years ago and prior to that, when Eastern Europeans emigrated to the U.S.A., they, by and large, ended up in communities that were comprised of people of their same cultures and nationalities. Now, however, people of all ethnic groups, cultures, nationalities, and religions settle all over our country. There are people from Tonga settled in Utah (saw them on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition). The condo building I live in has Pakistani, East Indian, Polish, and Russian immigrants -- Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, and Hindu religions are represented. The entire condo complex also houses Mexican, Israeli, Spanish, Ecuadorian, Armenian, Bahamian, Korean, and Greek immigrants...and these are people I know personally. I'm sure there are many people of different cultures here that I'm not aware of. Many of the grocery stores in the area carry ethnic foods that are available to people of all cultures, there are various ethnic restaurants in the area, and there are even ethnic bookstores and music stores. Those of us born here have the opportunity to sample them and broaden our horizons. Withing walking distance we have a mosque, two Catholic churches, two synagogues, and three Protestant churches of various denominations. No longer are immigrants keeping to themselves; they really do invite us in just as America has invited them in. And, socially and culturally, we have been given the chance to not be the proverbial "ugly Americans." Accept them and they will accept us -- at least, that's been my experience.
