Americanization
Contributed by Sammy Taylor
While reading an opinion in last month’s paper, I was wishing that the writer had understood more history. When one reads the works of our founding European-born “fathers,” we will note that they were mostly Deists. That was a common religion during that time. Of course, they made it clear, by placing freedom of religion as the first right for the new nation, that all religions were to be accepted. We are all glad they did.
Each wave of immigrants arriving here searching for a better life than they had at home took a big risk. We can be proud that they had the courage and gumption to step into a totally unknown country and culture. I doubt any of us can blame them for trying to find something familiar to cling to as they navigated a new language, work, shelter, dress, food.
Parts of my ethnic past are the Bohemians who started arriving in this country shortly after the Civil War. Back east there were some communities that produced their own Bohemian-language newspapers. They lived in mostly segregated communities where rent was cheap. My more recent Bohemian ancestors settled in the slums of Chicago; I assume to work in the slaughterhouses of that time. Over the course of the generations that led to me, Bohemian-Americans no longer have the need for a Bohemian-language newspaper, the comfort of fellow Bohemians around them, the familiarity of the Bohemian Catholic church, and much more. We are now truly part of the mix.
But there is richness where we have groups still keeping separate. Our witch-making Puritan predecessors left us with cultural values still treasured by many. Shaker communities left us an interesting architectural legacy. Quakers who wanted their own space in Pennsylvania are now around the globe sharing their community values. The Amish are still separate, showing us other ways of making a living. Chinatowns in various cities still provide us with unique perspectives and good food.
Historically, Americans have seen waves of immigrants bringing their language, social patterns, and ideas to this new continent. We know that our Native American countrymen were not pleased with the mindset and disrespectful habits the newcomers of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries brought with them to this continent. We can’t blame our own ancestors for clinging to something familiar when they chose to venture far from home to make a better life. Americans have always initially maligned every new group of immigrants. We even have our derogatory names for them. But deep down we admire their American spirit of bravery for doing exactly as our ancestors did. They ventured into a new world for a better future for their family. Let’s celebrate our rich American English, which includes words and ideas from our Native Americans and all the different cultural groups that now claim to be Americans. We are richer for them all. It’s all part of the process of Americanization.