A Study On The National Identity Of American Ethnic Minorities

As an immigrant country, America recognizes five ethnic groups based on origin and blood: European American, African American, Latino American(Hispanic), Asian American and Native American. In retrospect, the main body of early settlers was Anglo-Saxon puritans; later immigrants from Africa, Europe, Latin America and Asia followed their footsteps to form a pluralistic society. On the cultural composition, African-American culture, Latin culture, oriental culture and Native American culture are parts of the American culture. The dominant Anglo-Puritan culture is the most important one, setting a mainstream environment, to which immigrants have to adapt. In the subconsciousness of most Americans, the acceptance and recognition of Anglo-Puritan culture has been regarded as the symbol of accepting American identity and the premise for naturalization and merging into the mainstream society. No matter what trend they follow, be it Anglo-Conformity or Melting-Pot theory, immigrants show more Anglo-Puritan cultural characteristics in the naturalization process.The dominant position of the Anglo-Puritan culture has been challenged in the America value system during the past50years, national characteristics no longer equal to those of the Anglo-Puritan culture. Some ethnic minority groups do not feel strongly attached to American identity, which attributes to the following reasons:firstly, the third migrant flow starting in the1960’s consisted of immigrants from Latin America and Asia, whose physical appearance, cherished culture and values were different from those of traditional Americans. Among them, Hispanics faced more difficulties in naturalization than others. Spanish, Catholicism and Latin culture place them in an advanced position to form a sub-ethnic group instead of integrating into the society as individuals. They live in an immigrant enclave, rejecting naturalization; latinization, bilingualization and biculturalization have emerged in some areas and communities. Meanwhile, ethnic minorities are more prone to unjust treatment, being placed at a lower position than white Americans in terms of social status, living conditions and receiving education and forming an invisible "mainstream-edge" structure. Alienation and discontentment create more difficulties for ethnic minorities to integrate into the mainstream society and undermine their weak attachment to American identity. Secondly, multiculturalism uses ethnic attributes and cultural identity as weapon to criticize assimilation and situation in which dominant groups treat ethnic minorities unfairly. It also advocates the view of difference politics centered on ethnic identity and the idea that ethnic identity is the pre-requisite for the setup of national identity. Moreover, the appeal of multiculturalism touches the very foundation of the Anglo-Puritan culture and questions American core culture and political values, posing considerable threat to national characteristics and national identity of ethnic groups.America has no specific policies towards ethnic minorities. However, the construction of national identity has penetrated into every sector of society. The balance between unity and plurality prevents the conflict and even the centrifugation among different ethnicities, languages and cultures. American national community has realized the creative status shift from "nation-state" to "civil state", ensuring the equal status among all the citizens and substituting cultural ethnicities for high-level unified nationalities and promoting the shift from ethnic identity to one featuring sovereign political community. So far, America succeeds in maintaining the stability between the acceptance of national identity and ethnic relation, while respecting pluralism and fostering integration based on inclusive system embedded multiculturalism. In a foreseeable future, America will remain as a country honouring its motto "E Pluribus Unum".