The three readings were very insightful about the complex idea of immigration throughout American immigration. Although all three readings talked about the various immense waves of immigrants into America, the Vecoli reading was the most descriptive in an historical sense. The other two readings of Foner and Kasinitz talked primarily about the current issues related to Immigration today.
An interesting concept that was mentioned throughout the readings was assimilation and melting pot. But, these terms were cleverly mentioned differently between two readings particularly. In my opinion, Vecoli’s reading was very eye- opening because it was brief and concise explaining the true hardships of immigrations in the past. Vecoli’s main purpose was to identify the American identity, but he concluded that it can not be declared a single entity because it is continuously changing. However, Vecoli “clarified” that the true definition of melting pot and assimilation was to eradicate all the ethnic characteristics that made you unique, in order to “assimilate” into a person accepted by the angle-saxon white people part of the elite hegemony. Vecoli was concise in stating that the melting pot and assimilation was a complete fallacy. The immigrants were forced to change themselves in order to cope with society dominated by the white elite.
On the other hand, Kasinitz clarified the terms melting pot and assimilation in a different connotation. However, Kasinitz’s clarification resembles our current situation today. According to Kasinitz, New York is a melting pot with various ethnic groups assimilated into a conglomeration of various traditions. Despite Vecoli’s description of “false assimilation,” Kasinitz stated how New York is a mix of multiple ethnic groups, which truly comprises the true definition of melting pot, as seen today. As time has progressed, the concepts of assimilation and melting pot were finally fulfilled. As seen today with 1st generation and mostly 2nd generation immigrants, they have assimilated into the American culture by primarily learning to speak English along with other traditions they have adapted over time. But, the difference is that these immigrants can still grasp onto their ethnic backgrounds, compared to the past, when the elite white eradicated the immigrants relationship to their ethnic background to become fully incorporated into a white American.
The third reading by Foner, similar to Kasinitz, mainly emphasized the influences of immigrants on New York, and the influence of New York on the immigrants. The immigrants in the present, have assimilated into New York life seamlessly. New York, with its high demand of labor, attracts the immigrants due to its availability of jobs. But, due to recent economic hardships, it is becoming more difficult, and the problem of job shortages is still being coped with. Immigrants have impacted the NYC largely, for example Little Italy, Chinatown, etc. Immigrants also impact the public education system, especially CUNY, which does an impeccable job giving the opportunity to immigrants to get an education. Other parts of the city that are affected include hospitals, library, and museums. Ultimately, America has started opening up to multinationalism country, with immigrants coming from even more places like Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. However, incorporation of immigrants still remains a problem for both the city and the nation.
