Blaxicans By Richard Rodriguez Summary

“The next time you belittle someone for not being white or speaking English, perhaps you should remember what a real American looks like”- unkown. Immigrants have played a huge role in America, but are often belittled. Americans argue that immigrants do not fit in as American since they are not white nor speak English. Being an American does not have a rubric one has to follow, being an American can simply be living in America. Immigrants have helped shape American culture and identity by bringing diversity and challenging assimilation.
Immigrants have helped shaped American culture by bringing diversity. In the essay “ ‘Blaxicans’ and Other Reinvented Americans” by Richard Rodriguez, Rodriguez mentions that immigrants bring many
In the article “Op-Ed: American Identity Crisis? What’s an ‘American’ Identity?” by Paul Wallis assimilation is discussed. Although some people argue that assimilation means you forgetting your own traditions that is not necessarily true. Americans claim that immigrants cannot assimilate, Paul Wallis states, “The U.S basically created a problem for itself with insistence on a single image”(2). The evidence supports the idea that America cannot have a single image because immigrants come here and assimilate to American society however, they still follow their own traditions. For example, Mexicans living here in America assimilated to the culture and traditions and now celebrate the fourth of July yet they still celebrate September 15. Therefore, immigrants have helped shape American identity by assimilating to American culture.
In conclusion, immigrants have impacted American culture and identity greatly. Rodriguez and Wallis have emphasized the role immigrants have played in creating diversity and challenging assimilation. Although immigrant impact in America is very controversial, the evidence aforementioned implies that immigrant impact has been positive. Overall, immigrants are considered Americans and nothing