Today's America is more accurately represented by the metaphor of a salad bowl than by a melting pot. The melting pot metaphor implies that all the ingredients are combined and create a homogeneous mixture (the same everywhere); the salad bowl illustrates that while we all contribute flavor, each ingredient remains its own. As Joel Swerdlow illustrates in his article "Changing America," "10 percent of America's 281 million people were born in other countries, the highest percentage in U.S. history." United” (Swerdlow). I believe that the large number of immigrants arriving in America directly shows that people around the world want the freedoms that America has to offer. However, they are able to maintain their individual identity throughout their quest for this freedom. Being an “American” means you have the freedom to choose your own life. To be “American” is to accept the diversity of all cultures while feeling that they all belong to the same nation. When an immigrant becomes an American, he does not lose who he was before. An immigrant, by definition, is a person born in another place who chooses to change their life; it does not erase all the experiences and beliefs the person previously had. Immigrants bring new ideas, beliefs, and traditions to America and improve our society. They now have all the experiences and memories of their old lives, but are now part of a larger whole and contribute to America with more diversity. One of these aspects is that of perpetuating the traditions and culture of their country of origin. For example, Hispanics here in New Mexico warn their children to behave by telling them the story of La Llorona, instead of the Boogie Man or another more traditional American folk tale. Another way immigrant...... middle of paper ......e rights and freedoms granted in this country. My first and only language is English, while one of my classmates may only speak Spanish at home. We hold on to ourselves, but both contribute to American society. I'm in school today to improve my career, but I know it's a privilege not shared by all of my fellow Americans. We each have the freedom of expression, regardless of language, and the freedom to pursue happiness through education and career choices. It is the differences in these choices that add to our country's unique mix; America's salad bowl. Works Cited Swerdlow, Joel L. “Changing America.” National Geographic. September 2001. Web. May 29, 2011. Declaration of Independence of the United States of America. 1776. A Chronology of American Historical Records. U of Oklahoma Coll. of law, 2006. Web. May 2. 2011.