Historical development of American social institutions that were based on such liberal themes
Equal rights and equal opportunity
Declaration of Independence
The Constitution
The Bill of Rights
“We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.” Jimmy Carter
Minority group continues to increased not only in numbers but in power
This has become a “sore spot”
Americans feel it has become “us against them”
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, its time to pause and reflect” Mark Twain
Overview of the current US domestic social dilemma
Kim uses the following issues to observe interethnic communications
Race
Ethnicity
Interethnic Relations
“A minority maybe right, and a majority is always wrong” Henrik Ibsen
An in-depth discussion on four types of interethnic messages”
Assimilation
Pluralism
Reconciliation
Extremism
Americans continue to struggle with accepting the minority groups and “what it means to be American” (Young Yun Kim) * A note of optimism: “The very fact that interethnic issues continue to engage American passion is itself an affirmation, and a hallmark contributes to the stability of the American democracy” (Young Yun Kim) * * Translating E Pluribus Unum
Pluribus is related to the English word: “plural”
Unum is related to the English word: “unit”
E Pluribus Unum describes an action: Many uniting into one. An accurate translation of the motto is “From Many, One” or “Out of Many, One”- a phrase that captures the symbolism on the shield
The meaning of this motto is better understood when seen with the image that originally accompanied it