Comments on: Assimilation vs. Homogenization

By: Mark Hasty

Mark Hasty — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

"I'm in favor of liberalized immigration for the effect it would have on restaurants. I'd let in just about enybody except the British."--Calvin Trillin

By: Mark Hasty

Mark Hasty — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

'anybody', not 'enybody'--sheesh.

By: Sean Hackbarth

Sean Hackbarth — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

It sounds like Matthew is wearing his blue state colors proudly.

By: Brian Drozd

Brian Drozd — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Of course, Iâm not sure how the proliferation of ethnic food is evidence that these groups are assimilating into our culture. Indeed, it would seem that the reverse would be true. How else would you measure American culture? We have none save what we've adopted from other countries. It's been hobbled together from dozens of other cultures, with only very few original bits and pieces. All of American 'culture' is the result of other cultures absorbing one another.

By: Jalal Abu Jarhead

Jalal Abu Jarhead — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Ideally, you'd have the Darwinian selection of desirable features of other cultures. Those that don't cut the societal mustard don't get assimilated into the greater American culture.

Insisting that we protect and encourage pockets of other cultures is merely the liberal version of "separate, but equal," and is just as distasteful as the kind we got rid of last century.

By: Director Mitch

Director Mitch — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

I always find it funny when people in the U.S. want to go out for "Mexican Food". In Texas, I usually correct them and say "TexMex". And the "Mexican food" found in California and Arizona is different from the TexMex in Texas, so I usually refer to it as "Southwestern" (and I love both). Try going into the interior of Mexico (i.e. away from the border and tourist areas) and ordering a "taco" and you will get a blank stare. In both TexMex and Southwestern cuisine immigrants took something from their homeland and made it even better here. And isn't that what coming to to America is all about?

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

The food from poverty-stricken lands often isn't all that good, not surprisingly. They get creative as hell with what they do have, though. "How can I feed my family with two pounds of rice, a carrot, and the wing of a chicken?" They transport that to a place where food is cheap and abundant....

By: melvin toast

melvin toast — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Apparently Americans prefer taco bell over tacos tripas or tacos cabeza.

By: Little Miss Attila

Little Miss Attila — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

The thing is to find a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in SoCal--something about 95% authentic--and eat there. Homemade tortillas, bean and cheese burritos, beef tacos, tamales.

Oh, yes. The stuff my Mexican baby-sitter used to feed me when I was a little girl: pure ambrosia.

If I go to a chain Mexican place the food usually (barely) passes muster. But it is overpriced, and what I'm really there for is the drinks.

Know what you want.

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