“Assimilation” by Lisa Sun-Hee Park addresses the integration of minority cultures, specifically Asians, into American society. As stated in the article, to “assimilate” means to “take in (information, ideas, or culture) and understand fully” (14). In the case of migration into the United States, assimilation would mean having to take in and fully understand American culture. In addition, minorities being viewed as outsiders would require them to “integrate” (14) into society as well. Assimilation is a difficult process to discuss since it is “neither simple nor ‘natural’” (17). Assimilation is not simple or natural because of how society has developed the majority to view immigration and minorities in general. In other words, assimilation calls for the blending of minority cultures into dominant ones but in reality those who are to be ‘assimilated’ find themselves distant from the majority.
The idea of assimilation establishes that there are two groups, those included and those who have not been included yet. However, living in a country as an outsider should not give the pressure of having to conform to dominant beliefs and ways of living. Park quotes W.E.B. Du Bois stating, “There is no reason why, in the same country and on the same street, two or three great national ideals might not thrive and develop” (14). Du Bois stresses that just because different ethnicities live together does not mean they will not succeed. The main problem with assimilation is with the institutions and beliefs established in the United States. Park then goes on to describe that “racism, or the assumption of racial inferiority” (14) was the problem African Americans and ultimately all minorities dealt with when trying to adapt in the United States. As a result, the institutions and beliefs that have been growing in the United States ever since its beginnings are the reason as to why the idea of true assimilation is not socially attainable, by definition, in the country. For this reason, opinions and beliefs of minorities are overshadowed by those of dominant belief thus establishing a clear divide between those who are already assimilated and those who are expected to assimilate.
Park brings up Lisa Lowe’s argument that, ”Asians in the U.S. hold an impossible position in which they are simultaneously projects of inclusion and exclusion” (16). Next, Park goes on to explain that the double-edged sword Asians face is not their fault but is the country’s fault due to the nature of citizenship in America. On one end America holds itself to a democratic body of equality where on the other end America pays attention to individual differences such as race, class, etc. when gaining citizenship in the country. The idea of assimilation in this case does not welcome Asians and other minorities into American culture but establishes that they are different from the majority when gaining citizenship into the country they want to be assimilate into. Not only does it establish a clear divide but strengthens the claim that although Asians have taken in American culture and have integrated some American dominant beliefs into their lives, they cannot truly assimilate into American society due to social norms established over time.