ABSTRACT
In this and previous chapters we have tracked the oscillating and sometimes conflicting conceptions of what is meant by “assimilation” of Latinos to the core culture and institutions of this society. We have seen the importance of the more idealistic view of a melting pot that involves respectful cultural diversity and/or mutual blending versus, more centrally, the actual assimilation “pot” that means that new groups must mostly assimilate in a conforming and one-way fashion to the white-Anglo core culture and institutions. Our middle-class respondents often seem more hopeful about the cultural pluralism view, and most are aware that elements of one-way assimilation can be quite harmful, while Anglo whites in this society have long overwhelmingly supported the one-way view. Additionally, as we have seen, the historical and contemporary data indicate that the one-way view has mostly been the one put into practice by its white controllers and implementers now over several centuries.
