[Cz-L] Melting Pots

The "melting pot" is an American expression and perhaps mostly applicable t=
o New York where immigrants from many areas were forced to live in close qua=
rters. While much of America has degenerated of late into a series of ghetto=
s and barrios, in some cases  people live out whole lives without learning=
 English. New York, however still qualifies as a melting pot.
 
Czernowitz was blessed more with an absence of overt discrimination and vio=
lence but "melting pot" would not be a realistic assessment.  My parents w=
ere very liberal and non-religious but when I look at family pictures taken =
at their parties in Czernowitz, I see only Jewish friends.  In the New W=
orld, this changed completely.
 
A black musician friend in New York back in the 1950s  said an interestin=
g thing to me.  He was complaining about discrimination and said at RCA Vi=
ctor, a black man or a Jew ain't got a chance.  I laughed at him, "Don't b=
e ridiculous," I said, "General Sarnoff, head of RCA, is a Jew."  He sai=
d, "No, when they get that big and rich they ain't black or Jewish any more.=
"  At different levels of society we get varying degrees of integration.
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Received on 2008-07-10 13:58:54