President Johnson, responsible for designing The Great Society, once stated, “The land flourished because it was fed from so many sources-because it was nourished by so many cultures and traditions and peoples”(Johnson). America was ideally founded as a country where anyone, from anywhere, is welcomed as family. Recently, however, social scientist Robert Putnam published a study that questions the benefits of diversity in the US and suggests that diversity “erodes the social capital” of our country (Kesler, Christel, and Irene Bloemraad). When a neighborhood wholeheartedly appreciates diversity, the members are motivated by a common interest to include diversity. When neighborhoods share similar interests, they transition into a brotherhood, a community where the members care for each other and are as closely bonded as family. The diversity of our nation is imperative to our success in creating and sustaining relationships and ”brotherhood” communities or neighborhoods where the members care for each other and are motivated by similar interests.

One of the many benefits of diversity America receives is the open-mindedness to new scientific ideas.  Because the culture of a society determines what is considered acceptable and what is not, increasing interactions with the diversity around us will help society realize that the prejudice against foreign ideas or people is unreliable judgement. In the 1630s, Galileo Galilei made one of the most significant breakthroughs in astronomy, he discovered that the solar system was heliocentric, directly contradicting the previous geocentric view held by the catholic-dominated community at the time. The church censored Galileo’s book and put him on trial. Tel Aviv University explains,”This claim contradicted the Church interpretation of Scripture. These publications and Galileo's attempts to interpret Scripture according to this new theory, were not acceptable to the Church. In 1616, ...they forbade him to support the Copernican theory” (Galileo). They believed that their sole theory was right because there were not other cultures in the community to question the geocentric theory. Today, because of our diverse society, we make sure to consider new theories that may contradict our previous beliefs. By exposing one to such diversity, society would no longer hesitate to take time to listen to new ideas in both science and other fields.
To have a complete understanding of the culture outside of the United States of America and improve our public relations, we must first understand the diverse culture within our borders. When cultures clash, it is difficult to compromise as culture determines the mindset of people and countries as a whole. The United States may unknowingly offend the culture of a particular region because of miscommunication. For example, the early Americans and the Native Indians who had inhabited the land could not form a diplomatic agreement because both sides did not take a full-hearted initiative to understand the perspective of the new culture they were facing. Because of this misperception, the Native American worship of nature was not respected by the Americans, leading to land disputes that resulted in the American Indian Holocaust. A failure to respect the beliefs of the other party fuels hostilities between countries and results in misperception. Kaplan University’s Lisa Belfield explains, “We can learn from one another, but first we must have a level of understanding about each other in order to facilitate collaboration and cooperation. Learning about other cultures...helps dispel negative stereotypes and personal biases about different groups.”(Belfield).

Interaction between ethnicities also helps improve communication between individuals.  For instance, the diversity-rich environment of Dougherty Valley High has helped me gain a better understanding of the Asian culture, that I had misunderstood before arriving at DVHS. Just as my experience at Dougherty has helped me effectively spread my thoughts and receive better cooperation from my peers, improving communication with other cultures reduces miscommunication and improves international relationships.

  America is economically strong because of  the acceptance and appreciation of diversity. Because of the diversity rich population of America, the products of America contain input from people with different backgrounds and experiences. Thereby, these product aptly address global situations and are a mixture of ideas that originate from around the world. Academics Lu Hong and Scott E page conclude after extensive research and experimentation, “In an environment where competition depends on continuous innovation and introduction of new products, firms with organizational forms that take advantage of the power of functional diversity should perform well”(Hong). Because each diverse individual in America has faced different obstacles to overcome, they know how to address situations that others may not have faced, ultimately creating a larger pool of ideas to implement. Because of this economic growth, communities will be financially sound and people will be able to afford spending time to take care of each other.

The United States of America has greatly benefited from our nation’s diversity. The diverse population makes Americans more open-minded and appreciative of differences other than their own. In addition, it strengthens our foreign relations because it increases cultural awareness in communities and rejuvenates the economy. Nelson Mandela said, “A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of.” Each person’s world is the environment that they face everyday. By celebrating the diversity in our neighborhoods, we can fuel the transition to a brotherhood where the community members will positively interact and consider each other family. In order to achieve “brotherhood”, the US must uphold certain viewpoints on immigration rulings and decisions. The US must be flexible with its immigration resolutions. The case of immigrants is a tough decision, however, the answer is relatively simple. America was founded as an asylum for immigrants to pursue the American dream. To stay true to our basis of equality and liberty and to fulfill the wishes of our founding fathers, we must come together to welcome new immigrants.  America was intended to be a multiracial pot and it should remain to be to continue its success economically, socially and politically.      
       

Works Cited
Belfield, Lisa D. "Cultural Diversity." Cultural Diversity in the United States â?? Kaplan University. Graham Holdings Company, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014. .
"Groups of Diverse Problem Solvers Can Outperform Groups of High-ability Problem Solvers." PNAS. National Academy Of Science, 17 Sept. 2004. Web. 07 Apr. 2014. .
"Galileo Galilei 1564-1642." Galileo Galilei. Tel Aviv University, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. .
"Lyndon B. Johnson." Goodreads. Goodreads Inc, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014. .
Kesler, Christel, and Irene Bloemraad. "DOES IMMIGRATION ERODE SOCIAL CAPITAL?" Institute for Social and Economic Research. University of California, Berkeley, n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2014. .