I’ve always heard that the United States was called the “Melting Pot,” but I didn’t fully comprehend that term until this week during Louisiana Girls State. When searching for a formal definition, I was welcomed with this: “a pot in which metals or other materials are melted and mixed”. Okay, I guess that makes sense for cooking, but what does that mean for the United States? Upon further digging, I learned that the United States coined the name because of its’ culmination of different cultures, races, and ideas. I understood this on a broader scale; it made perfect sense that different people in various states would have differing opinions. I had no idea that the state of Louisiana itself could be called its own “Melting Pot,” until recently.
One of the great things about Girls State is the new application we were introduced to: Whova, a program that allows us to message others, create chat rooms, publish discussion boards, and obtain all other Girls State information. We were encouraged to participate in the discussion boards to get to know our fellow citizens. The range of boards were endless; this is when the term “Melting Pot” came into play. Citizens were talking all about their favorites: favorite TV shows, favorite songs, and even favorite fast-food chains. It wasn’t until I scrolled through the responses that the term finally made sense.
The different opinions were polarizing! It was incredibly interesting to see the depths of peoples’ minds. I learned about shows I had never even heard about! I was intrigued to write them down and add them to my watch-list. I had so many new songs to add to my summer playlist! You’re probably thinking, “Okay, but what does this have to do with a “Melting Pot”?” The United States is a “Melting Pot” because it’s one of the only places in the world where different ideas mix and melt together. It was the same thing in the discussion boards. If there was one thing that I didn’t see after searching were arguments. Everyone had different opinions, but instead of fighting about who’s opinion was right and wrong, all of the citizens were fascinated about the contrasting points of view and vowed to look deeper into them, all of the movies, songs, and dining options. This is exactly what a “Melting Pot” is. Girls State is made up of the most exceptional young women in the state and all of the young ladies have exceptional opinions to pair with them. Girl State is a culmination of ideas, and the discussion boards are sheer proof.