Able Quote by Nguyen Viet Thang
“40, 50 years ago, Americans - the majority of Americans did not want to accept these Vietnamese refugees who they saw as completely foreign. Now there are new foreigners - Syrians and other people from the Middle East, people of Muslim backgrounds. And the sense among many Americans is, well, these people are completely different from us, and they're not like the Vietnamese who are much more assimilable. And I think that's very, very doubtful. I think that the majority of these new foreigners, if given the opportunity, will be able to assimilate and deal with American culture.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public commentary on immigration, United States, 2020s
Americans often view new refugee groups as fundamentally different and less assimilable than past groups, but this perception is unfounded; most can integrate given opportunity.
In simple terms: People assume new refugees won’t fit, but they usually can.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge stereotypes about newcomers.
Themes
immigration
assimilation
stereotypes
social cohesion
identity
Mood
concerned
hopeful
Type
reflective
inspirational
When to use this quote
- community integration programs
- school curricula
- public awareness campaigns
- media representation
Key Concepts
cultural adaptation
social psychology
policy
bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How do stereotypes affect policy?
- What supports help refugees assimilate?
A Different Perspective
Assumes all refugees have the same resources and support, which varies widely.
