Amitai Etzioni

America is not endangered by its population’s racial and ethnic differences, asserts Amitai Etzioni in the following viewpoint. For one thing, he points out, minorities’ values generally do not oppose those of the white majority. More often than not, Americans of various backgrounds hold similar opinions on social and political issues, writes Etzioni. While racial minorities and immigrants may uphold some ethnic and national traditions, they generally share with white Americans a commitment to democracy, hard work, and tolerance. Etzioni is a professor at George Washington University and the editor of the quarterly journal Responsive Community.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Etzioni, what percentage of marriages in 1995 were interracial or interethnic?
2. What is problematic about the phrase “Asian-American,” in the author’s...