Today's fun fact is that 2008 marks the 100th year since the coining of the term "melting pot" to describe the multiethnic stew that then comprised the American populace. "Then" refers to the years when immigrants flooded over the ocean in a great global warming of the pursuit of opportunity.
While the "melting pot" expression has since earned enough play to win a spot in the dictionary, America has long searched for a more appropriate metaphor, one that would show that the rich ethnic ingredients haven't always blended so well.
Take your pick: America is a tossed salad, a stir fry, a smorgasbord, a jar of jelly beans, a bowl of Chex Party Mix. All very colorful and appetizing, but far from a fondue. If I might add a little election year side dish . . . Perhaps the American Left has somewhat simmered together. But the American Right embraces diversity the way a steak-and-potato man takes to tofu.