British Freedom of Speech withered, dying

[Valmy]

that makes sense since that is primarily where the academic discussion would take place.

Well immigration is a topic discussed in far more places than just academia.

[grumbler]

The melting pot term has now been replaced. The new term is a salad bowl or mixed salad or something to the like.

  Sure it has, Emperor Norton!  Everybody will obey your command to use the new term... er, whatever it is.

[grumbler]

that makes sense since that is primarily where the academic discussion would take place.

Well immigration is a topic discussed in far more places than just academia.

Indeed.  The academic discussion of terminology is frankly not of any real significance, IMO, because it generally has just been about how to define something that none of the academics really understand anyway.  Kinda like the Conclave of Cardinals debating whether fellatio was sex or foreplay. 

The melting pot metaphor is used in common parlance, and people who use it understand that the result is not a bunch of identical WASPs, but rather a nation without nationalities.  The "melting pot" is about identity, not dress or what holidays you celebrate.

As an aside, the melting pot was once much more of an idea about change.  My maternal grandparents both came to the US speaking not a word of English, and yet the only Finnish words my mother learned were swear words.  My maternal grandparents decided that, as they were now Americans, they would speak only English, even to one another.  They still ate Finnish dishes and celebrated Finnish holidays, though.

[Berkut]

grumbler, that cannot be true, because wiki said the melting pot was just a myth.

You should talk to your grandparents, and set them straight.

[Eddie Teach]

I didn't realize we had immigrants from Finland in the 17th century. 

[Neil]

grumbler is addicted to lizard porn?

[grumbler]

Had my grandparents not fled the country, I suppose I would be!   

[Jaron]

Had my grandparents not fled the country, I suppose I would be!   

Do you like mouth sugar?

[Caliga]

I didn't realize we had immigrants from Finland in the 17th century. 

Actually, we did (seriously).  IIRC most of the settlers of New Sweden (present day Delaware and SE Pennsylvania) were Finns.

[Jaron]

Remember, Europe kept all their best at home.

[Eddie Teach]

I didn't realize we had immigrants from Finland in the 17th century. 

Actually, we did (seriously).  IIRC most of the settlers of New Sweden (present day Delaware and SE Pennsylvania) were Finns.

Knew I should have gone earlier. 

[Admiral Yi]

Actually, we did (seriously).  IIRC most of the settlers of New Sweden (present day Delaware and SE Pennsylvania) were Finns.

Source me baby.

[PDH]

I think many posters here still like the melting pot idea, that lovely thought that any immigrant can be made more pleasing when dropped into a 1600 degree furnace.

Wait, maybe I am missing the analogy.

[Caliga]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Sweden

[PDH]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Sweden

You just wrote that!