What is the melting pot myth?

Whether a myth or not, the "melting pot" metaphor is a shorthand reference to the belief or aspiration that disparate races, religions, and national origins of people who come to the United States are somehow smoothly integrated into an assimilated, homogenous culture.

Obviously, a moment's thought is all that's required to recognize that this intended goal is not well-reflected by the actual experiences of individuals who emigrate to the United States. A strong nativist streak among lower-class rural whites, and a number of openly racist terrorist organizations with roots in the U.S. are only the most blatant rebuttals to the melting pot. Other countries (e.g. Canada) use the mosaic analogy. Every group maintains its own identity but combines with others to produces a greater "design" Still other countries have used a sepaation of different groups (e.g South Africa's Apartheid) where the groups were kept apart with no integration.