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Another problem with the “melting pot” metaphor was that it created a stereotype, a generalized picture of a race, gender, or nationality that supposedly represents the essential character of the group. We may have stereotypes of Latinos, or of athletes, or of “rednecks.” If we look inside ourselves and confront ourselves honestly, we may discover many such stereotypes. They stick in our minds and become habits of thinking. We may use them because they simplify human interactions or because they are endorsed by a group important to us. Unfortunately, stereotypes can be quite damaging. They may entail harsh prejudgments about others, and they may keep us from seeing the real value of a unique person who just happens to be Latino, or an athlete, or from the rural South. They may impede our ability to communicate with others in a genuine way.
The stereotype inherent in the “melting pot” theory seemed harmless on the surface: It offered an image of the ideal American citizen. However, that citizen always had a decidedly white, definitely male face. Asians, Middle Easterners, and African Americans—just to mention some of the “out” groups—did not mix very readily into a common pot. Moreover, often these people, joined by Native Americans and others, did not wish to lose their ethnic identities. Within the melting pot, women simply disappeared. It was hard to champion the economic and political rights of women when the ideal citizen was always a man. Elizabeth Lozano summarizes the shortcomings of the melting pot stereotype, and begins to explore an alternative view of American character:
The “melting pot” is not an adequate metaphor for a country which is comprised of a multiplicity of cultural backgrounds and traditions..
[W]e might better think of the United States in terms of a “cultural [stew]” in which all ingredients conserve their unique flavor, while also transforming and being transformed by the adjacent textures and scents.

One of the disadvantages of used-car leasing is the added expense of maintenance and repairs. Tune-ups, new tires, brakes, belts and hoses, radiator flushes, etc. —these can all add up to $1,000 (or more) for repairs that most cars will need between 30,000 and 60,000 miles. Spread out over the term of a lease, this $1,000 means an extra $42 per month for two years, or $28 per month for three years. And that’s just for “expected” maintenance and repairs Unexpected problems in the engine, transmission, and for computer system could easily cost another $1,000 to $2,000.
That may not be a lot to spend on a car you own if it means that you can drive it for a few more years. But how are you going to feel spending money on a car you don’t own? Especially if you have to give it back right after paying for major repairs?
In case you’re thinking that you can let some of those repairs go, a lease requires you to maintain the vehicle in good condition. If you don’t, you can be charged for “excess wear and tear” and/or “improper maintenance” at the end of the lease. You can’t avoid maintenance and repair costs, so be sure to include those expenses when calculating the total cost of a used-car lease.
And that brings us to another potential pitfall of used- car leasing: paying for extended warranties to cover major repair bills.