I first met Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal about 6 years ago when I joined fellow Indian-Americans to organize a fundraising dinner in Washington DC to support Bobby’s campaign for the Governor of the state of Louisiana. At that time Bobby was 29 years old. At that precocious young age he had already completed one term as the Secretary of the Department of Health Services in the State of Louisiana.
I found Bobby to be a most intelligent, articulate, ebullient and dedicated young man. His oozing vitality and dynamism stunned me. I thought to myself, how could an Indian-American, so young and the child of an average Indian-American immigrant family, with neither wealth nor political connections, aspire to be the governor of a state in US at such a young age?
The answer to my pique came soon as Bobby went around the room shaking hands and talking in a most confident manner. In the election in the fall of 2003 for Governor of Louisiana, Bobby who was the nominee of the Republican party lost very narrowly due to awful negative campaign of his Democratic party opponent. But that election made Bobby a household name in Louisiana that is one of the most conservative and racially divided states in US. Such is his ability to network with people of all colors and all opinions.
In 2004 Bobby ran for the Congress and triumphed easily. Two years ago in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina Bobby ran again for Governor of Louisiana and won with 70% plurality. In the short span of a year and half Bobby Jindal has become a rising star at the national level in the Republican Party. Six months ago Republican Presidential candidate Senator John McCain shortlisted Bobby among three people for the VP slot.
Today It makes me very proud to see a 37 year old fellow Indian-American, literally one of us, become such a shining star in the higher circles in US. Granted, the Republican Party is not very popular in US these days due to the recent harmful influence of the right wing of the party that forced a narrow and one-sided agenda on the nation. For the welfare of US the Republican Party must correct its course and get back on track as the party of Abraham Lincoln that abolished slavery in US and fought a civil war to end the oppression of African-Americans in US.
The leader to bring back the Republican Party to its original moorings of fairness, free enterprise and efficient government is Gov Bobby Jindal. America became a great nation not by pursuing the regressive socialist policies favored in Europe and Asia, but by following the unique free enterprise policies that encourage initiative in every individual and rewards them. We all who come from South Asia know very well what following socialist policies means for a nation.
People who put neocon colors like that of Rush Limbaugh on Bobby Jindal do great injustice to him. We should look at Bobby Jindal with an open mind, and give him credit as a most enterprising hope to revive America and bring fairness in the public arena, after the terrible current economic slump. Neither Republican neither is a bad word nor is Democrat a bad word. It is time that we Indian-Americans who have adopted US as our homeland rise above such labels, and help enterprising young men like our own Bobby Jindal to help resolve the problems US is facing and restore enterprise, prosperity and progress to the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Photo: Bobby Jindal
People who do not live in US may have difficulty in appreciating the effect of the rise in top US circles of someone like Bobby Jindal. But for Indian-Americans that is very important. Because whenever any Indian-American becomes visible in the top US circles and looks good, that garners respect for us from all other kind of Americans, in our places of work, in other areas etc. To that extent it really does not matter what political group, Democrat or Repubican, he belongs to or what his position on issues are. Those are just details.
In political terms it is critical that Indian-Americans get involved and have access to both parties, and not put all our eggs in one basket. Thus when we see a bright Indian-American climbing the ladder, we simply have to support him/her ( unless that person has terrible positions on social issues). If we follw this strategy our community can become as effective in US as the Jewish-American community is today.
We will then be in a really good position to help India in many meaningful ways.
“Because whenever any Indian-American becomes visible in the top US circles and looks good, that garners respect for us from all other kind of Americans, in our places of work, in other areas etc. To that extent it really does not matter what political group, Democrat or Repubican, he belongs to or what his position on issues are. Those are just details.”
Absolutely agree with you.
” Thus when we see a bright Indian-American climbing the ladder, we simply have to support him/her ( unless that person has terrible positions on social issues). If we follw this strategy our community can become as effective in US as the Jewish-American community is today.”
I think we should support good candidates irrespective of their ethnicity. And fortunately many do so. Many Indians campaigned for Obama. It is not true that we will have extra leverage if the candidate is of indian ethnicity.
“In political terms it is critical that Indian-Americans get involved and have access to both parties, and not put all our eggs in one basket.
We will then be in a really good position to help India in many meaningful ways.”
These and couple of other comments made by Kaleem are on the spot.
Initially – I was planning to share my thoughts on “Why I wouldn’t vote for Bobby Jindal & as of now he certainly will not” – however on reflection, as Kaleem mentioned those are details. The halo effect on Indian Americans is sure thing – in a healthy way for rest of the Indians (in US & in India) as well. Its good to have Indians prominently featured in both parties – we seem to have made mark on every other field in US – political realm is the last one standing.
“Jai Ho”
In a straw poll of members of the Republican party whose results were announced last Friday, Gov Bobby Jindal came in second place only a couple of percentage points behind Gov Mitt Romney who took the first place. This ought to be a source of pride for all Indian-Americans.
In today’s “Sixty Minutes” on CBS, there was a good segment on Jindal. He has become a favorite of the conservative wing of the Republican Party. Not my cup of tea!
Let me give you an example from the way Afican-Americans support their people who get a lift in either party in US.
Only a small number of African-Americans support the Republican party and many of them allege that Republican party is against them. But when Colin Powell and Candi Rice became Secretaries of State in Republican President Bush’s tenure, almost all Blacks expressed great pride in them. Not even ardent Republican opponents like Jesse Jackson said one word against these two personalities.
The Hispanic and Jewish people in US do the same; all of them regardless of their party affiliation, support people from their ethnic background in achieving important positions. Perhaps Indian-Americans are the only community where some people oppose those of their fellow countrymen whose party-affiliation or positions they do not like. We have to learn somthing in this respect from others.
@Kaleem Kawaja
“We will then be in a really good position to help India…”.
This is very true. Our over-population is a silent time bomb ticking and in another 10 years it will explode and lead to severe chaos and civil wars. Whatever we deabate and convince ourselves today will look meaningless very soon, if we don’t act. Creating world leaders of Indian origin will definitely help us to get the message across the nations.
Kaleem Kawaja says, “Perhaps Indian-Americans are the only community
where some people oppose those of their fellow countrymen whose
party-affiliation or positions they do not like.”
We should support those whose policies and philosophy are closest to our own. Identity politics is commonly seen in India, and is nothing to be proud of.
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Kaleem,
Let me say one thing first. My exposure to American Politics is for a far lesser period than that of yours. I am sure you speak from the knowledge and
experience you have gathered over years. I am only stating the logical possibilities as I see and applying what I believe for Indian politics.
What if whites supported whites going by same examples and logic. Let us not take their broad thinking for granted.Let us not follow others without full analysis. I have my Indian example to go by. I don’t like when people vote on caste/religion/language/ethnic lines. I understand that will help them represent themselves better. But , there will be time(when they perceive that things are not working for them to their satisfaction) when the whites will wonder why not they too? For long muslims voted enblock to some party and now we are afraid hindus may do that(and hope they will remain divided on caste lines, which too is not helpful to anybody). if majority decides that way, minorities will be totally powerless. I think it is better to be cautious before we follow others.
may be Indians can actually teach something to others, to belive in broader pricniples and not narrow identities.Added to that, Indian identity unlike jewish or african american or hispanic is a nation based identity. Which can cast aspersions on their loyality to America especially in disterssful situations.
But why should Indian-Americans support a politician just because s/he is Indian-American? What are your assumptions regarding identity politics which you haven’t examined, and are proposing support based on Indian-American-ness as a default? Would you vote for someone just because he’s a Muslim even if his views on policies were opposite to yours?
I’m happy for him that he’s going places, but if my views on issues are diametrically opposite to his views, I’d be shooting myself in the foot by voting for him simply based on “Indian-American” identity. This kind of identity politics is dirty and divisive. Sure, if there were two similar candidates to choose from, then I have no problem deciding between them based on “Indian-American” identity, and nor would I go out of my way to put obstacles in an Indian-American politician’s path if I didn’t support his views. But to form that identity as a major factor in voting for someone when I don’t agree with his views is not for me and seems illogical.
Kaleem, taking pride in his achievements is not connected with voting for him or supporting him – those two are independent. But yes, I agree with you about the pride part.
Idealism meets Reality
Several people have given their nice ideological viewpoints saying Indian-Americans should vote for the person whose ideology/policies they like most rather than a meritorious rising star Indian-American who actually has a chance to get elected to a top political position in US.
1. I gave real examples of Blacks, Hispanics and Jews whom I have observed for 30 years, overlooking their party affiliations in large numbers to vote for a fellow Black, Hispanic, Jewish candidate respectively. Look at the 2008 Democratic Primary, in every state primary almost 97% of Blacks voted for Obama in preference to Hillary Clinton, even though Hillary was a more qualified candidate; Bill Clinton/Hillary had done so much to help Blacks all their lives; there was hardly any difference between the policies of the two candidates. Hispanic voters and Jewish voters do exactly that when they come across their candidates; in fact they have political organizations that openly advocate that in campaigns.
2. This happens to minorities in most countries because they have only few of their members in positions of power and they have a strong desire to have more of their members in power. It makers them feel secure and gives them a sense of ownership in the saociety. So this is human nature. In US White people do not behave in this manner because their people occupy an overwhelming positions of power in society. They feel very secure. Thus they start to differentiate on policy details etc. Also inspite of minorities doing block voting for their candidates the Whites do not react, because they know that the number of minority votes are quite small.
3. After a minority acquires plenty of positions of power it starts to change a little bit. For instance now that Jewish people occupy so many positions of power in US, they are beginning to discern on the basis of policy.
4. I have talked to many Blacks who are so much against the Republican party as to why they did not oppose either Colin Powell or Condi Rice accepting Secretary of State position under a Republican President; they said: Are you kidding? We are so few in positions of power and one of us is getting an opportunity and you want us to oppose that because of party policies? The more Blacks are in positions of power the more respect the Black community will get in US.
5. Go to universities and hospitals and corporations in US. You will find that most senior positions are occupied by Jewish people. Because not only they are qualified they help each other gain those positions in a competition with equally qualified non-Jewish candidates. Hispanics and Blacks behave the same way. It is my own experience that in a competition for better jobs Indian-Americans have a better chance of fair treatment from Whites than from Blacks and Hispanics.
6. Some people may decry this identity feeling, but let us face the facts of life; it happens every day in egalitarian US. So all I can say is that in US or Canada or UK today Indians are very far from positions of power, which they need in sufficient numbers in order that their community have better status/respect in society.
There is no way I am supporting anyone because they belong to my ethnicity.
They have to align with the values I support and prove themselves efficient.
Bobby Jindals values are regressive. They will take the world back to the middle ages. As it is education is in the dumps in the US. Add to it “intelligent design” and other hocus pocus and that is the end. We need science to move ahead. Have you hearad of the bizarre exorcism he performed on some poor woman?
Add to it, he is a fanatic. I can assure you that he will pursue Bush like policies in the world.
Are you sure Kaleem Kawaja
@Ram
“…What if whites supported whites going by same examples and logic…”
@Amit
“….But why should Indian-Americans support a politician just because s/he is Indian-American? ….”
Can we practice this non-identity politics in Indian context as well ?. In Indian elections, why do we all, unconsciously support or aspire for a leadership based upon “Religion, caste, region and race” ?.
Outside India, our views are well balanced but inside India we do just the opposite. An European businessman, after several visits and business meetings in India finally gave up. When i asked him why, he said: ” I don’t know what do they mean by Yes or No ?”.
We are the biggest hypocrites.
Althugh I have seldom supported Republicans, I could support a liberal or a moderate Republican of Indian origin. Jindal is a very conservative Bushite. I opposed the inclusion of Sonal Shah in Obama’s Transition Team, and sent several e-mails to the chairman of the transition team John Podesta against her inclusion because of her close association with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a militant Hindu organization with involvement in the Gujerat massacre of 2002. I would have been proud to support her if she had not been so deeply involved with the VHP.
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“Several people have given their nice ideological viewpoints saying Indian-Americans should vote for the person whose ideology/policies they like most
rather than a meritorious rising star Indian-American who actually has a chance to get elected to a top political position in US.”
Let us not forget Gandhi, who gave major lift to Indian Image was an Idealist, with a kanck for making them practicable.
Ok. let me forget ideals, let me think practically.One extreme, vote any Indian. second extreme, vote to anybody you like irrespective of identity. Lobbying for one’s interests is acceptable practice in democratic politics everywhere. The desparation to vote to any Indian, until he is hitler needs to be justified, say the community is sure that his policies would help their community, then may be. I don’t think so called Ideologists are proposing , just why worry about Indian identity. As Amit said, will give prefernce but will not base the decision primarily on it. The assumption that we will have extra leverage with an Indian needs some supporting evidence. At a local level as Mayor , I can understand, say in places where Indians are in good numbers and need certain community needs addressed. But in presidential elections, It is different. President has to cater to everyone. Obama projected himself as american unlike earlier candidates like Jesse Jackson, etc , that is what got him elected.He will have to behave as american and serve all. Unlike, African Americans , Indians are in Good position already to produce a good number of leaders. I am sure , over time we will have a chance. Why hurry to claim insecurity and vote desparately for any Indian.Let us start encouraging more Indians to actively participate in community activities in general and in local politics.
Bobby Jindal indeed didn’t come out well in his GOP speech. In general, democrats are usually far better educated and are better at debates. Ofcourse, no use comparing to Obama, debating is the main strength of Obama. But atleast as good as say Ms.Clinton or say Kerry? The ideas and content are important no doubt, But for that we just need a good bureaucrat. A leader, needs to know to convey Ideas and Convince other. Those are key points. And the grandness of Jindal’s proposed ideas/content is debatable.Even thinking from practical point of view, Is it practical to put all our eggs in this basket? say we lose? Say there is a non-Indian good democrat candidate, much more likely to win,should we support mr.jindal and have no leverage with the next president? I think practical thinking too leads to the conclusion that we diverse our investements. (Yes, both republicans and Democrats, it is so already. Same way both Indians and Non-Indians.)If the Indian candidate is almost as good as the other candidate, the matter is different. Then may be the extra criteria of ethnicity can be brought in to play.
I am with Kaleem on this one – exactly for the reasons he has very lucidly explained. I am no fan of Jindal and find myself at odds with him on very important policy issues.
All the points made by fellow commenters – Amit, Ghulam, Ram..etc are valid & true.
However – much more larger things are at play here. President Jindal whose policies we oppose ( approved by the majority of the electorate – if he becomes President) – will have greater impact on Indian diaspora in US to participate in much larger proportion in public offices. Breaking a barrier once – comes a truck load of healthy side effects.
After all – Republicans & Democrats – in reality have only so much leeway to change the functioning of the American Democracy. Most of it is rhetoric – anyways.
Folks,
Fanaticism is the bane of humanity and nations. Look at Pakistan.
Saudi Arabia is held together by enormous weath and nothing else. Take that away and the country will implode.
Lasting civilizations have always been open to contrary views and allowed free thinking
I am fine with Bobby Jindal having personal views. But he should not impose them on others. His is the fanaticism of the crusaders, of bush.
Have faith but do not impose on others. That is the beginning of the end.
Dear Editor
Pls ignore my previous post and use this one instead. Thanks.
@Nishka
“Fanaticism is the bane of humanity and nations….. Have faith but do not impose on others…”
One should notice fanatic patriotism, very often laced with a strong dose of religion in which the nation is depicted as the reincarnation of a God/Goddess. It becomes difficult for someone following another faith to distinguish between his homeland and God/Goddess.
Our subcontinent is in a turmoil. To coverup it’s failures in Afghanistan and Iraq, US has decided to unleash chaos and civil war in the subcontinent. All are in confusion and blaming each other.
The subcontinent is very badly looking for a leadership. Only way for us to survive is, India should champion and lead the subcontinent instead of thinking India alone. One can’t be too happy that the neighbour’s house is on fire. If we don’t help him to douse, it will spread to our house.
Look around the world. Where ever subcontinent manpower has gone for work and better life, those countries have prospered. Unfortunately, in our own region we are killing each other.
Let us forget Hindu / Muslim business and unite as one. Otherwise, in another 10 years, honest citizens like you and me will become refugees in our own land. Peace and God bless.
R. Alamsha, of course we can practice this non-identity politics in India too – though keep in mind that different identities are at play in the US vs. India. What’s stopping us from choosing clean, honest and hard-working politicians instead of sycophantic, corrupt and divisive politicians?
As I’d mentioned earlier, I do agree with Kaleem that Indians in the US can do better when it comes to taking pride in the achievements of fellow-Indians/American-Indians, even if we don’t fully agree with their policies.