The Macaca Speaks

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The Washington Post carries an op-ed this morning by none other than the Macaca himself. Shekar Ramanuja (S.R.) Sidarth speaks:

So What’cha What’cha What’cha Want?

…on Aug. 11, my experience took a strange — and now famous — turn. On that day in Breaks Interstate Park, located on the Kentucky border, Allen acknowledged my presence for the first time in one of his stump speeches. I was singled out at a GOP picnic, identified as “macaca or whatever his name is” — despite the fact that Allen knew my name, as we had been traveling the same route for five days — and then “welcome[d] to America and the real world of Virginia.”

Allen’s actions that day stood out because they were not representative of how I was treated while traveling around the state. Everywhere I went, though I was identifiably working on behalf of Allen’s opponent, people treated me with dignity, respect and kindness. I cannot recall one event where food was served and I was not invited to join in the meal. In southwest Virginia, hospitality toward me was at a high point. [Link]

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p>Heaping praise upon the state and people of Virginia? Hmmm. Sounds like something that a politician would do. Maybe he will run in 20 years. Also, at long last Sidarth reveals the one crucial piece of information that we’ve been waiting months to hear:

After Allen’s remarks, my heritage suddenly became a matter of widespread interest. I am proud to be a second-generation Indian American and a practicing Hindu. My parents were born and raised in India and immigrated here more than 25 years ago; I have known no home other than Northern Virginia. The hairstyle inflicted upon me by two friends late one night also became newsworthy; for the record, it was intended to be a mullet and has since grown out to nearly the appropriate length. [Link]

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p>And finally, Sidarth notes something about the “Real Virginia:”

The politics of division just don’t work anymore. Nothing made me happier on election night than finding out the results from Dickenson County, where Allen and I had our encounter. Webb won there, in what I can only hope was a vote to deal the race card out of American politics once and for all. [Link]

80 thoughts on “The Macaca Speaks”

  3. I am proud to be a second-generation Indian American and a practicing Hindu. My parents were born and raised in India and immigrated here more than 25 years ago;

    good man. and i’m glad he’s coming out and saying the obvious.

    there’s been too much emphasis on the ‘macaca’ bit – were it an expletive in the vein of ‘nigger’. which probably explains why it is bandied around with such candor. the macaca bit – the bite doesnt come close to (i presume) the rage of a black man accumulated over generations – …, and i have received racial slurs of all kind and straight armed mock salutes in and around northam – but …

    what really stings is the idle allusion that somehow i do not belong here, or my knowledge and experiences are secondary to those who ‘look’ like they know more. incidentally Abeer posted a rather pungent travelog for his paris trip a little while back and the same point was echoed there. do look it up.

    so i am glad to read sidarth’s narrative. and good lord man… a mullet!! what were you thinkging.

    ok. enough. me go run.

  4. I too am very happy that Webb won: but for different reasons altogether. He’s a fiscal conservative, pro-gun, pro-Iraq war, decent novelist, Kerry critic, Reagan Democrat, bi-lingual(in Vietnamese)… the list goes on. (I don’t think he’s a misogynist – a good novelist should be free to use his/her imagination.)

    I can only hope was a vote to deal the race card out of American politics once and for all.

    Nonsense. The race card in being played mostly by racial minorities in America – not by whites. I don’t want Indian-Americans to be hyper-sensitive to racial issues (like most blacks) – which is why I do not give too much importance to Allen’s use of “macaca”. I’d take the likes of Allen anyday who actually say what they think (and make complete idiots out of themselves) rather than people who hold such racism within their mind but outwardly celebrate Kwanzaa, make dosas, attend Iftar dinners etc.

    M. Nam

  5. continuing with the beastie boyzzzz ref

    Nonsense. The race card in being played mostly by racial minorities in America – not by whites.

    Sabotage!

  6. Heaping praise upon the state and people of Virginia? Hmmm. Sounds like something that a politician would do. Maybe he will run in 20 years.

    Common now! But really?

  7. Also from the article: By 2050, according to most projections, the United States will be a minority-majority nation.

    Si! Macaca for president’40!

    I’m glad mullet/macaca was treated well in Virginia by the natives, but I still loathe the state that boasts the most vanity license plates I’ve ever seen.

  8. I too am very happy that Webb won: but for different reasons altogether. He’s a fiscal conservative, pro-gun, pro-Iraq war,

    FYI: Webb was against the war.

    What is your take on the wisdom of our strategy in Iraq and the competence of its execution? I was an early voice saying we shouldn’t go in, that it was not connected to the war against international terrorism, that it was not among the highest national security concerns that we should be considering.

  9. eh…for those of us who didn’t get it, can someone point out the allusion to Beastie Boys?

  13. I too am very happy that Webb won: but for different reasons altogether. He’s a fiscal conservative,…, Reagan Democrat

    And yet here he is talking to Lou Dobbs about fairness,corporate profits at record high and wages at record low in terms of national income, low share of corporate tax etc.. Here are the charts he was referring to.

    I hope you are still happy that he won.

  14. Heaping praise upon the state and people of Virginia? Hmmm. Sounds like something that a politician would do.
    I’m glad mullet/macaca was treated well in Virginia by the natives, but I still loathe the state that boasts the most vanity license plates I’ve ever seen.

    What’s with all the anti-Virginia sentiment? Virginians are, for the most part, nice people. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful state (especially right now, in the fall). I hate the way people just assume everyone in the south is racist and backward. Hicks can be perfectly pleasant and open minded people who are okay with interracial marriage,having an Indian doctor, and people with accents. I used to think Abraham Verghese was full of shit when he painted a rosy picture of life on the Tennesee-Virginia border but now I know better.

  15. I’m glad mullet/macaca was treated well in Virginia by the natives, but I still loathe the state that boasts the most vanity license plates I’ve ever seen.

    Vanity plates are only ten dollars extra (last I checked), that’s why so many folks get them. I was thinking of getting one myself. It’ll say my boxing name- Terrorist.

    Why do you loathe Virginia? Did you live here at some point or get caught in the infamous Richmond/95 speedtrap? Just wondering…

  16. Nonsense. The race card in being played mostly by racial minorities in America

    Cuts both ways really– itÂ’s successful because lots of people will interpret racism/bias against the right/(wrong) group as the candidate being FOR their interest. Law and order, hard work and all that is good in America comes down to black and white.

  17. Vanity plates are only ten dollars extra (last I checked), that’s why so many folks get them. I was thinking of getting one myself. It’ll say my boxing name- Terrorist.

    Uh…if you’re in VA, then you should come to the DC Meetup tomorrow— brunch at Heritage. I’d LOVE to meet you and other mutinous Virginians.

  18. I too am very happy that Webb won: but for different reasons altogether. He’s a fiscal conservative, pro-gun, pro-Iraq war, FYI: Webb was against the war.

    where’d u get ur infomation from huhhh?

    had to do it:-)

  19. I would lurv to come tomorrow. But my team is fighting in Silver Gloves (Richmond) next month and we have training camp that I can’t miss or I shall be ridiculed and then defenestrated at next practice…Next time, definitely…

  21. Nice succint piece by S.R. Excpt for this: But the fact that Allen believed I was an immigrant, when in fact I am a native Virginian, underlines the problems our society still faces.

    So, if he wasn’t a native Virginian would Allen’s comment any less incendiary? Putting it the way S.R has, above, slightly softens it. How it felt from the perspective as a brown person is more important than his being a native Virginian. Sometimes you gottta say it like it really is.

  22. Yep. Just registered with my current team two months ago. ( USA Olympic boxing, not pro. Did you see the fights in Alexandria last weekend? I’ll be winning the ILA invitational title in Summer ’07 😉 If I can get my weight down a bit, I’ll try for GG as well.

  23. coach diesal are you a boxer?

    segue.

    wonder if folks know of the other well-known natives of kazakhstan … the name of klitschko.

  25. Why do you loathe Virginia? Did you live here at some point or get caught in the infamous Richmond/95 speedtrap? Just wondering…

    Because I’m from Maryland. Its just in-born to have a natural hatred (that may be to strong a word, but its mainly their driving skills). We’re natural opposites, like cats and dogs, or sour cream and chutney.

    What’s with all the anti-Virginia sentiment? Virginians are, for the most part, nice people. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful state (especially right now, in the fall).

    I’m not anti-VA the state, I actually have been camping in the Blue Ridge mountains since I was a kid, and its totally beautiful. I also have a lot of Virginian friends that are poor drivers, but I don’t hold it against them. Another VA pro: I hear Sonic burger is coming to Richmond!

  26. Yep. Just registered with my current team two months ago. ( USA Olympic boxing, not pro. Did you see the fights in Alexandria last weekend? I’ll be winning the ILA invitational title in Summer ’07 😉 If I can get my weight down a bit, I’ll try for GG as well.

    I was a boxer at UMich. Someday we will have a sepia boxing league. 🙂

  27. segue. wonder if folks know of the other well-known natives of kazakhstan … the name of klitschko

    Oh man, don’t get me started on Klitschko! USA is just not producing heavyweight pros anymore- so boxers from former Soviet states are tying it up. Rightfully so…

    Incidentally, our Jay ‘Irish’ Dinguss fought a Kazahk fighter last Saturday in Alexandria. That fight is being contested because ‘Irish’ is novice division and the other fighter is open division fighting as novice. That is some promoter bullshit.

  28. Because I’m from Maryland. Its just in-born to have a natural hatred (that may be to strong a word, but its mainly their driving skills). We’re natural opposites, like cats and dogs, or sour cream and chutney.

    This is very true; it’s also true that DC hates both of you. 😉

    Personally, I’m forced to be neutral; my family lives in MD, I spent the last two years living in Arlington and now I’m back in DC, which is basically where I’ve lived since ’99.

    Wait a pavaka-picking second….suddenly EVERYONE is from MD and VA…y’all best be at Heritage India on the morrow, unless you’re doing something bad-assed, like BOXING. 😀

  29. Ahbi:

    You should so do that! Boxing is going to make a comeback! Some of my girls at Headsup High are training…

    How long has it been since you trained?

  30. Abhi, love the Beastie bit in the caption. I had to sing-song it to myself as I read it. Also, were you really a boxer at Michigan? Interesting. Email me–have to ask you some questions about that.

  31. How long has it been since you trained?

    Dude, 8 years :(. But I’m in good shape and I’ve vowed that starting in January (when I’m out of grad school hell) I am going to train harder than Rocky did in Siberia (and I own Survivor’s greatest hits!).

    Sorry for threadjacking my own post everyone.

  32. This is very true; it’s also true that DC hates both of you. 😉

    Don’t I have the Georgetown parking tickets to prove it! (and fyi, I was always from MD!)

  33. Awright Abhi, I saw the site for your old club and you have had some damn fine training from certified coaches! Will you get back with them? Why do the men and women have separate clubs? Was it that way when you were there?

  35. I cannot recall one event where food was served and I was not invited to join in the meal.

    So Virginians have something in common with desis.

  38. there’s a robert e lee park just north of bmore.

    Gotta say, I’m a little bit of a ‘south of B-more’ snob. That part of MD just feels like a different state altogether.

  39. Mountain-out-of-a-mole-hill, much? Allen is human after all. Just acknowledge that he’s an asshole and move on. Meh, I guess it’s hard to pass up so much publicity, even when you didn’t want it in the first place.

  40. Love it! Go Macaca! (I personally love the term now since it’s a sign of victory… time to appropriate it for the mutiny, I say…)

  41. I personally love the term now since it’s a sign of victory… time to appropriate it for the mutiny, I say…

    So we thought from the begining 🙂

    I say that South Asian Americans should begin calling each other “Macaca.” Like, “What up Macaca?” Let’s take this word and make it our own, thereby taking power away from the current establishment. Then we can beat the crap of any non-South Asians that use it, especially if they look like they either work for the MAN or might actually be the MAN. [link]

  42. Meenbeen, what’s with all the walls and divisions? Virginia this, south of B-more that, north of B-more something else altogether…I hope you’re being tongue-in-cheek! Otherwise a trip to NY/NJ will make your head explode.

  44. Because I’m from Maryland. Its just in-born to have a natural hatred (that may be to strong a word, but its mainly their driving skills). We’re natural opposites, like cats and dogs, or sour cream and chutney.

    Wait until we have our first Mutiny Potluck, when I introduce you to my amazing murgh makhani…sour cream and chutney, natch.

    So does anyone feel like celebrating the blueing of VA tonight? It’s a bit late, but email me if you want to meet up somewhere. I am in more-or-less constant contact via my umbilic…er, cell phone.

  47. I love this phrase! And I like pavaka.

    Thank you. I love that phrase b/c i loved watching the pavaka mature on the vines in our backyard when I was younger. 🙂 And I LOVE eating pavaka (that’s karela for you northies). Totally miss it, too…whether pickled, in thiel, in pachadi or merukuparatti…sigh.

  48. And I LOVE eating pavaka (that’s karela for you northies).

    Word I’ve never met any one that loves eating Karla (that’s Marathi) because I absolutely love it. My grandma used to stuff it with homemade Maharashtrian masala and pan fry it. Yummmm. I miss it too. 🙁

  49. And I LOVE eating pavaka (that’s karela for you northies).

    hmmm…pavaka is a son of Agni in hindu myth… does pavaka mean anything else in malayalam/tamil?

  50. Seeker seeks pavaka, voh bhi neem-chadha! Me loves karela – the kadva the better. I think I could take anyone in a kadva karela eating contest. My last high is 13 full-bodied karelas stuffed with their own super-kadva green-top. One after another. without break. And can do it EX TEMPORE!!

    So, where were we with the original, the first mulleted macaca who perhaps tipped the scale possibly the first time in US history on a brownz issue? 🙂