Mutineers, we have our first brown Governor. 🙂 Join me, as I bold my favorite parts of the NYT article which declares this history-making outcome.
Bobby Jindal, a conservative Republican congressman from the New Orleans suburbs and the son of immigrants from India, was elected Louisiana’s governor Saturday, inheriting a state that was suffering well before Hurricane Katrina left lingering scars two years ago.
Mr. Jindal, 36, defeated three main challengers in an open primary, becoming this state’s first nonwhite governor since a Reconstruction-era figure briefly held the office 130 years ago.
With more than 90 percent of the vote counted, Mr. Jindal received 53 percent, above the 50 percent-plus-one threshold needed to avoid a runoff in November. He will be the nation’s first Indian-American governor when he takes office in January.
Have I popped champagne? Yes, I have. No, I don’t believe in teaching Intelligent Design, I certainly am not an advocate of getting rid of a woman’s right to choose and I still support hate crime legislation.
I can guzzle bubbly despite all that, because there’s something else stirring within me– recognition that someone who looks like me did something so significant, combined with an uncomplicated thrill over the fact that Bobby made history.
There are so many valid reactions to Jindal; I know about them because thanks to Amardeep’s post, we have hosted a lively discussion regarding his background, his policy positions and the greater implications of his politicking, for “the community”. Amardeep’s thoughts resonated with many of us who are conflicted about Louisiana’s new Governor. The good news is, there are no wrong reactions.
Each of us is allowed to feel how we do, so while some of you gnash your teeth, I’m happy for him and by extension, us. Better than that, the next time some little kid decides that they want to be in government when they grow up, their immigrant parents now have a visual, a template, a precedent to latch on to, much the same way my English minor was suddenly acceptable once Jhumpa won.
There is much to do, much which is owed to the great state of Louisiana and her people; this is just the beginning of that story and I idealistically hope that it has a happy ending. What Jindal can do (and really, whether he can do it) remains to be seen. But I don’t think it’s disrespectful or inappropriate to raise a glass to him tonight and wish him a sincere congratulations.
Doing so doesn’t mean we buy in to his positions lock stock, neither does it mean he’s like, the greatest thing EVAR. It just means that we are happy for someone who accomplished something extraordinary. Congratulating Bobby is something I humbly think we should do, because ideally we should each choose generosity of spirit over bitterness and rancor. Choosing the former and congratulating a winner doesn’t lessen us or diminish our passionate convictions, it just demonstrates our tolerance, equanimity and good faith that we will allow a person’s actions to speak before we do, negatively and presumptously.
Well, actually…. with someone thoughtful and whom I respect, such as yourself, I definitely would expect to be able to have a conversation about assertions like that one. In fact, I’ve had many a conversation like that in many a restaurant, involving both my questioning others’ assertions and others challenging me to defend my own. It’s not even remotely a question of placing you on trial — I didn’t disparage or question your right to have whatever emotional reaction you’d like, and certainly wasn’t making any sort of judgment about what that reaction says about you. Both of those things would be a lot closer to “putting you on trial,” and would be entirely uncalled for; if you understood me to be trying to do any of that, then my apologies for any miscommunication on my part.
But in addition to your emotional reaction — which I don’t quite share, but also don’t question — you made a specific factual assertion about the political and social implications of Bobby’s victory (not about yourself), and about which I am skeptical (but by no means attacking you personally). In a space that invites comments and dialogue, why shouldn’t it be appropriate to engage in dialogue about that — which is not about you at all, but rather is very much about the “event [you] were discussing”?
Pankaj,
Yes, but–really, no. The reason Jindal’s election is so huge is, we don’t have to think that way anymore.
Obviously Americans are not secular… one has to leave Hinduism an embrace Christianity to become Governor. That is the net message.
Au contraire, in India, people do not look at religion while selecting CM. That is the true test of secularism. We have several Christian/Muslim/Sikh Chief ministers, Presidents etc
Anna and Razib, I think you guys stated the significance of this event best.
I didn’t spring for either the Veuve Cliquot or the Moet (although the MO is delicious) but I did down an extra bed-time protein shake in honor of Messr. Jindal. I think we should focus, just like good libertarian-leaning economists, on the ABSOLUTE value of his victory and not the relative. As razib said, a generation ago he would have been dismissed as ‘sand-nigger’ and not even considered worth the money or effort by the RNC (which, for most state-level candidates not making Ron Paul noise {and raising funds outside the RNC network}, remains an organization from which you at least need tacit approval).
I’m trying to be positive. I think GujuDude raised an excellent point about how intolerant we’ve become of our opponents.
We are intolerant of their policies.
one generation ago bobby jindal would have been considered a n**ger by many of the people who voted for him. the fact that an asian american son of immigrants was elected to a position of executive power in the deep south in a state where his co-racialists are trivial in numbers says something about america.
Nig** please. Jindal co-opted the racist segment of the La voters by running as a hard right wanting no meddling from outsiders Republican. Thats not a color blind victory. Hey, Hirsi Ali is a darling of the xenophobic parties in Europe. Does the fact that the xenophobic quasi fascist parties in Europe love Hirsi evidence of the fact that they are embracing a Somali and dont care about race?
ANNA, I don’t think it has anything to do with “Is Jindal undeserving of Congratulations just because he doesn’t fit in to some neat little box of what a desi politician needs to be before everyone’s fucking happy?” If Jindal was from any other racial/ethnic background I would also find his policies appalling because, for me at least, they are so far from the principles and programs I value as a voter. I’m with Speedy on this one.
Aside: I stand by my earlier statements, there are PLENTY of desi right-wingers (and hard right-wingers), they just don’t post as frequently here 🙂
I have no idea how this is “bad for the community” other than he could a) be as terrible as Blanco, or b) give the false indication that all desis are uber-right wing. The only way to deal with the latter, in my opinion, is to run a lefty desi (and win) for Governor 🙂
I don’t know how I feel, to be honest about this “historic moment.” Not to diminish it — it’s significant. Maybe this is a generational difference.
This statement bothers me on a number of levels. First, I am tired (TIRED!) of the assumption that one’s “Indianness” or “desi-ness” is intrinsically connected to the des. Or that we should even have to be “hyper Indian” or whatever. Why is he an ABCD? Because he got bullied and changed his name? Because he converted? Boo, fricking, hoo. Since when does being South Asian AMERICAN require a special “Indian” pass? This is like the question that people ask all the time “Are you more desi, or more American?” What kind of ridiculous question is that? Perhaps Bobby Jindal is emblematic of the diversity within the “ABD” identity. It’s not defined by how many trips you took to India or how many Bollywood songs you know. What are we, in a SASA, again? I like to think that what makes people (all people) great is whether they are kind, thoughtful, open-minded, etc. Note that “politically similar to me” or “can dance bhangra” are not on my list.
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Let’s not go back there–even though a SASA showcase was the only time i could perform Bharatanatyam and not put on any stage makeup.
has anybody made the argument that Jindal’s win magically translates into the “End of Racism” for those who previously (and privately) embraced it? Obviously not. And Jindal’s scholarship, as it were, is nowhere near as reductive and unproductive as Hirsi Ali’s on Islam. Anyhow, let’s remember he’s a politician and not an international atheist/anti-immigrant/women’s rights celebrity.
and not wanting ‘outsiders’ to meddle is not a sentiment confined to the right (while i acknowledge and realize it’s race-baiting past as a coded term). People who live in the South can attest to the incredibly naive and reductive views about it that you sometimes encounter in people who don’t live there. How many real Ashrams (meaning a place where people of all ages and families choose to live) and forest-academy style, old-school Bharatanatyam camps could you find outside the south? (Answer: none)
I think Anna’s post hit the nail squarely in the head. You might disagree with his ideology/beliefs, but he is the first Indian American Governor ever (and that too in Louisiana) and thats why this is a historical moment in this country.
Plus being a governor is beyond polarizing issues like abortion. Just because he wants to ban abortion does not mean that Louisiana will not end up having better roads, better infrastructure, efficient state government, etc.
Jindal made no history. A conservative politician won an election in a conservative state. Next…
This has ZERO significance, emotional or otherwise, for the Indian-American community.
And Jindal’s scholarship, as it were, is nowhere near as reductive and unproductive as Hirsi Ali’s on Islam. Anyhow, let’s remember he’s a politician and not an international atheist/anti-immigrant/women’s rights celebrity
I am not comparing Jindal to Hirsi Ali. I was using an analogy to illustrate the fact that just because racists/xenophobes embrace someone from a different race/country in an election, that by itself alone is not prima facie evidence of tolerance towards people of other races/foreigners.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_African_American_firsts
Do you think that there was this much discussion against any of these firsts?
I really don’t understand this. First, because, similar to having the influence a President does, a Governor is like the mini-chief of his state. Abortion is an entirely relevant issue, as is Creationism. Not that he can’t do it without the Legislature, but LA is not a bastion of forward thought on these issues. Maybe abortion is not an important issue to you. Maybe social issues (or even fiscal issues, like social welfare programs) are not important to you. Maybe they are “make it or break it” issues for others. Perhaps roads are important to you. Maybe levees are important to others. Louisiana might get better funding for its education system and infrastructure. Maybe they won’t. Maybe they could do something about the ridiculous corruption in state politics. We don’t know. Let’s judge Bobby Jindal but the programs he enacts. Maybe he’ll be fantastic.
I think ANNA’s recommendation/analysis is fine, but [and this is not directed to ANNA] don’t expect folks to “toe the line” just because YOU don’t have a problem with his political rhetoric or policies.
Apparently his desi wife is a convert as well.
Whoa…i never said I dont have a problem with his views. All I said was its a historical first. Thats it.
Sure, but that seems like a conclusion you could make without him winning this election. I’ll reference what I wrote in case you missed it like three comments ago:
has anybody made the argument that Jindal’s win magically translates into the “End of Racism” for those who previously (and privately) embraced it? Obviously not.
perhaps you could explain why you feel that there is a ‘line’ to be toed? I’ve never felt that way, at least not on SM.
Sure, but that seems like a conclusion you could make without him winning this election. I’ll reference what I wrote in case you missed it like three comments ago:
has anybody made the argument that Jindal’s win magically translates into the “End of Racism” for those who previously (and privately) embraced it? Obviously not.
🙂 I was responding to this comment from Razib:
Chutiya,
I understand, but as I expressed earlier:
I think we should focus, just like good libertarian-leaning economists, on the ABSOLUTE value of his victory and not the relative.
Sure, it’s not a moon landing for Desis, but it sure looks like the first step to securing funding for such a long-shot project. When my mother and I came to this country in the early 80s, this limited kind of victory didn’t even seem possible. (and Dinesh D’Souza’s elevation to white house-level policy advisor/wonk just didn’t cut it.)
Ugh, perhaps I’m being inarticulate. First, yabadaba, I apologize if I was overly strident. I know you didn’t say anything about accepting his policies. I just feel like there is a repetition along the lines of “you don’t have to agree with him, but be proud of this historical moment.” As far as I’m concerned, Jindal’s politics are anathema. They are so problematic (to me) that I feel morally divided on whether I even think I could be a “good sport” and say I was pleased, excited, or celebratory about this occasion. He won legitimately and bully for him. I don’t feel proud about this moment. Maybe that makes me petty. Fine, I can live with that.
Now, feeling conflicted about this whole deal is interesting. I mentioned this to my mother, who doesn’t share his politics either, and she had pretty much the same reaction as myself–absolute value: excellent; sign for relative political progress in the country: perhaps not so much, but lets be thankful for ‘small mercies’ (if one can grin and bear it)
Camille,
I’m thinking the level of enthusiasm for his win might be correlated to age/point at which you got to the US? Are you an ABD/DBD, 80s-entrant? 90s-entrant?
This Blog spends so much time recognizing the first indian this and the first indian that. In an earlier post, you’ve got Ennis recognizing Renu Khator as the new president of the University of Houston. But when it comes to Jindal, most of you seem to be “conflicted” as if he’s something less than human. The man was a Rhodes Scholar and the president of the LSU System. His policy positions- which I endorse wholeheartedly – are well thought out and reasoned. So why don’t you all go back to your little east cost enclaves and leave the rest of us the hell alone.
VC – you’re in favor of teaching intelligent design? That’s not even a byproduct of his religion, he’s a Catholic and Catholic’s don’t support ID.
Hey, if evolution is an east coast enclave position, I’m more than welcome to claim it. If red states want to embrace Copernican positions …
murali, this is why I had mentioned that perhaps it’s a “generational” difference. I’m an ABD whose parents were 1960s-70s entrants.
yeah Richmond and Buckingham Virginia are real ‘east coast’ enclaves where all the ‘elites’ get together, Protocols-stylee, to commiserate about conflicted feelings regarding a man who is so obviously smart yet thinks something as spurious anti-science as ID should be taught using tax-payer’s money.
and nobody here feels conflicted over whether he is a human mammal or not–Jindal himself, however, might have a different opinion regarding the nature of and reason for his being alive.
VC, it’s pretty comfortable demonizing Jindal’s detractors, isn’t it? Just as it’s comfortable to assume that because you agree with his policies everyone in the states between the coasts do as well. Please, by all means I will enjoy my “enclave,” and you can enjoy kicking it under your rock.
the acceptance speech
This is from the original post and no personal offense, but it is a ridiculous statement. Of course there is a wrong reaction. The wrong reaction to Bobby Jindal (supportiveness) is one more step in the conservative, right-wing backlash takeover of the U.S. We are fighting a war for the cultural soul of the country, and even giving an inch to reactionaries like Jindal is dangerous. This is an existential battle, and there is no room for grey areas.
I can remember the sense of pride we Canuck desis felt when Ujjal Dosanj became the first Indo-Canadian provincial premier. So I can feel the same for my desi brothas and sistas to the south and for Bobby – despite his medieval stance on some issues!
what like, “hehehe..you’re either with us or you’re against us…hehehe” ??
I think Samuel Huntington is calling Hari–and he’d like to collect a royalty check for your domestic cultural version of his civilizational-conflict thoery.
power moderates and sobers rabid politicians so lets see. cheers
I suppose the question here is which has the larger effect (for better or worse) on the populace, Jindal being elected as a shining example that desis can and should aspire to such goals, or Jindal’s socially conservative opinions and politics. Personally, I think that a brown man or woman would have been elected to such a position sooner or later (there is, after all, a gradual trend towards race-blindness in US politics) and thus this particular issue is not of major importance to me. However, his espoused views, for instance those regarding abortion or intelligent design, when wielded from a governor’s office, are likely to have more real and immediate effects, and this is what concerns me.
So, with all due apologies to Anna, I shall leave my champagne flute unraised.
Venkat, #53
Jindal converted in high school. This would mean that he specifically changed his religion as a teenager in order to further his as-yet nonexistent political career. You can’t really assume that Jindal “left Hinduism and embraced Christianity to become Governor,” unless there was a Hindu candidate and religion was an issue. AFAIK, there’s never been a serious Hindu candidate for governor or senator anywhere in the Union.
Besides, there have been plenty of Jewish governors and senators (admittedly, I don’t think there have been any in the south) so it’s not like religion is a de facto bar to high office. The lack of Hindus or Muslims or Buddhists or (insert religion of choice here)in high is that people who don’t identify themselves as Jewish, Christian, or atheist are less than 2% of the population.
Speedy
There has never been an openly atheist governor or senator in the past 100 years either.
You know what’s ridiculous? You not allowing anyone to disagree with your take on this. I’m going to repeat what you dislike so much: there IS no wrong reaction. If I want to be happy, in a tiny way, for one night, for something amazing, I get to do that. You’re not the Minister of Appropriate Reactions.
Supporting Jindal is wrong to you. What has angered me most is sentiments exactly like yours– that there is ONE way for the desi community to feel about things and if we deviate from that, that is bad. There is no one way. “The community” is big enough to accommodate all of us, whether we are thrilled about every aspect of his ascendancy, choosing to be positive about what we can or, like Camille, not thrilled at all.
I get what Shaad-ji said, but I agree with Brij. Especially in Louisiana. If Jindal chooses to expend his energies on Intelligent Design or banning abortion before trying to put his battered state back together, I’ll be the first to be disappointed. Raising one glass now doesn’t take away my right to do that later.
Jindal’s victory gives kids a mixed message. On one level, it shows that immigrant kids do have a shot at the political office of their dreams. But on another level, it also shows that in Bobby’s case lots of morphing was involved, and what you become in order to get that dream might be unrecognizable/unpalatable to people from your community. But overall, I would definitely toast a mimosa to Bobby. BTW, CANNOT hold it against him for changing his name, it was PIYUSH for gods sake! That would mean a lot of crappy recesses in elementary school, people!
Congratulations, Governor Jindal.
Now return to your constituencies and parishes and prepare for opposition (and the Crimson Tide).
I think I said it more than a week ago (and Camille you disagreed with me then too): in my opinion, this is a matter of (tempered) pride for our community, even if he doesn’t consider himself desi and even if you don’t agree with his policies. An INDIAN is governor of a U.S. state…just think about that. I can’t get my mind around it. Bobby ne chakk ditte phatte!
To me, any person who is against another person’s right to choose abortion is dangerous for the community as a whole. This person would not have gotten my vote if i could have voted. He is too conservative for my taste. Its like wishing Bush for his “victory”. I’m really just not as big as Anna is, to be happy about the election of a hard-core conservative to a socially influential position. Or maybe she’s Republican.
I see a lot of posts here equating Bobby Jindal to a bigot for the sole reason that he is a Republican and ran on a religious platform. To those people, I say that this says a lot more about your intolerant views than Jindal. It also amazes me that people here are critical on choice of name for his son. Give the guy a chance. He has done that no desi has ever done. It paves the way for desis to accomplish more. As a Libertarian, I am diagonally opposite to Jindal on social issues, but I have a smile and already raised my Peach flavored Diet Snapple in his victory.
Vic —
I can’t speak for others, but for me it’s not about him personally being a bigot, which I don’t believe to be the case, but his willingness to indulge and pander to bigotry, both personally and in his campaign. And that has nothing to do with his religious or political views as such, or what he chooses to name his son (or himself). Compare the following:
Martin Luther King, Jr’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail“:
Bobby Jindal’s latter day “Southern Manifesto“:
Now, does this represent every last aspect of his being and character? No, of course not. Is it nevertheless part and parcel of his victory? Absolutely. When our community’s “victories” even in part come on the backs of other people, I think we should stop and reflect upon that. Why wasn’t this Jindal’s “macaca moment” as far as our community was concerned — or if not quite that blatant, at least a moment akin to the comments by Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, or the campaign of Barack Obama?
It’s definitely an achievement to have a South Asian as a US governor, not just for us but for minorities and first/second-generation immigrant/minority groups everywhere. But I must say, Anna’s statement about being happy that “someone who looks like her” is now there left a really bad taste in my mouth. I think one of the excellent things about the US is that we have the opportunity to both be true to our culture and to transcend cultural boundaries. I know that’s idealistic, but the thought of being happy for someone based on his race/color alone makes me really uncomfortable and just doesn’t seem right at all. But different people have different opinions and are entitled to theirs, as she also said.
And like others have said, it really is kind of sad that he essentially had to downplay his immigrant/foreign status in order to get this position–and I don’t like the intelligent design/abortion angle at all, either. Did we really gain something by him becoming governor?
Or can it be argued that this was just the first step and will open the doors for future minority politicians who are willing to embrace their culture while in office to be elected?
i’m very disappointed that this blog has decided to congratuate a bigot and homophobe, and ask that I congratulate him because he’s desi and risen so far? No thanks.. Don’t we have enough of these crazies running this country into the ground? Well, I’ve been reading this blog for two years, and this is my last visit.
While I am happy for him – the reality is that he would not have come close to winning if he were a Hindu, and certainly would not have had a chance if he were a Muslim. This is a victory for skin color. It is certainly not a victory for the rainbow of different cultures and religions that make up the fabric of the new America.
Pied piper
His response was to race baiting opportunist like Al Sharpton was spot on. Louisiana did not need people like Al Sharpton to come in and create a photo opportunity and make this into another Duke Rape case fiasco. The analogy to what Martin Luther said does not apply to charlatans like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. As far as Jena 6 case, people are using an excuse to point out one wrong to do another wrong.
People throw bigot and nazi word around so freely that the word gets cheapened. Real bigotry is alive and well in this country. You don’t have to go far than the discussion forum of the New Orleans newspaper (www.nola.com) where people are commenting on how ugly his looks are and that Lousiana outsourced its governor.
Bobby Jindal is a very smart and hardworking administrator, who in my view is going to turn around America’s most depressed state. At least economically Lousiana is going to benefit tremendously from his governorship. And that’s what matters the most. Moreover now that he is a governor, I doubt Jindal is going to waste time pushing a divisive social agenda.
Barack Obama decided against physically participating in the Jena protest as well. There’s more to the Jena case than some rich White people ganging up on poor Black people. That’s why I recommend you read a very well balanced piece on the Jena issue in The Economist.
83 Speedy
In India, in both state and at the national level, a candidate has never had to hide the fact that he is a non-hindu or downplay this aspect of his identity in order to get elected. The commmunity a candidate belongs to, matter a lot, but it would be wrong to think of indian communities as subsets of religions (For example Nadars)
To the majority of hindus, this is irrelavant. The minority of hindu voters who would not vote for a muslim/chirstian/etc are more than balanced by the number of muslims/christians who are biased towards a candidate from their religion.
In the US, this has not been the case. It does not matter why Jindal changed his religion in the context of the secular/non-secular fabric of the american electorate. What matters is that without the change Jindal would not have been elected as a Governor today.
To characterize any US as secular based on some secular states would be as innaccurate as charecterising it a wildly religious theocracy based on other states. Overall though — JFK’s religion was an issue in the 60’s and Mitt Romney’s religion is a factor today. How is American society truly secular, when even religious differences that are merely slighlty out of sync from mainstream America are considered to be handicaps?
53 Venkat
Before we start singing peans to Indian secularism, do you see a Hindu becoming a CM in J&K, or in Punjab or in various other hindu-minority regions anytime soon? India is definately not blind to religion. Both US and India have their flaws as far as secularism is concerned.
While I understand the significance of the first caca in office, I lament the fact that he is a champion of views diametrically oriented to my own. In any case, it could be worse, like when David Duke found his way into congress. So while I won’t be tipping up a cup of bubbly to commemorate this occasion, I will take note of the fact that there’s a brown governor in the state of LA.
I am not a fan of Jindal the person though. I believe his precocious political ambition led him to convert, even if it was an unconscious factor. And of course I hate the right wing bloggers and talk radio idiots who are celebrating his win. I’ll also be very turned off if he isn’t illegal immigrant friendly or favors bombing Iran.
OTPosterity
A country that cannot defend its borders is no country at all. I hope Jindal is strict on protecting our borders.