Not That Kind of Brown

Posted on by

Way to set yourself apart from the pack, Uncle-ji.

Vijay Kumar.jpg

Just in case it wasn’t clear from the billboard, Vijay Kumar may be brown, but he’s not one of those other kinds of brown people. Don’t get confused, Tennesseans. He’s just like you. But not me.

vijay kumar 2.gif Vijay Kumar is one of eleven Republican Congressional candidates running for office in Nashville, TN (5th District). The primary elections are coming up soon, August 5th. From his site:

Vijay was born in 1954 in Hyderabad, India, to a conservative middle class family…. In 1979, Vijay emigrated to the United States because he felt uplifted by the values and possibilities inherent in the American way of life. In 1983, Vijay married Robin Minix, a native of Bowling Green, Kentucky. In keeping with his conservative family values, Vijay and Robin have been married for twenty-seven years. The Kumar family attends Bellevue Community Church in Nashville, Tennessee.[kumarforcongress]

So he’s an immigrant, he married a local, and he converted. Ok, fine, just like almost every other candidate we’ve blogged about here. But the kicker is just how much the “Islamization of America” is a part of his campaign. He talks about “Universal Jihad” “The Islamist Challenge” and “Sharia Law” on his site. He states he doesn’t believe there is an “Indian-Pakistani problem… just a universal jihadist problem.” He further expounds by basically saying that being Muslim and being American are inherently antithetical and for the sake of the American Constitution we need to get rid of people that follow the Quran. You can’t make this kind of political messaging narrative up. He says some other hateful anti-Muslim rhetoric on his site, but I don’t want to give him more blog space here on Sepia Mutiny than I have to. But you get my point. Continue reading →

It’s That Time Again: 2010 Candidate Profiles

Posted on by

voting_booth.gif In three months, the nation will be heading to the polls to vote on congressional, gubernatorial, and local candidates. For the first time, we will have the chance to vote for more South Asian American candidates than we have ever had before. No longer will it just be Dalip Singh Saund and Bobby Jindal that have roamed the Congressional halls, there is a good chance that there will be another Desi to join the ranks. I like to call it the Obama-effect; all of a sudden there are younger, more diverse faces that are taking the electoral chance and running for office.

We’ve always blogged about candidates during election season here at Sepia Mutiny. But this year, in the vein of creating voter guides, we’d like to the candidate profiles on each candidate using the same criteria for each candidate. The 2010 Candidate Profile will have questions that we submit to all of the candidates and we will blog their response. Hopefully, we will also be able to get the candidates to respond to questions posted in the comment thread.

These are the candidates that I know that are potentially going to be on the ballots on November 2, 2010.

It’s a long list, but I’d like to know if there are there other candidates that we are missing. Is there anyone running for a local race, such as city council, county or state races? Anyone else we should keep on our radar? Link to them in the comments.

Also, do you have a particular question you would like for us to ask all the candidates? Write it up in the comments and we will take it into consideration as well. Continue reading →

Sepia Meets Sumi: Sri Lankan-Born Candidate for Office in Ann Arbor, MI

Posted on by

So, I live in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Recently, I’ve been walking around town and seeing signs that say

SUMI KAILASAPATHY

To Google or not to Google? Like that was the question. 🙂 These signs are encouraging A2 residents to vote for a Democratic candidate for First Ward, Ann Arbor City Council. (The primary election is August 3, and since the Democratic candidates here are heavily favored in the general election, the primary is crucial.) This particular candidate grew up in Sri Lanka, came to the U.S. 19 years ago, and has been living in Ann Arbor for 13 years.

Imagine how verklempt I was to discover this.

In Jaffna, Sumi was a student activist, and was involved with Poorani, a women’s organization. She’s now a CPA; she previously taught at Eastern Michigan University. I contacted her and asked if she’d chat with the Mutiny about her background and candidacy. She agreed, and so here, in four parts, her filmed conversation with me. Continue reading →

Saxophones and Seduction

Posted on by

One of my favorite film songs of all time is “Roop Tera Mastana” from the 1969 Hindi film [Aradhana](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aradhana_(1969_film). The song appears just before a dashing young Air Force pilot, Arun (Rajesh Khanna), spends his first night with his new bride, Vandana (Sharmila Tagore, with her bouffant and perfect liquid eyeliner ). Arun and Vandana have just been married by a priest in a small temple because Arun has to leave to fight, and they’re in a rush to get married before he leaves. Unfortunately now it’s raining, and they’ve been drenched, so they huddle together in a rustic wooden cabin for warmth. Because they’re married, their isolation shouldn’t be a problem. But they’ve jumped the gun by getting married without their families’ presence. And now they’re getting closer and closer, to the point of no return…

Continue reading →

Rani Taj beats the hell out of “Rude Boy”

Posted on by

Three of you sent me this video, so I get the feeling that you want SM to post about it. 🙂 If only I hadn’t spent my entire Friday in meetings…you Left-coasters could’ve enjoyed an all-natural jolt from something besides your morning coffee. Better late than never, I always say. Type. Whatever.

I was confused by the video until about 15 seconds in; that’s when the performer suddenly transforms Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” from a song I rolled my eyes at to a joint which made me sit up straighter in my office chair. Do your thang, gurl, do your thang:

None of you knew who this fierce female was, so I scrolled through 281 YouTube comments— never, EVER doubt my fortitude or devotion to the Mutiny– and saw a name which I googled for a bit. I discovered this:

My name is Rani Taj. I am the first professional British-Kashmiri female dholi, trained by the Dhol Blasters and Azaad dhol where I am a senior player. I also dance with the Bhangra Blasters and love playing the dhol, especially at public events.

That’s from her criminally under-loved Facebook fan page. Really, world? Only three of you “like” Miss Taj? Forget desis needing to support Manoj Shymalan no matter what pap he may proffer, y’all need to fan the Queen of percussion. Yes, I said “y’all”. I already did. While it’s still public, toggle through her profile pics on Facebook; she channels David Bowie while in Desi clothes. All that flavor and she’s got the beat? Got damn, Batman.* Continue reading →

I’ll Have a Pint of Your Finest

Posted on by

What do Argentinian soccer legend Diego Maradona and Indian cricket master Sachin Tendulkar have in common, besides being gods?

They’ve both sold themselves.

In 2009 – at around the same time that Tendulkar was uncomfortable with fans touching his feet – Kraken Opus announced that their next project would feature Diego Maradona:

The first 100 copies of the latter book will contain a sample of Maradona’s blood and his hair. Inside there is a depiction of his DNA. “Not only are we telling you the story of your god; we’re taking you inside the icon,” Mr Fowler said (The Sunday Times).

This year it’s Sachin’s turn.

Luxury publisher Kraken Opus mixed in a pint of Mr. Tendulkar’s blood with paper pulp to create the signature page for a book celebrating the renowned batsman’s career. The 10 limited-edition copies, which comes out in February, cost $75,000 each and have already sold out (Wall Street Journal).

As revolting as I find the idea of a publishing house “telling you the story of your god,” I can’t say I have much sympathy for the ten people who spend 75k on it either. But I suppose that’s just an example of how disposable income can exaggerate the deification of celebrities.

As I read this, I couldn’t help thinking about how appropriate such a venture would have been for M.G. Ramachandran, Tamil film star-turned-politician who has been similarly deified, and whose speeches and addresses began, “En Rathathin Rathame,” or “blood of my blood.” Perhaps the introduction to his Opus would have begun, “En Rathathin Rathame, itho en ratham!”

Continue reading →

Guest DJ: DJ Drrrty Poonjabi

Posted on by

After 6 years isolated in our North Dakota headquarters, the mutineers have been getting mighty restless. Music is the one thing that soothes most of us, especially the SM Intern who keeps the longest hours and is always threatening to quit. It is therefore time that we allow a DJ into the bunker to set up some turntables in the corner. And so, I am pleased to introduce you to DJ Drrrty Poonjabi.

DP has been a lurker on our site since 2005 and a fairly regular poster from ’06-’08. He’s been a music junkie since his preteens. A drummer, producer, DJ, record collector, micro-microphilanthropist, and Time’s Person of the Year 2006. That’s what his resume said but I haven’t vetted it completely yet. Some of you may have been following his Twitter feed already or have visited his blog.

DP plans to do here on SM what a good DJ does. He will bring new musical experiences to your ears and provide you with some badly needed cool cred to impress your friends with. He also, I have learned, likes to make Gurinder Chadha jokes, which everyone can appreciate.

Please join me in saying, “hey DJ, play that record.”

Continue reading →

My coffee name is…

Posted on by

coffee-cup.jpg

For those of us who absolutely hate hearing mangled versions of our names, the simple act of ordering coffee at a certain ubiquitous chain can be unnecessarily stressful.

It turns out that we are not alone. The Village Voice’s Shefali Kulkarni recently had this revelation:

…I realized that I wasn’t the only one who had tired of being asked how to spell a name that people find difficult to handle, at least in the super-busy moment of a Starbucks line.

So, like other people, I came up with a “coffee name.” Something simple that a coffee jockey can scribble on a cup without thinking. And, after taking a survey of the local scene, it’s clear that many others have come up with a similar solution.

At the Starbucks on Eighth Avenue, a grande iced caramel macchiato for “Sean” was really meant for “Chan,” short for Chandani.

“I never, ever give out my name,” Chan says. “And they still don’t get it right, but, hey, it’s what everyone calls me.”

Is anyone surprised that both the author of the article and the first person quoted both have desi names? And do any readers use a nom de cafe while in coffee shops or restaurants? I never do, primarily because I am afraid that I will forget my alias and never get my $4 drink. Continue reading →

Beautiful, Binky’d Baby

Posted on by

Via my guiltiest pleasure, “ohnotheydidnt“– behold, Ikhyd Edgar Arular Bronfman (click to enlarge):

Maya and Ikhyd.jpg

I can’t believe Ikhyd is so big! He is almost 18-months old. The last time we showed you a picture of him, it was almost exactly a year ago; Abhi, alarmed by Ikhyd’s onesie, was ardently pleading with PETA to take on the cause of albino ladybugs. No word on whether PETA has made any progress with that, but there are plenty of words about Mathangi’s new album (mixed reviews) and cute offspring (certified hit). Continue reading →