August 16, 2006
Dear "Dr. Vijay," yo mamma's a "Macaca"Issues
Nothing riles me up more than blatant, plain-for-all-to-see, lapdogism (another word to add to the Urban Dictionary please). Stay with me a moment. Dr. Raghavendra Vijayanagar (who goes by “Dr. Vijay”) is the chairman of the Indian American Republican Council (IARC) which was formed in 2002. Their purpose:
The IARC is a 501 (c)(4) organization, and is the only national organization in America representing Indian American Republicans. While we come from many parts of India and live across the U.S., we are united in our belief that less government, more liberty, and a strong national defense are in the best interests of our country and we share these values with the Republican Party. [Link]
After Senator Joseph Biden (D) made a comment earlier this year which stereotyped Indians as being in every donut shop and 7-11 in his state of Delaware, this is the statement released by the IARC:
“Joe Biden has a history of making insensitive and inappropriate remarks,” said Dr. Vijay. “But even for him, this recent gaffe is clearly over the top. But this isn’t the first time a Senate Democrat has insulted Indian Americans. In 2004, Senator John Kerry referred to Sikhs as terrorists and Senator Hillary Clinton jokingly referred to Mahatma Gandhi as a gas station owner. A clear double-standard in the mainstream media will likely ensure Senator Biden gets a pass over these comments that would get a Republican in deep trouble if he ever made a similar statement…”“Senator Biden will be surprised to hear that I am a cardiothoracic surgeon, leading a national association of Indian Americans who are physicians, attorneys, and small business owners. It’s amazing to know we don’t all work at Dunkin Donuts or the local 7/11. The contributions to America by Indian Americans in the fields of medicine, education, science, and business have been well-documented. We’re not asking Senator Biden to apologize for his embarrassing, stereotypical comments. However, we do appreciate knowing what he really thinks of his Indian American constituents in Delaware…” [Link]
And what did Dr. Vijay have to say after Senator George Allen (R) hurled an alleged racial slur at an Indian American this past week?
“We don’t believe Senator George Allen was making a reference to the ethnicity of Jim Webb’s campaign volunteer. He has apologized for any misunderstanding this statement has caused. We do know that Senator Allen has worked closely with Indian Americans when he was Governor and as U.S. Senator, and he has always garnered strong support from the community. He has visited India and showed strong leadership in supporting the U.S.-India civilian nuclear agreement.
”It’s disappointing to see Jim Webb using an Indian American volunteer in a demeaning fashion in order to garner attention to his campaign. We believe there are pressing issues facing Virginia and our nation, from the war on terrorism to the challenges in the Middle East. Jim Webb needs to engage in these issues instead of attempting to smear the reputation of a respected leader…” [Link]
So Dr. Vijay, who heads the “ONLY national organization in America representing Indian American Republicans,” is blaming Webb for “using” young Sidarth in a demeaning fashion. Dr. Vijay, I hope someone fills your water dish for you tonight. Rather than leave comments following my entry, I’d ask instead that you use your time to email (info@iarcnational.org) the IARC and let them know what you think about their latest press release. I know that many of our readers are Republicans so now is your chance to take ownership of an organization that claims to represent your interests.
I also hope that the organization’s Secretary, Dino Teppara, resigns. I have blogged about Dino before (see here, here, and here) and heard him speak on a panel at the NASABA conference in 2005. Although I don’t agree with his conservative political views, he did strike me as a reasonable guy and he is the same age as many of us that blog and comment here. Hopefully he sees the ridiculous hypocrisy in these conflicting press statements and quits his position.
abhi on August 16, 2006 02:15 AM in Issues · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post
Another House Macaca!
Angry email sent! Truly a pile of steaming macaca.
Allen's comments were unbelievable. Reminded me of being a "Jungle Bunny" in third grade.
By the way, did I mention t-shirts? Yes, my mother was right after all. I have no shame.
I made up some funny t-shirts and other stuff to celebrate the end of Allen's campaign. Thought you might want to check it out.
I'm donating 30% of the profit to Allen's competitor, Democratic candidate Jim Webb.
http://www.cafepress.com/macacashop
It seems like Dr. Vijay is the desi answer to Jerry Falwell.
About Allen's comment
1)Macaca is a term used in Europe to refer to North Africans and Sub-Saharan Africans. Incidentally, Allen is a French speaker and his mother is a French/Italian/Jew from Tunisia.
2) More offensive that a California transplant (Allen) is saying welcome to America and Virginia, to a Virginia native, obviously just off the basis of his colour.
3) Allen was apparently suspended in high school for writing graffiti that was allegedly racist.
Damn, there are Desi repubs too? I hope that they aren't anything resemblant of Celto-Scots-WASP republicans, the people representing the ethos, the ideological foundations of this pitiful, but wicked, country.
As a former candidate, I'd like to try to focus on what is what is needed. ACTION.
I ask you to do a few things in order of importance.
(1) Make a financial contribution to James Webb's senate campaign right now: Never mind that Webb is a fantastic, distinguished candidate: war hero, best-selling novelist, former Secretary of the Navy, a former Republican who finally had enough. Because there are lots of great candidates. Webb is your best weapon for punishing Allen and sending a message right now to those like Allen that we "Macacas" are the "real America." Whether it's $25, $250, or $2,100 (the individual maximum), a lot of us doing what we can gives Webb the resources he needs to put a bully in his place. Webb needs resources. If you don't take this simple step (every reader of this blog can afford SOMETHING--I just plunked down $200 and I'm broke after my own campaign), you are basically saying you don't care if Allen wins. Seriously.
(2) Get your friends (South-Asian-Americans and non-South-Asian-Americans alike) and family to invest too--contact them by email and follow up by phone to make it work.
(3) Contact the mainstream media (ESPECIALLY Virginia newspapers through , NY Times, Washington Post, your local paper, talk radio, CNN, the networks, local TV) and ask why they aren't giving this issue at least as much coverage as Mel Gibson's recent antisemitic remarks. Ask why they won't report what the word "macaca" really means, as well as Allen's French Tunisian heritage, which would acquaint Allen with the offensive term.
(4) Contact your senators and member of Congress and ask them to introduce a resolution rebuking Senator Allen and stripping him of any leadership post.
(5) Email the Indian American Republican Council and tell them you are disappointed with their decision to blindly support Allen despite his actions. Urge them to cancel their reportedly planned fundraiser for Allen in New York City (and if you live in the NYC-area, get a bunch of friends and go protest it).
(6) If you live in the D.C./Virginia area, find out from the Allen campaign his public schedule and go protest.
What would happen if Allen had made a similar demeaning comments toward a Jew? What would the Jewish community nationally's response would be?
The reaction would be swift and decisive, fitting for a people who have been threatened throughout history. Republican and Democratic Jews alike would rally and anhiliate Allen politically. And in so doing, they would remind everyone of their political power. And then the worms would crawl back into their holes.
Let's make sure the George Allens of the world and their patrons know that the macacas are coming and we're here to stay.
-chuckle-
if it comes as a surprise to you that the indian TamBram or TelBram types are intensely political creatures, with a fierce "entreprenurial" streak and a killer instinct for wheeling-dealing... i got a taj mahal to sell to you. dr vijay can probably eat most of us for lunch, defecate ,.. and then recycle that just to make sure no nutrients are gone to waste.
the captains of indian industry, fawned over in -s-u-c-h- adoring detail on some of these pages are intensely ... and i mean INTENSELY feudalistic with a social conscience that weakens exponentially past their sub-community - no different from the best and the worst of the world.
we are all the same... but it's good to rage against the dying light.
Only one conclusion possible. Dr. Vijay is a quack.
But on a different note, check out the doc's Mohawk -- er, I mean, his "Canadian passport"?
1. Email to sent to IARC. (hope they squirm after reading it)
2. $$ Donation(generous & a first time) to James Webb.
3. Letter to NY Times Editor - more coverage requested.
4. My yahoogroups contacts asked to Go To Step 1 and repeat!!!
Thank you Abhi for posting this!!...and Subodh,some great pointers there! good stuff!
Dr Vijay...Murdabad!!
This will be interesting to see how it plays out.
Slate on George Allen: http://www.slate.com/id/2147786/nav/tap1/
Amazing stuff there from the IARC. It's accidental self-parody of the illest sort -- almost like Stephen Colbert wrote the press release. Too bad it's so damn serious. George Allen is a noxious individual with a noxious history. A shame it's taken this to finally stick to him when his inflammatory use of the Confederate battle flag goes back so long. (As does his history of lame/absurd excuses, such as when his flacks responded to criticism of him wearing a confederate flag lapel pin by saying it was just because he had a generally "rebellious" spirit...)
Maximum respect to my main macaca Abhi for a great post.
Maximum respect to Subodh Chandra for great comment and suggestions.
Maximum respect to folks acting on this, regardless of party affiliation, as we should all act against this bullshit no matter who it comes from.
Macacacally yours...
Osman, the T-shirt idea is good, but I think the slogans need to be more pithy. Some of the ones that have come up on this board are:
"macaca please" and "mwa: macacas with attitude"
I'd also suggest, "hakuna macaca."
This will all lead to a highly successful television series called "The M word." At last, America has its own Goodness Gracious Me. Thank you President Allen!
True.
Building on Siddharth's post, why don't you guys name this site "Macaca Mutiny" for a week. May get great press atleast to focus on this issue.
Several angry e-mails have been sent. Thanks for the to do list.
Other suggestions:
Daddy Macaca.
Apple Macaca.
Sand-Macaca.
Punk Ass Macaca.
Mallu Macacas are the meanest;)
Real macacaz don't die 'cause they eventually multiply
The macacaz are with it but taking out on I
Because the times are so wrong, got to stay so strong
Macacaz got to keep going on and on
Updated shirts on the way...
So far I've added a few versions of "Macacas with Attitude" and "Hakuna Macaca." I'll work on the other ideas.
At some point, will need to get back to my paying job though.
Here's the link: http://www.cafepress.com/macacashop
Or just lick here
Perhaps this just goes without saying but how can politicians be so stupid? Oh they claim they think our culture and India is very "interesting" or whatever, but they don't have any understanding of reality outside of themselves. Then people like Dr. Vijay effectively enable them to be sound-byte idiots. How can it be so impossible, especially for white people, to even try and understand people who are not white.
American politicians are idiots. Maybe all politicians are idiots.
jon stewart had a piece on this whole macaca thing last night. it's also strange that none of the news stories i've read make the connection between macaca and allen's north african connection (his mother), although several people here have. it seems a logical connection, is it that the reporters/editorial writers just didn't research it enough? why aren't they wondering why he would pull out a slur unfamiliar to americans and more common to another place?
I am a GOPer and agree that Allen's words were bad and hurtful, just like Biden's and Hillary's comments stereotyping Indians. Though, truth be told, back then most Indian Democrats were defending Biden!!!
Click here to donate to James Webb for the U.S. Senate, to help Webb wipe the smirk off of Allen's face, vindicate Macacahood, and end the curry train for the brown-nosing (pun and visual image intended) Indian American Republican Council. There's no reason Macaca-American brothers and sisters of all political persuasions and generations, and their friends, can't collectively raise a couple of million dollars for Jim Webb in the next few weeks and make the George Allens of the world realize--you just don't f*** with Macacas.
Sorry, I hadn't figured the linking system out in my earlier post.
Please note that contributions of $200 or greater are publicly disclosed, so Allen will get a chance to see and experience that his ass-whooping came from the feet of a gang of angry Macacas that he himself called to action. So try to invest that much if you can. But any amount helps, especially if you lean on your friends to do the same.
Well, my sepia friends, I'm a little disheartened to see so much continued talk and only one confirmation of action (thank you for that).
Mahatma Gandhi said, "The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems."
Why not act and make this a defining moment in which American Macacas draw a line in the sand, and actually earn respect because we united and acted? Only action will earn that, not talk.
-----------------
Also, Osman, I bought the "Who you calling Macaca" t-shirt. How about putting up children's sizes too? And what about triplet-Desi-Dad discounts? ;-) Why not donate 100% of the profit to Webb's race? That would justify the pricing.
today's cover story on salon.com is 'stepping in "macaca"'.
Subodh, you sound positively liberated now that you're no longer a candidate! If you're ever in NYC contact me and let's get a beer.
My problem is I was never unliberated when I was a candidate. It's because I couldn't take this kind of garbage anymore that I was a candidate.
Love to take you up on the offer at some point.
Even though I am a generally right of center guy, it is extremely clear to me that Dr. Vijay is an ass. He needs to be Packwood-ed or at least Trent Lott-ed out.
Just had to share my husband's rephrasal of Daaktar Vijay's response to Allen:
"Nononono, George Allen Saheeb, he mean no offense"
T-shirt slogan suggestion:
Teri macaca
i donated to webb's campaign. nowhere near 200 bucks, but hey. hope it helps.
Kiss MA-Caca Dr. Vijay, you've been emailed. And Webb just got nice donations from me and some of my friends today.
What's with some of these desi doctors/etc with their slavish GOP passions in light of this stuff? Oh yeah, reducing their taxes and avoiding legit lawsuits and healthcare reform, i almost forgot, f--- everything else.
As i said in an earlier post somewhere, when your donation money stops flowing Uncle-ji, your ass will get macaca'd by some of these repugs too. But are they house-macacas or field macacas? Hmmm... ;-)))
And yes, certain Dems have been morons too in this vein (must be a gora thing?), but this thread is about Dr. Vijay.
Thanx for the post Abhi. Excellent suggestions Subodh and I hope you don't mind if I quote you and send out that list verbatim to everyone on my mailing list. Did one so far will do the rest from home lest my ass gets fired from work for the daily "not adhering to company policy" business.
I'm a GOPer myself and am disgusted with this kind of ignorance, hate and pure stupidity coming out of politicians lately. The desi community is one to reckon with and it indeed is time to put our money where our mouth is. Most of us here are involved with the community and have large enough networks that we could reach out to everyone to bring attention to this. I hope that irrespective of what party you belong to the message goes out that this is unacceptable, period!
Don't fuck with the Macacas bitch...
jilted_manhood - dude, chill, my joking comment about a "gora thing" - it is called irony, deliberately in the context of the situation. is there an emoticon to convey that? have a lovely day mon frere.
Ok, kids shirts added. I also added a "Macaca? C'est Moi" shirt, featuring senator Allen.
Thanks for buying a shirt. So far the site is showing zero sales but maybe it only updates 1x/day or something.
Why not donate 100%? Hmm..
I didn't start macacashop to make money. At first I was pissed at Allen for his comments to Sidarth. The guy's a Senator and you'd think he wouldn't be such an ignorant ass. Making the shirts was a way to poke fun at the situation, have a laugh, and vent a little.
The markup on the shirts is only a couple of bucks so we're not talking serious cash in commemorative t-shirts of George Allen's racial slurs. Messing around with photoshop and illustrator means I've also ignored my real work for most of the day. It would be nice to actually recoup the cost of my time.
Anyway, if sales perk up I'll gladly donate a bigger percentage but at this point 30% of $0.00 is the same as 100%.
jilted_manhood - dude, chill, my joking comment about a "gora thing" - it is called irony, deliberately in the context of the situation.
The SM intern agrees with you so much that he/she had to remove my harmless comment.
Osman great idea. Just bought one.
"Yo mamm's a macaca" is the best title for a article ever.
And what's up that picture of the good doctor? It looks like a mug shot taken at a Punjabi prison.
Maybe they don't want to bring up Allen's mother being Jewish.
Looks like Sen. Allen is meeting with "Indian Community Leaders" in Virginia. I wonder what he'll have to say. Any mutineers able to attend?
Here's the full article.
the senator would be better off by just admitting he indulged in unwarranted name calling and apologize. instead he's trying to pull a mel gibson, lleyton hewitt and dean jones. i think people would be more willing to forgive admission of guilt rather than clumsy and disingenous explanations.
The actual video is on Crooks & Liers website:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/posts/2006/08/14/george-allens-macaca/
in fact, shouldn't the senator meet with the offended party, sidarth, first instead of with the indian community leaders? as sidarth says in the bbc article: "If he wants to make an apology to me, he can talk to me personally rather than doing this through the press".
I hope somebody videotapes that meeting of his with representatives from the Northern Virginia Indian-American community and asks him some serious straightforward questions especially concerning all the different explanations from his campaign.
From a trusted tipster:
It was on the 7:00am news this morning, along with an interview with Siddharth
I am also amazed with some of these doctors. What $350,000 per year is not fucking enough, that you have to go kiss republican ass unconditionally to get some tax cut??? (well, $700,000 per year if you count the spouce's income, as Desi doctor's wife would be Doctor too) Shame on them !! How cheap, pathetic and disgusting.
And this a-hole Senator is doing damage control with the "mowhak" haircut BS. "Macaca" is not a commonly used word (most people have never heard it), so he intended a specific meaning by saying it. By his background its clear that he meant it as a racial slur. But worse than the Senator is the Dr. Vijay who is defending it.
In my book IARC is working against me and is my enemy.
Pagal: "Teri macaca"?! It's fabulous! I want one in every shade of brown!
Subodh: Angry email has been sent off.
RC: Half the fun in being a doctor must be kissing some Republican ass because obviously they're not in it for the $$$!
Dr. Vijay's comments make the IARC sound like a bunch of sissy arse-kissers who would whore out their own daughters for a larger tax break (I just shot him an email to let him know... using nicer words of course).
As a repub for the last couple national elections (no, its not just fiscal policy that attracts me, but it sure is #'s 1 & 2), but recently a demmie in the locals, I'm always fighting a battle between the Haathis and the Gaddhas: my bank account, my conscience, my faith, and my immigrant roots.
Why can't we have a party that:
1. respects freedom, liberty, and the quest for a yacht or a villa in the Andaman islands?
2. is ever-ready to kick the living makaka out of islamist terrorists, commies, and drug dealers
3. stops trying to bible thump; stops paying poor tribals to jump ship wrt religion in the Motherland;
4. stops denying evolution; starts funding stem cell research; helps daadimaa w/ her medical bills
5. stops trying to deport anyone who isn't blond-haired + blue-eyed or doesn't have a net worth over $500K
i SO wanna run for office...
Hey Indian Repubs!
A lot of us are disappointed (disgusted, really) by Allen and also by IARC's response to Allen. Maybe more of us should join the group or start our own group? Do you think a statement like that would have come out of the mouths of a Vinod, MD, KXB, Janeofalltrades or other right-leaners on this board? I bet we would have crafted something very different. I know I would have.
RC, calm down. You can slur Indian Republicans with tax-cut/doctor schtick all you want, but this particular one is her own woman and won't be bullied into supporting causes she doesn't believe in, okay?
EXCUSE ME?
I agree with MD... you can slur doctors all you want..but i'm not ass kissing republicans...allen is a pure jackass, and his bum will be burned.. whether it be by a macaca mutiny or not...not all republicans are physicians, and vice versa...
MD - yes indeed girl, go head and start that group - desi republicans for sanity! Then join the Log Cabin Republicans in the basement of the next GOP convention and commiserate about your isolation and why the bossmen ain't returning your calls (but are only too happy to cash your checks)!
As for taxcuts, etc. - i do not think RC was talking about all doctors or all republicans. Doctors just seem to be the most active in things like IARC, and since they are probably not about the Bible-thumping issues, it must be economic, maybe combined with some social conservative concerns (sex is bad, evil Western influences, etc). But having met many of these fatcat GOP uncle-jis - it's nearly always about their wallets.
Politics and religion are making all sorts of strange bedfellows these days - prowar desi hindus since they hate on the muslims, radical islamists finding bonds with neo-nazis, etc. I know the Dems ain't perfect, but I cannot figure out a really solid reason for desis to be GOPers other than the wallet, GIVEN the current party's straying from truly conservative principles (personal privacy, spending discipline, truly free markets, etc.).
Hell, I might be a republican too if they actually represented any of those things nowadays.
... and chick pea, just to close the loop on your comment, it also goes without saying that not all republican physicians go around pimping for unrepentant, confederate-sympathizing, slur-wielding, usually-consultant-scripted senators with bad hair.
Dr. Vijay Sahib - good job recruiting me into the democratic fold. Now that you've insulted me personally, which democratic house 'macaca' should I mail the check to?
And what's up with the dissing the uncli-jis on this thread? Except when you want their money for law school, grad school, med school, that new shiny car......
Nice try saying you'd be a Republican too if they stood for truly conservative principles. You aren't a conservative, so why should their straying bother you?
Jeez. Another classic example of why I left the left. Your every motive is suspect if it doesn't follow the party line.
What is wrong with being republican because you think that republicans make the most economic sense? Not excusing lapdogism. But, what exactly is wrong with thinking through your wallet?
Ah yes MD - you are so right. I forgot how big and inclusive the GOP tent is. As for who's towing party lines, where to even begin - do you get faxed Mehlman's Talking Points memo daily?
And you do not know me, how can you say that I am a Democrat and that I am not a conservative - if you are concerned about party lines being towed, then you should be for someone who chooses their positions a la carte. Unfortunately the buffet ain't looking great at the modern GOP.
Also, to be clear, no uncle-ji (just a generic term btw) paid for my education or otherwise, so what's that have to do with anything?
PS - where was the personal insult? Relax and have a nice day.
You are not a conservative and you are not a republican. Come on, no righty I know writes stuff like 'fat cat uncle-jis thinking through their wallets', okay? And it is a personal insult to suggest the only reason a person votes republican is because they are greedy, which is what you implied with the uncleji comment. And you weren't the only one to single out fat cat uncle-jis, so that part of it wasn't specifically directed at you.
Thanks. I will have a nice day :)
OK MD - i'll bite, please elaborate on why you are a "rightie", other than greed.
And I never said I was a Republican or a conservative (in your version of the word), but you assumed I was a Democrat. One can be fiscally conservative (and still think about the fatcats who are only considering their wallets) and be a social libertarian - that sums it up for me. There are fiscally conservative approaches that still have a social conscience (like progressive welfare reform) - but I see few of those coming out of the modern GOP. Check up on it.
?progressive welfare reform? Social libertarian and fiscally conservative? Oh dear. Gibberish.
Okay, sorry, that was mean and I should apologize. So, I apologize. Good luck to you.
PS: Free markets. Low tariffs and free trade. Limited farm subsidies. Strong defense. Strong communities and strong families (no, that's not anti-gay marriage). The right to bear arms. Limited government regulation. Accountability in government. A person to be judged as an individual. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. You know, stuff like that.
Look, currently the republicans are a bit of a mess. But, to me, the other side is more of a mess. That's all.
MD - thanks for the elaborate response. You've really made your case.
HMF, that comment just made me smile. Again, best wishes to you. Sincerely.
Oh, and by the way? I wasn't being sarcastic, as you were in your last comment. I genuinely wish you the best.
(Oh great gods of Sepia Mutiny, why do I even bother?)
MD - my last comment posted before your last response - no harm done.
I have to say that you need to examine how much the modern GOP stands for the principles you outline (though the right to bear arms is iffy). But I think you've started to acknowledge that - but i would disagree that the other side is more of a mess. Thinking people have disagreements and do not march lockstep, which leads to a percieved mess, egged on by FOXNews and other mouthpieces - perhaps your minority w/in the GOP needs to get fired up and better organized to take back the sanity. Surely, as an MD, you bristle when Dubya says the jury is out on evolution and global warming, for starters.
Peace unto you...
That's why we heart you, Emdee-di. :)
Just to let you know that people are taking action ... I just made a $200 donation to Webb's campaign. I'm thinking of volunteering for the campaign as well since I live in the DC area.
Also, please note that the South Asian Bar Association of Washington, DC criticized Sen. Allen's remarks.
how about "I am Macaca !" T-shirt ?
What did you Allen-haters think about Joe Biden's comment about Indians or Hillary Clinton's derogatory comment using Mahatma Gandhi of all people? BTW, George Allen is a jackass, but let's get real. Biden and Hillary are as well.