Some of Bobby's votes.

So will Jindal have the support of Ray Nagin, or would that be the kiss of death.

“why can’t you be a governor like that Jindal boy.”

shut them up response: where's the nearest church i can get baptized, beeyatch?

“why can’t you be a governor like that Jindal boy.”

My folks would disown me if I turned out anything like Jindal...ditto for most of the other desis I know

Whats wrong with Jindal, and why do so many desi not care for him. I'm seem like a good guy to me. Maybe cause I'm a moderate whitewashed coconut canadian desi and to me Jindal seems likes a guy I would support if he ran for office in canada.

I guess in Canada I'm center of right and in the States I'm center of left so Jindal doesn't seem bad to me.

I guess in Canada I'm center of right and in the States I'm center of left so Jindal doesn't seem bad to me.

Clueless: Either you don't understand Jindal's platform or you don't know what it means to be left of center in America. Jindal is a right wing social conservative Republican working to destroy the separation of church & state in this country. This is of concern to most liberals (and liberal repubs like me), coconutty or not...

Clueless,

There is nothing wrong in supporting Jindal.

However, I am dead against Jindal. And, yes, he had support from Ray N. of N'Awlins in last elections, and even then he lost. At the last moment, African Americans and dixiecrat white Americans rallied for Blanco because Jindal does race baiting (African Americans have never liked him), and Blanco comes from old Louisiana family. It probably will happen this time too.

However, you need to educate yourself in such matters, including Punjab, etc. too. Some effort. Some more nuance.

Does anybody know what Jindal stand on immigration and the whole melting pot vs multiculturalism for newcomers. Has he even spoken out about those issues. That issue is the most important to me other the enviroment.

Since In my life I have chosen not to have religon in my life, I don't agree with Jindal on the seperation of church and state. Since I'm pro-abortion and pro-gay, those are 2 more issues I don't think Jindal and I would agree.

Google = Jindal + immigration

You might like him, you might not. As I said, he always had some solid support in Louisiana, and some people like his stance.

Down here in Amreeka, we do not sing songs of "multiculturism and newcomers-old timers holding hands". Nobody does.

Quick glance at Jindal immigration views seem likes one thing that I could agree with him on. You Americans are so lucky that you country has the melting pot for newcomers. Jindal is good example of someone who intergrated into American society, I just wish he didn't have to make religion so important in his life.

What is Louisiana desi population, and is big enough to make an impact in a close election.

I just did alittle research and found out that there is only 10000 desi's in Louisiana, so the desi vote as not gonna matter much.

Bobby Jindal stands against just about everything the majority of Asians (70%+ Democrat) stand for. Yes he is Indian and a popular politician, that's about *all* he has in common with our folks, with the exception of his skin color and his family. And yes, his Campus Crusader personality does scare the hell out of me, as it should Muslims and Hindu and Buddhist and Atheist Asians. Indians keep giving him money bcause they like the face, but just remember the saying, "what have you done for me lately" because Bobby's answer to that is nothing.

our parents will then say, “why can’t you be a governor like that Jindal boy.”

Oh that's an easy one. Ask them :

Why couldn't they be a CEO or a Venture Capitalist or even a chief executive of a country

Though Jindal makes my blood boil, I think in the long run it will be good for the desi-American community if he gets elected.

Damn good news.

Somebody with roots in the third world will be the one to raise Louisiana out of the the third world.

I hope he crushes the snot out of Blanco.

I guess in Canada I'm center of right and in the States I'm center of left so Jindal doesn't seem bad to me.

If you're center of anything, Jindal should be bad to you. He's as right wing as they get.

Sriram --

I think in the long run it will be good for the desi-American community if he gets elected.

Could you elaborate on this?

I think in the long run it will be good for the desi-American community if he gets elected.

choked while i read this. yes, agree with PP, elaborate please.

I think in the long run it will be good for the desi-American community if he gets elected. Could you elaborate on this?

A governor is a very powerful position. Though I find Jindal's politics objectionable, I do believe it would be good for the community that someone of the community is wielding power. That is, I think it is a strong image with which the rest of the country will be viewing us. As for his strong conservatism, politics is like a pendulum so any hard right stances he takes will balance out over time with actions taken by future governors.

One question does come to mind. Where is the liberal equivalent of Jindal? Kumar Barve is an influential state politician in Maryland, but he doesn't have anywhere near the name recognition of Jindal. It is surprising to me that the center-left and left has not produced a South Asian politician with the potential for national recognition, especially in states like Jersey, New York, and California.

Considering that liberal Massachusetts had Mitt Romney (conservative Mormon) as a governor, liberal California elected a Reagan-style Schwarzenegger - it's a bit rash to say Jindal is too right-wing for the governor's house in Louisiana.

As for his religious background, can anyone demonstrate that Jindal has let his personal religious belief has negatively affect his constituents? Or is the just another bogeyman? When Muslim Keith Ellison was elected to Congress from Minnesota, any suggestion that his Muslim faith will interfere with his duties was criticized as bigotry. But perhaps Indian Christians who are registered Republcians are just SOL.

But perhaps Indian Christians who are registered Republcians are just SOL.

Jindal's personal views inform his support of policies wrto abbortion, public funding of religious non-profits. Right, Catholics are a beleaguered minority in Louisiana.

i personally think jindal is junk -- that's as a desi living in another part of the southeast. however, he could be great for louisiana at the local level -- multiculturalism is not exactly placed on the forefront when compared to katrina.

i know many louisiana south asians who have praised jindal's local actions.

I do believe it would be good for the community that someone of the community is wielding power. That is, I think it is a strong image with which the rest of the country will be viewing us.

I don't agree with this at all -- for two generic reasons and for one that is specific to Jindal. For one thing, simply "wielding power" by itself does not confer a favorable image -- unless what he is doing with that power is independently worthy of value, then it does no such thing. In fact, to the contrary, if the first South Asian person in a position like that use that power badly, then it would have exactly the opposite effect.

For another, if that power is being wielded in a manner that is detrimental to "the community," then what good is the favorable image? I'll evaluate how good some politician is for the long-term interests of "the community" by looking at tangible actions and consequences over symbolism any day of the week. For example, is Clarence Thomas good or bad for the black community? He's an accomplished, intelligent black lawyer who has reached the pinnacle of his profession, and that's unquestionably good for the community at one level, but he's obviously not the only one who could have been in that position, and the long-term net balance is more complicated than that given the way he actually rules in cases that come before the Supreme Court, which many blacks (obviously not all) find detrimental to the interests of the black community.

Finally, for a third, in this particular case it's also possible that the "strong image" you think many people would perceive from Jindal being governor would only extend as far as Christian Indians who take extremely conservative political positions and use Americanized nicknames. That's obviously not an attack on Jindal for being Christian or for using the nickname "Bobby" -- I think it's silly, at best, when people try to make an issue of either to suggest he's not sufficiently "Indian," although I think it's completely fair game to criticize his embrace of political positions associated with the Christian right on the merits. Rather, it's simply an observation that there are probably certain political benefits that have accrued to him by virtue of that assimilation, and that those benefits may or may not extend to other South Asians were he elected governor. Mind you, my own hope is that your assumption is right -- but in reality, it's far from clear what the impact of his election would in fact be.

(And in that regard, I question your assumption about liberal equivalents of Jindal not being "produced" -- it may be that some of them have faced barriers that a conservative Christian Republican in Louisiana named Bobby Jindal simply hasn't faced to the same degree.)

that $5,000 Received From ARMPAC could be an issue for Jindal..seems like an easy thing for the opposition to dig into...

As far as I know Jindal has never said anything that would contradict the idea of separation of church and state. He was asked that question before and he said he believed in separation of Church and State, and his own parents were hindu, or something to that effect. Jindal did a marvelous job in formulating public policy for medicaid...that cut out the fat and made the state program run in black. I find it amazing that some indians are so enthralled by failed socialist policies of the democratic party, that they will criticize anything republican. Socialism has not worked anywhere ...and never will.

Jindal feels like an electable Dinesh D'Souza to me.

desi republican: Umm..have you seen any criticism of market policies here ? I'm a republican. Jindal will of course make noise about supporting the separation of church/state. He just doesn't feel that using tax money to support religious charities is problematic.

"Jindal feels like an electable Dinesh D'Souza to me"

Of course he is..that's why the repubs get all wet over him. a scenerio of a repub mind: 'I mean that's a model minority..not a dirty mexican on welfare...ahhhhh..repub breathes a sigh of relief dreaming of Jindal and drowing blacks in Katrina while reaching for a Cohiba and a bottle of Margeaux 82'.

Of course he is..that's why the repubs get all wet over him. a scenerio of a repub mind: 'I mean that's a model minority..not a dirty mexican on welfare...ahhhhh..repub breathes a sigh of relief dreaming of Jindal and drowing blacks in Katrina while reaching for a Cohiba and a bottle of Margeaux

Your own prejudiced views shining through in bold. As far a supporting religious based charities...most of them are more effective in terms of money reaching the intended and not the management. Its not as if it's curse of the devil.

"Your own prejudiced views shining through in bold"

HAHAHAHa... No I was simply stating what Republicans like you keep hidden in the sewers of your heart...When you say "socialism won't work"..you want to "fuck over the poor"...THAT IS YOUR PURPOSE....don't bold text me pissant you couldn't hang ...trust me.

No I was simply stating what Republicans like you keep hidden in the sewers of your heart.

Dang - did someone give away the secret code book?

desi republican:

As far a supporting religious based charities...most of them are more effective in terms of money reaching the intended and not the management. Its not as if it's curse of the devil.

Well...it comes with the following strings attached:
a) A heavy dose of old-timey religion where tolerance is not stressed. I have no problem with Catholics believing that Hindus are hell bound & that the practice of Buddhism is "masturbation"(i.e. the views of the lovely current pope). I just don't want my tax money funding the promotion of these beliefs
B)Do you really want US tax money funding madrassas here in the US? CAIR endorsed the Bush presidency pre-9/11 with this in mind. As a fellow repub, perhaps an analogy to the old nonsense with the NEA can be drawn. Some people (e.g. me) believe public funding of Shakespearean promotes the public good. Others (i.e. not me) believe that Mapplethorpe is high art. Best to dodge the problem altogether

Oddly, if you were to look at the Christian groups that are the most tolerant in regards to other religions, it would be Catholicism. If he happened to be a Catholic of the regular mold instead of a religious fanatic, he'd be a much more respectable guy.

I just did alittle research and found out that there is only 10000 desi's in Louisiana, so the desi vote as not gonna matter much.

Clueless, the potential for nationwide desi funding matters very much.

As far a supporting religious based charities...most of them are more effective in terms of money reaching the intended and not the management.

Desirepublican, I'm not sure if that's actually true.

You Americans are so lucky that you country has the melting pot for newcomers.

Wow. I don't even know where to start...with a statement that's so wrong, it's practically baked in wrong sauce.

IMO, the melting pot does not exist for newcomers, it exists against them. The melting pot idea, carried to its logical conclusions, would have immigrants adopt the language and social mores of the majority, and eventually become part of some amorphous, indistinct mass (and assumes that the majority also absorbs language and culture from the immigrant class, which does not happen, except in the most superficial sense).

As much as many Americans like to pretend otherwise, this is not the ideal situation. Jorge growing up in the Barrio and speaking perfectly good English but holding on to his Latino heritage is considered "not properly assimilated" until he changes his name to George and starts dressing and talking like a gringo. This is exactly what Jindal had to do to become a viable political candidate.

The irony is that people continue to tout Jindal as a role model for the desi community. But to become that role model, he had to become as "un-desi" as possible.

Hema

What you wrote applies more to the Borg than to America. Ask a second-gen Turk in Germany or a second-gen Algerian in France which model they would want - the US or European immigration model.

hema,

Jorge better be able to speak a form of English the rest of us can understand (after a reasonable amount of time), but I don't think anyone (who matters) really cares what he does in his private life as long as it's legal. Yes assimilation to cultural norms to the extent of becoming a functioning part of society is important. If that is not the case, then immigration serves to weaken and not strengthen the nation whether that be the United States, France or India. Why come here if you want to live exactly like you lived in your country of origin?

Gazsi.

Yes assimilation to cultural norms to the extent of becoming a functioning part of society is important.

I agree with that, but the issue appears to be to what extent an immigrant has to be assimilated to cultural norms. Do you have to adopt the language and mannerisms, and you're good? Or is it more than that? Do you have to change your religion, the social constructs you were raised with, etc. It's the majority that gets to decide who has become assimilated to cultural norms, after all.

Maybe Jorge does speak English well enough to be understood by everyone else, but maintains a Latino accent for social interaction with his peers. As long as he stays in the Barrio, he is "Mexican" (with all the attendant stereotypes and emotions the term arouses). There is also an associated issue of whether culturing norming makes him an "outcast" within his peer group.

Jindal's views (some of which I think are out of line with the desi diaspora) are part of his attempt tp be properly assimilated to the prevailing cultural norms in Louisians. The fact that he felt this was an absolute necessity for a career in politics is what makes me skeptical of the success of the melting pot theory.

Jindal changes his name to Bobby in first grade. It had nothing to do with politics. It had to do with being named Piyush. I can only imagine little first graders going 'Pee yooo' and giggling....kids can be cruel. I believe he wanted to become a medical doctor, and was set to attend a prestigious medical school after the name and religious change. Religion change was not a calculated effort in order to enter politics

Jindal changes his name to Bobby in first grade. It had nothing to do with politics. It had to do with being named Piyush.

I have some sympathy for that, but not enough to not be skeptical about it. My name was endlessly made fun of, growing up, but I was never tempted to change it just to be accepted. I don't know which is the right way to go on that, for what it's worth (i.e. I'm not claiming any moral superiority here). I'm just saying changing from "Piyush" to "Bobby" is something that the melting pot trope engenders.

Religion change was not a calculated effort in order to enter politics

Maybe not, but it's hard not to see that as a possibility. I mean, I can believe that a person can have a spiritual awakening at age 15. Call me a cynic, but a Hindu converting to Roman Catholicism in a heavily Roman Catholic state, and then running for office only a decade later, makes me just a litte skeptical.

I mean seriously give the guy a break. Sometimes one thing leads to another, he might have converted without the intention of using this as a political tool, and later realized it could be used as a political tool.

And I think this website kind of proves the point of the desi diaspora having a very wide variety of views, some of which the gentleman is undoubtedly out of line with.

Also, you may or may not be pleased with the melting pot's results (ie the cultural homogenization and ubiquitous McDonald's restaurants), but the fact is that in America if you do as the Americans you can be successful if you work hard (work smart? luck?) no matter where you are from. And this I think is something to be valued.

Gazsi.

The reason I talk about asslimation so much is cause I live in Canada, but I spend a couple of months a year in California[mostly Fresno or Bay area]. And desi in those 2 countries are world apart in how asslimated into there new countries.

My mom family in California[ most who came in the mid 80's] has done a very good job of asslimating, but has kept a very good balance between both culture's. Which is alot different then in Canada.

Jindal is nothing like most desi's who run for office in Canada. I don't think Jindal could win in Canada. But I also don't think most desi who run for office in Canada could win in the States.

the fact is that in America if you do as the Americans you can be successful if you work hard (work smart? luck?) no matter where you are from. And this I think is something to be valued.

The counter-argument being that if it's all about hard work, it should be possible to be successful without having to "do as the Americans".

It's entirely possible that Jindal is totally innocent of becoming more of a generic American to court the vote. But it's also possible he's not, and there's no denying that the change is politically useful. That's my point anyway...that America equates success with being more American, except that "American" is ultimately defined by the majority, most of whom are a few generations removed from the immigrant experience.

Anyway, I won't labor the point. I think it's clear what I'm talking about here.

Maybe not, but it's hard not to see that as a possibility. I mean, I can believe that a person can have a spiritual awakening at age 15. Call me a cynic, but a Hindu converting to Roman Catholicism in a heavily Roman Catholic state, and then running for office only a decade later, makes me just a litte skeptical.

If you know what you will be doing career-wise (with 100% certainty) in 2017, I will be impressed. That you can guess his motivations for switching to the Catholic team tells us more about you than Jindal. If Jindal converted to Islam, would his motives be suspect by those posting here?

That you can guess his motivations for switching to the Catholic team tells us more about you than Jindal.

A guess is, by definition, conjecture. Take from that what you will.

Way OT - Louiecypher, is your name an "Angel Heart" reference? Because that would rock.

I don't think it's possible to really pin down why Jindal switched faiths. I don't think it's fair to try, either. I think it's unhealthy to dissect every segment of a politician's biography through the lens of his current political ambition. That's when you start seriously believing that, say, a war hero intentionally wounded himself in order to brag about a Purple Heart during his Presidential campaign thirty years later.

But of course it makes sense to evaluate a candidate on his current policies and speech. And that's where Jindal scares me. As much as many Desis don't like to admit it, we are minorities in this country. We do ourselves no favors by rebelling against that fact and pursuing retrograde policies. And while it's great that Jindal has been effective in reaching out to African Americans and fixing hurricane damage, I don't see how he could win and keep winning in the Louisiana GOP without courting some of its more "traditional" voters. I don't think this is good for Desis at all.

I don't think it's possible to really pin down why Jindal switched faiths. I don't think it's fair to try, either.

Fair enough. I really wasn't trying to point fingers at Jindal. He was just the most noteworthy example I could think of for the point I was trying to make.

Louiecypher

Please provide evidence that Jindal is trying to destroy separation of church and state. Screaming like chicken little doesnt make it so.

I'm neither Republican nor Democrat nor particularly religious or....non-religious but for all my Desi brothers and sisters preaching 'tolerance' and Jindal's apparent lack of it(I've never seen it personally and I doubt anyone else has either, it seems that simply being associated with Christianity and Conservatism relegates a brother to the pits of Uncle Tom-errry and Facism). It's just sort of ironic... those beating the drums of tolerance are the same folks playing the fiddle of prejudice. I'm confused.

Keep in mind india, sri lanka, wherever has a strong tradition of christian roots and it's not being very kind or tolerant to crucify Brother Jindal for his change of conscience.

Speaking of taxing toward religious institutions? There's also tax benefits and monies for Planned Parenthood and other organizations that lots of our christian brothers aren't particularly fond of.

The way I feel about religion, philosophy, whatever... is that no matter how much we want to run away from some ideology... in it's place will be a vacuum and something will come to replace that... be it rampant secularism/atheism/whatever... or religion. Either way, a moderate Catholic that ain't beating the war drums and reinstating any holy wars, crusades or anything else if fine with me. Give the brother a chance it seems like he's doing something right down there...

Jindal in 08' wha-wha-wha-what! Desi or Die. Let's go.

Vikram,

Please google = Jindal + abortion.

He has a very extreme stance. Maybe, you fully agree and endorse with him on his social issues but I would like to point it out for everyone else - just in case.

Also, please read wiki on him.

Jindal's views on abortion are somewhat extreme, considering they don't even allow for the mother's health exception that most pro-life advocates/voters are in favor of.

However, I think it goes too far to say this represents a destruction of the separation of church-and-state. After all, a person can be opposed to abortion for perfectly secular reasons. I don't know to what extent Jindal's views are influenced by his religion. The most we have to go on so far was his vote on the stem cell bill.

One "test" for whether his views are influenced by religion is to see whether his views on the death penalty match the views of his church. The Catholic church is opposed to death penalty, but most conservative politicians are in favor.

To wit, it appears Jindal is pro-death penalty.

So those of you worried about separation of church and state can breathe easy. Those of you worried about conservatives in general, watch out! :)

Neal:

Way OT - Louiecypher, is your name an "Angel Heart" reference? Because that would rock.

Vikram: How strange, this is what some people might call an example of synchronicity. Neal figures out that my moniker is from a movie that involves the ritual decapitation of chicken in voodoo and a very naked lisa bonet. And you liken me to a decapitated chicken. Hmmm...

I was about to go off on a reverie about meaningful coincidences but was then possessed by the spirit of Michael Shermer. Some joyless skeptic once said there is no way for us to differentiate between magic and sufficiently advanced technology. We have something called Google (pronounced "Goo+gull") that you might mistake for omniscience. I tell you that it is nothing of the sort but that's besides the point. What Goo-gull allows one to do is retrieve stuff like this
You can respond that you don't think that support for faith-based initiatives is problematic but try not to be stupid by asserting that Jindal is not pushing this issue

I do not think the end of the world is near when religous bodies take government money to perform civic tasks. I would think you would need to clear a high bar to prove a violation of the establishment clause. That being said this is not a nation founded in any way on religion, nor should it be. I am merely saying that you freak out over the little stuff you are not taken seriously when there is a clear violation of the constitution, e.g. jewish Air Force cadets being bombarded with religous material in order to get them to convert. Separtation of church and state is an important principle, but you seem to think any associate government has with religion is out of bounds. I do not.

Bobby Jindal seems to be a smart guy. I searched for info. about his wife Supriya.. Seems she is of Indian origin too (obvious from the name).. info about supriya..

link ..

... Unlike her husband who was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Supriya was born in India when her parents Jatinder and Shakun Jolly, who were living in the US, had gone back for a visit. She was raised in Baton Rouge. .. Supriya also converted to Roman Catholicism like her husband and has a covenant marriage. At present, she is pregnant with their second child.

During the final debate in a New Orleans television studio, Bobby had said, "Certainly, getting married to my beautiful wife -- and (his rival) Kathleen is right, I married better than I deserve. She's right to compliment me on my family because I don't deserve that…"

The Jindals met in high school -- Baton Rouge Magnet High -- but never dated. Both have admitted that he had asked for a date but Supriya turned him down because her family was moving to New Orleans, about 75 miles south of Baton Rouge.

After moving to New Orleans, she graduated from Grace King High School in 1989 with an above 4.0 GPA (grade point average) because of the advanced courses she took.

What's wrong if he (along with his wife) found "Jesus" for good reasons.. it's not that he's suffering because of the choice..
:-)

The other thing to keep an eye out for is the difference between who people say they will vote for and once the curtain on the booth is closed, who they actually vote for. Harold Ford Jr found this out this past election, and many others in the past as well (there is some name for this). White people might say they will vote for a person of color in polls but sometimes when it comes to pulling the lever it doesnt materialize. Just something to watch in how it all turns out.

I am not a fan of Jindal at all, but am still glad when there is some appearance of movement in who is electable. I agree that Jindal is the kind of conservative person of color who Republicans LOVE. This has been part of his fast track in his career. Any brown folks who want to sell out to a Republican party stance and are reasonably smart and charismatic can expect to go far. I think it allows them to alleviate some guilt about social policies that someone like Jindal comes to the forefront.

Any brown folks who want to sell out to a Republican party stance and are reasonably smart and charismatic can expect to go far. I think it allows them to alleviate some guilt about social policies that someone like Jindal comes to the forefront.

Right - cause Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton never sold out to the Democrats. The relationship between black people and the Democrats is often described as between two estranged lovers. Every four years, the Democrats come flowers in hand to black people, promising that they will no longer neglect their concerns in-between elections. But as soon as Election Day is over, Al Gore goes back to talking perfect English and Hillary stops serving ham hocks at lunch, and any talk of reforming public schools is silenced.

I think the Republican voters in Lousiana have come a long, long way. From being bat shit crazy and a majority of white males voting for David Duke to voting for Jindal, they certainly have come a long way and for that they need to be lauded.

I am merely saying that you freak out over the little stuff you are not taken seriously when there is a clear violation of the constitution

Touche. Somebody should remind the ACLU about this.

Jindal feels like an electable Dinesh D'Souza to me.

the fact is that in America if you do as the Americans you can be successful if you work hard (work smart? luck?) no matter where you are from. And this I think is something to be valued.

To quote my man, Kanye, "Even if you drive a Benz, you're still a N*** in a coupe."

Kramer please!! Kanye grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. As Carlos Mencia spoofed, "His momma's house is bigger than his." Yeah - I can see what that whole immigrants coming to America is justa bunch of hooey. That's why immigration rates keep falling, cause word got out America is unwelcoming of foreigners.

Tough crowd--- What ever happened to 'cream always rises to the top'? There should be no doubt that in between D'Souza and Jindal no matter how abhorrent their perspectives on matters that desi's care or don't care about that they are more than qualified to be public figures. Personally, I'd rather have Jindal in office than a host of other white/black/hispanic/democrat/liberatarian/republican/paleocon/neocon/whatevercategoryyouwishtoplace... He seems sincere and he seems from the heart. His conversion seems sincere esp. given that we have lots of brothers and sisters that have converted to every religion on the planet and ancestors that have as well... the Bobby part... welll... couldn't he have taken something cooler... Ambrose? Augustine? Bill-Cosby

I think you're missing the point, KXB.

It isn't so much that Kanye cannot succeed because he's from the 'hood. It's that people will always think he's from the 'hood (with everything that implies), even if he's stinkin' rich and incredibly successful. Unless of course Kanye decides to make like whitey, in which case he'll be held up as the role model all the other kids from the 'hood should emulate.

Anyone remember that guy, OJ Simpson?

Oh - a little footnote, Carlos Mencia's real name is Ned, but his agent told him to change it to Carlos. There's that bland American homogeniety. And Barry Obama became Barak, and former Maryland congressman Frizzell Gerald Gray decided to change it to Kweisi Mfume. Each one suffered for their un-American names.

Jews probably have it tougher with their names. Would Jon Stewart be as quoted if he stayed with Leibowitz? Jason Greenspan became Jason Alexander, Natalie Portman used to be Natalie Hershlag, and Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovich Demsky. So I guess Piyush becoming Bobby is just another way Indians try to mimic Jews.

KXB, what are you talking about? Kanye growing up in the suburbs does not undercut the point I was making (that regardless of "success" or social standing, many people of color face serious barriers to being "accepted" as having made it). I have no idea where you pulled your immigration craziness, but whatever.

SJ, but would you still vote for Jindal if you didn't agree with his political views? I'm not saying his opponents are or are not any better. I'm just saying that it blows my mind to hear people who would normally disagree with him as a candidate if he were any other ethnic/racial background back him up because he's brown.

It isn't so much that Kanye cannot succeed because he's from the 'hood. It's that people will always think he's from the 'hood (with everything that implies), even if he's stinkin' rich and incredibly successful. Unless of course Kanye decides to make like whitey, in which case he'll be held up as the role model all the other kids from the 'hood should emulate.

Hema - Kanye gets more grief from other black musicians than he does from whitey. The toughest criticism of his music comes from those who did grow up in tougher conditions than him, but he sells a preppie/street persona.

Kanye's just an example, KXB. Substitute "minority" as necessary.

KXB, what are you talking about? Kanye growing up in the suburbs does not undercut the point I was making (that regardless of "success" or social standing, many people of color face serious barriers to being "accepted" as having made it). I have no idea where you pulled your immigration craziness, but whatever.

Why are you so concerned with being "accepted"? Most people will not accept you for something, whether it is your ethnicity, your profession, your income - there will alsways be some reason. Will Jindal convince the left-leaning browns? Probably not, but all he has to focus on is the needs of the people of Louisiana. Again, to cite Romney and Schwarzenegger - neither man was a typical resident of their respective states, but the voters in those states believed them to be the better candidate.

Kanye's just an example, KXB. Substitute "minority" as necessary.

No - Kanye's a celebrity. Celebrities are different from you and me, which is why using them (particualrly when discussing an election) is not an apt comparison.

Whether Kanye is a celebrity or not is not the point at all. You're barking up the wrong tree.

The point is that minorities (even including celebrities like Kanye) never get quite the same reactions to their success as people in the majority do...until those minorities eliminate every vestige of their minority status, to the extent physicall possible.

That's what's wrong with the melting pot.

Whether Kanye is a celebrity or not is not the point at all. You're barking up the wrong tree.

The point is that minorities (even including celebrities like Kanye) never get quite the same reactions to their success as people in the majority do...until those minorities eliminate every vestige of their minority status, to the extent physically possible.

That's what's wrong with the melting pot.

So cool I had to say it twice!

Er, sorry about the double post...

KXB, perhaps you're being deliberately obtuse? My point is not "acceptance" in the high school clique context. Let me reorient the example, and perhaps that will help. Here are a series of anecdotal examples that may help:

1. At Harvard's medical hospital, a desi resident is walking out of a parking garage and is asked to park a doctor's car because the doctor "confuses" him for being the parking attendant, b/c of course all attendants are people of color and all doctors are white.

2. An Asian American woman whose family has lived in California since the 1800s is in a grocery store where she accidentally bumps into the cart of another shopper. When she begins to apologize, the (white) woman cuts her off, saying, "In America, we say excuse me."

3. A Latina woman joins an academic department as a new faculty member. When she arrives to move into her office, despite the fact that she is carrying a brief case and is dressed in a skirt & suit, a colleague asks if she is the new janitor on that floor.

These are just individual examples. My point behind these examples is NOT that people are racist, nor is it that any one group has a monopoly on making racist comments. I am specifically addressing the comment that "if you work hard in America you can make it." The fact of the matter is, if you work hard in America, SOME people make it. MANY people do not. A large number of people living at or below the poverty level are incredibly hard-working. I rarely see people in higher income brackets work 2-3 full time jobs, support other family members, engage in care-taking and housework, and still struggle at the margin.

While this overwhelmingly effects people on a class level, racism cuts across class-lines and makes it relevant for others as well, including highly educated desis who don't see racism in their daily life or don't think they experience racism and thus pretend it doesn't exist. And even if you do make it, at the end of the day it might not matter all that much because people probably won't take you very seriously anyway. If you are a person of color, and especially if you are an immigrant, you will have to contend with people assuming you are stupider, that you are fresh off the boat, that you are inherently foreign, that even if you are foreign you cannot speak English, that you are a leech on social services, that you do not deserve to succeed because you have somehow gotten to this place on something other than "merit" or "hard work," and the list continues. It is inaccurate and misleading to continue to perpetuate the myth that success is directly tied to a person's work ethic when it comes to social standing and socioeconomic advancement in the U.S., or anywhere, for that matter.

Any brown folks who want to sell out to a Republican party stance and are reasonably smart and charismatic can expect to go far. I think it allows them to alleviate some guilt about social policies that someone like Jindal comes to the forefront.

I'm glad to see how prejudice against Republicans/conservatives hasn't all that diminshed among some here. Talk about making sweeping assertions and generalizing. The guy is smart, dedicated, hard working, and has strong positions that don't necessarily line up with progressive desis. Ok, not a problem. But calling someone an uncle tom (yea, that is the undercurrent here) just reeks of intellectual dishonesty.

Lets take this step by step:

He converted to Christianity. So, if he converted to some other religion (other than that of the majority), but maintained his positions on [abortion, taxes, religion, healthcare...], then he wouldn't be 'playing' to the majority, hence it'd be cool, ya know.

So, the democratic party, the plank holder of being fair and giving all minorities an opportunity to move up into strong leadership positions, has done quite well for desis? Wait a minute, didn't Biden and Hillary stuff their foot in their respective mouths when they made 'jokes' about desis? There is an old boys club in both parties that maintains and desires to maintain control. Neither party is demonic nor are they clean. They're full of opportunistic politicians that are all trying to make a name for themselves.

Above all, why does Jindal owe solidarity with brown progressive types? Hell, if anything, Bobby Jindal (assuming the current crowd here, not bloggers, but us from the peanut gallery) is quite muntinous. He isn't your 'average' desi, his beliefs aren't of what the majority here like to see, and the guy works to his own convictions. Rock on. We need more, not necessarily of his political colors, but more that challenge conventional group think. Jindal is one of them.

I'm proud to call him an American first, I'm proud to disagree with him on several stances. But I won't compare him to a D'Souza because he simply hasn't become what D'Souza is today. There may be similarities between a young D'Souza and Bobby Jindal, but that's where it ends.

All that matters and should matter to Jindal is representing his constituents, people of Louisiana in a fair and clean way. It seems his youth and professionalism is what will win the race for him. How this pans out in the long run, time will tell. But for now, he's earning his stripes. And that I can respect.

He converted to Christianity. So, if he converted to some other religion (other than that of the majority), but maintained his positions on [abortion, taxes, religion, healthcare...], then he wouldn't be 'playing' to the majority, hence it'd be cool, ya know.

The real question is whether could get elected as an idol-worshipping Hindu in Louisiana, with rotund Ganeshas welcoming/sneering at his guests venturing into his living room. My guess: hell no.

then he wouldn't be 'playing' to the majority, hence it'd be cool, ya know.

Gujudude, he plays to the Louisiana majority. He is very mainstream conservative within Louisiana context.

You can support him with all your heart, and lot of people do. I need to question whether you really know his modus operandi, his platform, and core base before you go ra-ra. If you know it, and still support him, it is all cool by me, Jose. All cool, my man.

However, I am trying to tell you, he plays the "race card" very slyly. All his radio talk shows he used to do in Louisiana, are very playing to white fears of blue collar Louisiana of entitled minority taking away all the resources.

It is a classic Louisiana politics which is played on race and socio-economic lines.

African Americans and rich white will eventually support Blanco, and blue collar white Jindal.

GujuDude:

Why have you sold out to your oppressor? Do you hate yourself, or are you just trying to sleep with white women?

You can support him with all your heart, and lot of people do. I need to question whether you really know his modus operandi, his platform, and core base before you go ra-ra. If you know it, and still support him, it is all cool by me, Jose. All cool, my man.

African Americans and rich white will eventually support Blanco, and blue collar white Jindal.

My post was aimed at those throwing hate his way on stuff not related to his political positions, calling him a 'sell out' since he's a part of the Republican Party, etc (The ra-ra was a result of the brown man a republican = sellout analogy). Honestly, I haven't made my mind up. I've got mixed feelings. I recognize he IS a polarizing figure.

Again, debate his tactics, policy, positions, etc to death. I have no problem. Lets stay away from what a brown guy has to do to become a leader in the Republican Party. The top echelons of both political parties are full of elitists that don't see any room for minorities. What you say regarding race baiting, classic LA politics, etc, I'm not as familiar. I don't live there. It's just funny how strong of a hate response one evokes for being either conservative or a convert to christianity, or both and being brown.

Guys like Jindal add 'color' to politics. He is an interesting figure. And if there is one place in the South that a unique character can come from, it has to be LA. Confederacy of Dunes man (Colorful characters).

An analysis here says he is faring worst in the districts that are more 'heavily' re-aligned with republicans. It would be interesting to see if there is a strong shift from the folks you noted: Rich whites and African Americans in support of Jindal and places that are blue collar white away from him. Politicans are an opportunistic bunch. With wider support (and in trying to hold said support), he may shift center (Like Clinton did when he became President)

An analysis here says he is faring worst in the districts that are more 'heavily' re-aligned with republicans.

Ah, North Louisiana. It gets little complicated in the Protestant stronghold, that behaves more like Texas.

I lived in Louisiana for 7 years. Six in Baton Rouge in 90s, and one in Lafayette (2001-2002). I have friends who strongly support Jindal but none of them are for the reasons you wrote in your comment.

His core base is a white blue-collar working class man, especially South Louisiana. As ALM said, he gets his strength from the group that once voted for David Duke. His Congress constituency is Southeast Louisiana (white suburbs of New Orleans). He is very against entitlements, and lot of people like him for that, I'll give you that. That is where, along with his abortion stance, he derives his real strength.

Blanco is from Lafayette, and he beat her on her home turf in last governor elections. If African Americans had not bonded very strongly with Blanco, and rich white (on her TV debate, she talked about the death of her teenage son, and her husband is one of the deans and former football coach of UL, Lafayette, and that closely connected with richer people in Louisiana), Bobby Jindal would have won last time.

His mentor is Mike Foster, who used to be governor before Blano. He is very, very, very much of the establishment. Jindal is a right-wing mainstream Louisiana politician. Some people really like him, Nothing wrong.

However, I got the feeling from your comments that you know more about Darfur, than Louisiana politics. It amused me that you made him some kind of Jimmy Stewart in your imagination, which he is not.

Ta Ta, Gujudude.

Jimmy Stewart? That was funny ( and not with any snark, I mean, I actually liked that line).

Like I said, in these quarters (Sepiamutiny), the guy isn't popular (therefore mutinous). Which is ok. But I simply don't like the knee jerk republican=baaad=brown republican- Even worse! [For the record, I vote for both parties. Yes, I'm not a dirrrty conservative, nor a filthy hippie :)] I probably have my head up my fourth point of contact when trying to figure out LA politics. Everytime I think I know something about it, I wind up being wrong, outdated, or just stuck in bayou's swamp. Back to the reading board.

It's been a long day and my ears are still ringing, having spent the whole day in a loud factory.

Peace be upon you, Sir.