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First Minority Governor in Louisiana Knows How to Play by the Rules
Bobby Jindal, a "son of Indian immigrants," made history as the first non-white governor of Louisiana since Reconstruction and the first ever Indian American governor. Throughout his campaign, though, Jindal downplayed his ethnicity.
This is common practice among minority politicians, claiming that their ethnicity is not really an issue—that hard work will get you anywhere in America, regardless of race, gender, education, and income— as they tell their parents' immigration story in the same breath. Jindal's victory speech reminded Louisiana citizens that his parents came to this country to pursue the American Dream. He added, "My parents have seen what I have seen, that in America and specifically in Louisiana -- the only barrier to success is your willingness to work hard and play by the rules."
Those rules apparently mean appealing to the conservative, Christian, and white voting base in Louisiana. Jindal supports "intelligent design" over evolution in public school education, is anti-abortion, and is looking to revoke hate crime laws.
While it is hard to deny the significance of Jindal's victory as a non-white in a state known for its contentious racial politics, it is less so considering his views pander to the conservative voting bloc.
—Neha Inamdar
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I don't know whether to celebrate or simply be upset. Going on record as being against hate crimes laws seems to be code for "I hate gays (and other minorities)" How could this be a victory for any thoughtful minority?
And how could teaching something ("intelligent design") that is not backed up by research or scholarship, teaching it alongside academic subjects in a school, how could that be any kind of victory? I hope that now that he is elected, he will return to his senses, or learn some sense.
Jindal is a far-right-wing, fast-talking opportunist wonk who held positions in the Bush administration before entering Louisiana politics. He is not just "against abortion," but opposed to any type of abortion, including a procedure to save a woman's life. He has made it plain that he believes that Christianity should be part of the school system. He is the worst thing that could happen to Louisiana, and he won by a landslide in an open primary.
Diane, you talk like you are anti-Indian. Are you afraid we are going to take your job? We work hard, as Jindal did and he deserves what he got. You don't live in Louisiana, you don't know what is good for us. Stop preaching to us.
I am deeply disturbed by the last gubernatorial election in Louisiana, and unconvinced that the voters of that state bought into the propaganda that the Democratic Governor was to blame for the willful breakdown in New Orleans.
Is it known how many displaced citizens voted in the Louisiana election and whether their removal and
relocation during this time constitutes a violation of
the law?
The current governor, a republican functioned as a
lightning rod absorbing the backlash of outrage at the
republican party by selling him as the first Indian
governor of the State. It obfuscates the larger issue
of deliberate manipulation of the city's disenfranchised electorate. Can we know how many people were disenfranchised and the new composite of voters district by district?