Louisiana is poised to elect the first Indian American (not to be confused with American Indian) governor in America.
If Bobby Jindal were elected this would be a great stride for America and especially the South, which has tried to live down the negative perception of the “solid racist Republican South.”
He’s got an impressive rsum for his young age of 32. He is an honors graduate of Brown University with a double degree in biology and public policy. He then graduated from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar.
At age 24, he was appointed head of Louisiana’s Department of Health and Hospitals where he is credited for converting the state’s Medicaid deficit into a surplus. He then served as president of the University of Louisiana system and as an assistant secretary of the federal Department of Health and Human Services in the Bush Administration.
Larry Sabato, renowned authority on American politics, said of Jindal’s chances a few months ago, “He doesn’t sound like a Louisianan and he is of Indian decent, and I’m going to be very impressed if Louisiana is progressive enough to elect somebody that doesn’t look like white bread.”
I guess Louisiana progressed quickly.
In the Louisiana open primary, Jindal, a Republican, garnered 33 percent of the votes in a 17-way contest, far ahead of Democrat Lt. Gov. Kathleen Blanco who picked up 18 percent.
She will face Jindal in the November general election.
Ashley Bell, a black student at LSU Law School who serves as chairman of the College Democrats of America said, “Jindal is Arab American and the Republican’s token attempt to mend bridges long burnt with the Arab American community.”
I could have sworn that Jindal is an American-born son of Indian, not Arab immigrants. Bell then referred to him as “Bush’s personal ‘Do Boy’ Bobby Jindal.”
In response from internal party criticism, he went on to say something more outlandish. “I love the energy we all put into being politically correct-it keeps us all on our toes. In a recent e-mail describing the Republican nominee in Louisiana Bobby Jindal, I used what local news has termed Arab American-but in fact Indian American is the politically correct terminology.”
When has India ever been considered an Arab country?
Race should not be a factor against Jindal, who has unimpeachable credentials.
I spoke with an LSU fan at our recent football match-up. He spoke highly of Jindal’s credentials and said he donated $1,000 to him.
Jindal’s win would prove that race isn’t as big of a factor when you have credentials and your beliefs are in line with the people you seek to represent.
Doug Wilder, a black Democrat who was elected governor of Virginia, knew this best. He ran on a platform of Virginia values and he won.
Bobby Jindal is running on a platform on Louisiana values and he now has the momentum to win.
Edward Sanders is a sophomore political science major. He can be reached at [email protected].