Being against abortion and thinking hate crime laws aren't useful makes one a bigot? I mean if you don't agree with his political ideology I could see something like saying he was just wrong or misguided, but a bigot?
Maybe he converted to Christianity because it called to him spiritually. Maybe he became a republican because he believes in smaller government. Maybe he doesn't like hate crime laws because he feels all crime is a hate crime. And maybe he did all these things because he wants to find a political niche and further his career. Either way, you can agree or disagree, but I don't think that makes him a bigot.
For the record, I disagree with just about everything Jindal supports. I couldn't care less why he supports it. I have my theories on why he supports them, but it's really moot.
Wow! What a discussion about Jindal! Can we agree the guy has a chance to make a very positive impact on government in Louisiana? If there is such a thing as a political cesspool, the Dem party in that state is one. If Jindal can effect some of the changes he promised, he deserves a lot of credit. If he ever enters national politics in a big way, he will be torn apart and dissected like in this thread, only much worse. I think he will have a very tough time.
He was the central figure in it. I remember watching the news coverage and the man was front and center the entire time. Blame the media if you want for highlighting that, but when people hear "Million Man March", Farrakhan immediately springs to mind. Any minority who joins the GOP is a sellout and a traitor? That's a pretty offensive accusation. What do you base that on? Are people like J.C. Watts, Michael Steele, Ken Blackwell, Colin Powell, Condi Rice, Mel Martinez, and Clarence Thomas all traitors?
I'd prefer for Indians to vote on the issues, but that's the nature of the matter... How weird is it for minorities to be held to a standard where they're forced to integrate and encouraged to assimilate only to be criticized for integrating too much? By weird, I mean standard. It just means that Hispanics or any other minority should act like "Americans", but don't think of getting into politics and think of winning. Moving to the center means that you've sold out.
I'm Indian and I would have voted for him in that election because he will be a better governor. I still think he's a douchenozzle, but that's a separate issue. It's not a matter of integrating too much. It's a matter of standing up for your principles. When integrating requires you to abandon part of who you are, that's too much.
That would be covered under the same concept as when I made the following statement earlier in the thread: "If he converted because he felt a connection with Catholicism, more power to him. If he turned his back on his culture in order to further his political aspirations, I think it's fine for the Indian community to turn their back on him." As I said, if he converted religions because he truly believes in that religion, that's great. Nothing wrong with that at all. But if he has made changes just so he can be accepted in political life - in effect denying his true self - that's pathetic. The guy I knew wasn't Catholic. If he had a revelation that made him change, I'm wrong. On the other hand, if he is the guy I knew back in the day, then he would be willing to do anything for political success, including lie. I don't respect liars. And I'm not even very religious. This ain't a religious or cultural thing to me. It's about knowing who you are.
One of the many great things about American culture is that it doesn't require you to be of a certain religion to be American. Me and tractor-dude look at this differently
In American politics, yes unfortunately. I also don't know if being a Catholic Republican is a political strength. I guess he took the middle ground of sell out-ness, but his political road would've been easier if he chose a Baptist or Episcopal denomination. I don't know Gov. Jindal that well to know who he truly is. Frankly, I don't know any politician that well, but it seems to me that Bobby would be put under an unfair standard if this issue becomes a big one. It would have to take a colossal and undeniable string of slick calculations for it to influence me.
Maybe not Episcopal, but I thought there's a decent amount of Baptists in the South. I guess he's not far sighted enough and the Presidency wasn't in his plans.
So if I were born in Spain as a Roman Catholic and converted to another faith later in life...that would make me a sell out? That would make me no longer a Spanard? Some of you guys are really bizarre.
