Indian-American overcomes race to become La governer

It doesn't matter what race he is. He is really smart and has done well where he has gone. He deserves what he got.

 

I'm sure a lot of people were upset at Bush / FEMA but other than being GOP I don't know how much Jindal had identified with Bush. I have a hard time seeing this as somehow people feeling better about the GOP rather than just being pissed at the Blanco Admin.. The article in the original post indicates that it is anger over Blanco.

 

You're all class.

 

From working in Louisiana during Katrina and Rita and recovery, I can tell you that the distaste with Blanco, et al., way out-weighs any complaints about the Federal Government. Blanco was generally considered to be way over her head, and completely incompetent. A lot of "worst politician in the world" comments were made about her. A lot of Louisianans from Baton Rouge north and west see Bush as trying, rather poorly, to clean up Blanco's and Nagin's mess. And they all want to know where the $114BB of Federal recovery money went. The perception, real or not, is that a lot went to fatten local and state bureaucrat pockets. And it's not just Hurricane recovery. Schools are worse, crime is much worse, all while property taxes have jumped through the roof.

 

what's your point, he's not the first minority to win public office in la. his win means more than all others?

 

Is being Indian really a big problem in Lousiana?

 

In many places in Louisiana (especially central Louisiana where I've been quite a bit), being non-white is a very big daily problem. It would probably blow your mind. Seriously. When I moved to Houston from the midwest 20+ years ago, the different culture and attitudes here were a mild shock and quite the education. Houston has evolved a lot since then. Later on when I started going to Louisiana on a regular basis, I was totally stunned at some things I saw. This is why I mocked the ignorant comment about being "focused on fighting every slight you perceive from everyone or you can focus on being successful". Fortunately, 99.99% of people DO focus on their own lives.

In all fairness, other states have problems too. Texas and Louisiana are the only southern states I have much experience with.

 

I'd be happier if he wasn't one of the biggest pro-war enablers in Congress, let alone a fundamentalist who wants to allow the teaching of creationism in science classes. He seems like a bright man and his goal of ethics reform is admirable, though.

 

why are you comparing him to al sharpton and jesse jackson. there's a black guy who is about to run for president who is a senator. again, he isn't the first minority to win an important position in the south.

 

Ethics reform in Louisiana makes me laugh. The people of Louisiana would elect Edwin Edwards governor the day after he gets out of prison, if they could.

 

I don't care as long as I can still drink on the street when I visit NOLA

 

you can make this thread about any minority, why don't you make one about tiger woods, about barack obama about anybody. what did this guy prove any differently.

what does sharpton and jackson have to do with this

 

no, if that was the case i'd be hooking up with white women left and right...sadly i am just hooking up with white women on my left only.


just trying to live the dream

/chris rock

 

Dude...what are you talking about? You do realize that he converted from his religion and preaches Biblical stuff in order to fit in, right? You realize that is an attempt to make people overlook the fact that he is Indian, right? You understand that he had to give up some of his personal beliefs in order to get this office, right?

I know all the stories about him converting as a teenager because his profound love for Catholicism. I knew him as a teenager (though I knew his younger brother better than him). Based on what I remember, I don't buy his story.

He's using religion to minimize the fact that he's brown. He may not have ever been a religious person, so maybe it's not a big deal, but he couldn't have won the office if he had been himself.

That being said, he's a smart dude and he'll probably do a better job for the state than most of LAs politicians have ever done. I wish him well.

 

I see the title of the article as a double standard. In an ideal world where race bares no issue, people would not see the color of ones skin. Simply putting "indian-american" screams for people to come out of the wood work and start controversy. Putting someones ethnic title before their nationality title is segregation.

 

they should put out a pamphlet of great indian-american achievements in politics like they did for famous jewish sports stars.

 

the irony is delicious