Jindal's Heritage Touches Nerve {in Louisiana Gubernatorial Campaign}

Shreveport, LA, Times ^ | 11-09-03 | AP

[Theodore R.]

Posted on November 10, 2003 Republican Bobby Jindal's campaign to become the first Indian-American governor in American history has touched a nerve with some Pakistani-Americans, who are lining up to support Democrat Kathleen Blanco of Lafayette in Saturday's runoff.

The support culminated during an Oct. 21 fund-raiser for Blanco in Lake Charles sponsored by the Pakistani-American Business Association of Louisiana, which gave Blanco $50,000 for her campaign.

[Theodore R.]

Pakistani-American Business Association of Louisiana, which gave Blanco $50,000 for her campaign.

Who would have thought that Indian-Pakistani rivalry would show up in a Louisian election!

[B.O. Plenty]

Is this a great Country, or what?.....fun isn't it?

[Guillermo]

Well, since the Pakistani's don't like him, I guess that makes him unqualified.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Indian-American would seem to be different from American-Indian.

Hyphen

[Paradox]

Folks, leave your baggage behind, this is AMERICA...

[OldFriend]

Pakistani's donated heavily to her heinous' campaign as well.

[BIGZ]

Now we see the problem, in the 1800s and early 1900s immigrants came to this country to be Americans, the new arrivals and some of the old arrivals want to retain their culture and only take the economic gains that can only be asttained in this country. We all should be Americans not Afro-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Pakistani-Americans, Cuban-Americans, One Nation,Under God, with liberty and justice for all. This can't be gained with hyphons.

[gaspar]

Could someone tell me why Motel 6 (French-owned) seemingly hires only Pakistanis to manage their miserable franchises?

[Theodore R.]

I've noticed that many of the motel chains hire Asians to run them, and I believe that most are Pakistanis. Sometimes the motels reek of some kind of incense burning. Could there be some kind of training offered that attracts Pakistanis. Maybe they are low-wage positions. Sorry I cannot answer your question, but I too have noted your observation.

[HitmanLV]

"I think it's a kind of unforeseen fear that if Bobby Jindal gets elected he might push things that are against the Pakistani interest," said Ashraf Abbasi of Port Arthur, Texas, president of the Pakistani-American Congress.

What a non-story.

This is a hit piece on Jindal - they find some nutjob worried about the 'Pakistani Interest' and run with a story, suggesting a trend or momentum.

Not much serious mention as to what, exactly, the Pakistani interest is, in the Louisiana Governors election.

Awful.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I find it fascinating that the Shreveport Times reports in a totally straightforward manner on the fact that "Jindal's Indian heritage has some Pakistanis worried."

What if white voters donated money to oppose a black candidate, stating that "the candidates's African-American heritage has some white people worried"?

You can be sure that the Shreveport Times and virtually all other media would react with shock and outrage. But a little ethnic stereotyping aimed at a candidate with an Indian background, and a Republican to boot? No problem!

[Theodore R.]

However, the Shreveport Times has endorsed Jindal. I guess the news pages have a different slant than the editorial page.

[Theodore R.]

Good point, Theodore Roosevelt once said that "a hyphenated-American is no American at all."

[Toskrin]

The Pakistanis should find a comfortable home in the Party of Bigotry.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I'm not from Louisiana, but vaguely did recall that the Shreveport Times is fairly conservative editorially. As you point out, there could well be a disconnect between the editorial page and the news page.

That situation pertains in spades, for example, at the Wall St. Journal, where the editorial page is of course conservative, but the news pages are dominated by liberals, led by Washington Bureau Chief Mr. Judy Woodruff (AKA Al Hunt).

[Theodore R.]

The Shreveport Times is NO LONGER conservative on the editorial page either. But it did endorse Jindal as the superior of the two candidates. In 2002, the Times was for Mary Landrieu. Its sister publication in Monroe endorsed Blanco for governor, but the News-Star had gone for Republican Terrell in the Senate race in 2002.

Jindal got quite a few editorial endorsements.

[Consort]

In 1904, in a letter to his son, Kermit, Teddy Roosevelt wrote:

"In politics things at the moment seem to look quite right, but every form of lie is being circulated by the Democrats, and they intend undoubtedly to spring all kinds of sensational untruths at the very end of the campaign."

That description of the Democrats is timeless.

[Theodore R.]

Thomas E. Dewey, whom Alice Roosevelt Longworth, said looked like the "little man on the wedding cake," claimed that "he could not "outpromise a Democrat if I tried. A Democrat will promise anything to anybody to get a vote." Of course, some of his fellow Republicans said that Dewey was acting "me-too" in his 1944 and 1948 campaigns.

[deport]

I thought the low priced/budget motels were operated by the Indian groups and the Pakistanis were in the convinence store business or so it seems in places I've noticed. Check the owner/operator last name and if it's Patel they are Indian.

[Coop]

So what's Jindal's position on the Kashmir? :-p