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I attended a recent political fundraiser where most of the people were wealthy indian-americans (on the east coast). Almost all of the group are Democrats but everyone said they had donated money to Neel Kashkari's CA gov bid.
I asked them if they had done the same in the past for Bobby Jindal or Nikki Haley's campaigns and none of them had.
Now all three are Republicans (though Kashkari is socially much more in line with D's....pro choice, pro ssm, supports enhanced background checks on firearms, etc).
Everyone pretty much said, with Neel - he isn't a 'sell out' or acts 'ashamed' of his roots - he never changed his name, his religion, etc.
However with the two southern governors, the attendees felt that they were sellouts to some extent - i.e. essentially saying that their actions seemed to indicate they had to 'walk back' on their ethnicity/culture in order to have political viability in the south.
Very interesting that it isn't "republican" that is an issue with this donor group but a sense of respect.
It is interesting but I'm not so sure that you have interpreted it correctly. My mother was of Swedish extraction; I was given a typical American (English) name, not Tor, Swen, etc. It would never have occurred to me to think that she was a "sellout."
Conservatism is out of fashion, and has been for a long time. It is much more fashionable to be against guns in the hands of the individual, against so-called "same sex marriage," and pro-choice (I am pro-choice btw). Perhaps the phenomenon you're seeing is just people going with what is fashionable, not wishing to go against the tide.
A rose is a rose; I could not care less whether Jindal is called 'Bobby' or 'Piyush,' which seems to be libs' preferred appellation. It is his ideas and policies that matter to me. That is what makes him a hero to me.
I call people what they call themselves. Just recently I met a young man named 'Andrew.' I heard others calling him 'Andy' so I asked him whether he preferred 'Andrew' or 'Andy.' He answered 'Andy' so now he is 'Andy' to me for all time. That to me is respect.
It is interesting but I'm not so sure that you have interpreted it correctly. My mother was of Swedish extraction; I was given a typical American (English) name, not Tor, Swen, etc. It would never have occurred to me to think that she was a "sellout."
Conservatism is out of fashion, and has been for a long time. It is much more fashionable to be against guns in the hands of the individual, against so-called "same sex marriage," and pro-choice (I am pro-choice btw). Perhaps the phenomenon you're seeing is just people going with what is fashionable, not wishing to go against the tide.
A rose is a rose; I could not care less whether Jindal is called 'Bobby' or 'Piyush,' which seems to be libs' preferred appellation. It is his ideas and policies that matter to me. That is what makes him a hero to me.
I call people what they call themselves. Just recently I met a young man named 'Andrew.' I heard others calling him 'Andy' so I asked him whether he preferred 'Andrew' or 'Andy.' He answered 'Andy' so now he is 'Andy' to me for all time. That to me is respect.
Were your parents directly swedish immigrants and you were the first generation born in the US?
Not sure if Kashkari is all that 'fashionable' given his role in TARP and his economic vision for california (i.e. atleast with this group his economic policies wouldn't be accepted).
However, there was a huge difference in how he was being viewed by this group of highly educated and highly successful indian-americans and how jindal and haley are/were viewed (as i said, these indian-americans were not of the same party as kashkari).
Were your parents directly swedish immigrants and you were the first generation born in the US?
Not sure if Kashkari is all that 'fashionable' given his role in TARP and his economic vision for california (i.e. atleast with this group his economic policies wouldn't be accepted).
However, there was a huge difference in how he was being viewed by this group of highly educated and highly successful indian-americans and how jindal and haley are/were viewed (as i said, these indian-americans were not of the same party as kashkari).
No, my mother's grandfather was a Swedish immigrant. Are you telling me that a first generation US-born with an Americanized name is a 'sellout,' but 2nd, 3rd, or 4th is not? Seems a little arbitrary. Perhaps what we need here is a precise definition of 'sellout.'
My grandfather had a typical American male name (Bob), and was first generation US-born, so surely he would qualify as a 'sellout' even if I would not.
This 'sell out' mindset is symptomatic of the change in our country's immigrants from the late 19th century and early to mid-century (19--) immigrants who wanted to be part of the American melting pot melange to today's equal in all ways, but separate in identity and culture. In many cases this extends to separate communities, including financial, healthcare, religious institutions.
I don't think one has to give up cultural identity necessarily to become part of the American fabric, but I do believe it is important to come together, rather than stand apart. Europe is certainly paying the price for their multiculturalism.
Btw, Neil is a pretty 'Americanized' name. Sort of like Bobby, or Nikki,
I attended a recent political fundraiser where most of the people were wealthy indian-americans (on the east coast). Almost all of the group are Democrats but everyone said they had donated money to Neel Kashkari's CA gov bid.
I thought minority Democrats weren't allowed to be 1 percenters. Isn't that like in the Democrat Party rules and regulations or something? Wealthy minorities = Uncle Toms (sorry, don't know the Indian-American equivalent).
I thought minority Democrats weren't allowed to be 1 percenters. Isn't that like in the Democrat Party rules and regulations or something? Wealthy minorities = Uncle Toms (sorry, don't know the Indian-American equivalent).
indian-americans are the highest earning ethnicity in the country.
This 'sell out' mindset is symptomatic of the change in our country's immigrants from the late 19th century and early to mid-century (19--) immigrants who wanted to be part of the American melting pot melange to today's equal in all ways, but separate in identity and culture. In many cases this extends to separate communities, including financial, healthcare, religious institutions.
I don't think one has to give up cultural identity necessarily to become part of the American fabric, but I do believe it is important to come together, rather than stand apart. Europe is certainly paying the price for their multiculturalism.
Btw, Neil is a pretty 'Americanized' name. Sort of like Bobby, or Nikki,
it's actually neel - which is a very indian name and it means blue. it comes directly from Sanskrit.
neil on the other hand is gaelic and it means champion.
completely different meanings and roots even though they sound the same.
Thanks for the correction. That they sound the same may be why he didn't change it, or not. Certainly, there are other successful Indo-immigrants, or at least East Asian (so as not to offend if they are not in fact Indian by birth), who felt no need to make the change.
Two examples off the top of my heard are Pepsico's INDRA K. NOOYI and Microsoft's Satya Nadella.
Still, as I wrote about earlier, the changing of a name to become part of the American fabric as a litmus test for support is an alien mindset to me. But, then I'm English/German; a basic WASP. Maybe I just don't get it.
To me the English are pretentious, foolishly so, which is why the Sun set on their empire early last century. The Germans I admire greatly for their discipline and focus on the basics, though they certainly have their share of ugliness. So, I am neither ashamed of, nor excessively attached to my heritage. It just is.
I'm an American.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mufc1878
it's actually neel - which is a very indian name and it means blue. it comes directly from Sanskrit.
neil on the other hand is gaelic and it means champion.
completely different meanings and roots even though they sound the same.
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indian-americans are the highest earning ethnicity in the country.
