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I know nothing about California. But in the southern states Indian Americans are not too concerned about immigration being restricted under Trump. I meant the Indian American who are citizens, not the one who are here on H-1B visas and cannot vote but are the loudest anti Trump people.
The reasons
1. Many of the well off, successful Indians have come to this country long ago and have assimilated, to the point that current immigration currently from India does not matter to them. What matters is how much taxes they pay and how they will climb the American ladder of success, not how many come here on H-1B visas.
2. There is also an element of self preservation. For now the H-1B coming from India are replacing the white and black IT workers here. Who knows, the next thing they might do is replace the older established Indians in IT here, who are citizens of USA. Better to shut the door of the H-1B before it happens. Also, when the flow of H-1B from India drops the demand for these green card holder and US citizen Indians who are in IT skyrockets and they command much higher salary. Who would not want that.
Well, I'm in California, and in particular, Silicon Valley, which has a very large and substantial South Asian community - some of whom are my neighbors. And many if not most of them are well educated professionals.
They're pretty overwhelmingly Democratic in political allegiance (regardless of their cultural or social traditionalism) And we're talking of the citizens who CAN vote.
Are Indo-Americans considered to be more conservative (politically) than other Asian Americans? From my standpoint and experience, not necessarily. Vietnamese Americans tended to lean more Republican - they're like Cuban Americans, a refugee community that fled Communism, and a lot of them are in places like Orange County, CA, which tended to lean Republican. But even that situation is changing - as the younger generations aren't as motivated by the emigre politics of anti-Communism - while Vietnam is also opening up. Not unlike younger Cuban Americans as well. In the San Jose area, they are more Democratic leaning than their cohorts in SoCal.
Well, I'm in California, and in particular, Silicon Valley, which has a very large and substantial South Asian community - some of whom are my neighbors. And many if not most of them are well educated professionals.
They're pretty overwhelmingly Democratic in political allegiance (regardless of their cultural or social traditionalism) And we're talking of the citizens who CAN vote.
Are Indo-Americans considered to be more conservative (politically) than other Asian Americans? From my standpoint and experience, not necessarily. Vietnamese Americans tended to lean more Republican - they're like Cuban Americans, a refugee community that fled Communism, and a lot of them are in places like Orange County, CA, which tended to lean Republican. But even that situation is changing - as the younger generations aren't as motivated by the emigre politics of anti-Communism - while Vietnam is also opening up. Not unlike younger Cuban Americans as well. In the San Jose area, they are more Democratic leaning than their cohorts in SoCal.
As you have pointed out - Indian Americans citizens in USA are not a homogeneous group. It depends on where they live and how voting for a particular person will affect them personally. I have been to fundraisers for local republican candidates organized by the well off Indians. Here people vote more for a person and his views rather than a party and the fiscally conservative section of Indians are more likely to vote republican. But they are pretty silent about it and will never put up MAGA or Trump for President signs on their lawns, even if they vote for him in the polling booth.
Coming to the basic premise of the thread, it is not appropriate to label somebody as conservative or liberal just on how you voted in 2016 Elections.
Many Bernie Sanders supporters voted for Trump. What would you call them ??
In 2008 Elections, many Hillary Clinton supporters voted for John McCain. What would you call them?
Most Indian Americans are supporters of Modi in India-a Right Wing Regime. Just because they voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 elections doesnt make them "Liberal" by any imagination. That vote was to save their H-1B visas or backlash against immigrants. Their citizenship does not prevent them against general racism against immigrants. Whether illegal or Visa or citizen, they will always be called "Indian" in this country !!!
Sorry but have to LOL at the bold since around here there are many threads that indicate that because black people vote for Democrats that makes them "liberals." I'm black and know black people are not all that liberal and I actually consider myself to be "more" liberal than a majority of black people (primarily because I am not religious - am an atheist, I'm very staunchly pro-choice, I'm not a homophobe, and a variety of other liberally social stances I have) yet I am one of only a small amount of black people in my circle who has actually voted for a Republican lol.
I think it is important to realize that no one is completely a specific type of liberal or conservative unless they are just following what their chosen media tells them to do/say/think and even then, they will contradict themselves since media in general is contradictory.
Quote:
Originally Posted by silverkris
Well, I'm in California, and in particular, Silicon Valley, which has a very large and substantial South Asian community - some of whom are my neighbors. And many if not most of them are well educated professionals.
They're pretty overwhelmingly Democratic in political allegiance (regardless of their cultural or social traditionalism) And we're talking of the citizens who CAN vote.
Are Indo-Americans considered to be more conservative (politically) than other Asian Americans? From my standpoint and experience, not necessarily. Vietnamese Americans tended to lean more Republican - they're like Cuban Americans, a refugee community that fled Communism, and a lot of them are in places like Orange County, CA, which tended to lean Republican. But even that situation is changing - as the younger generations aren't as motivated by the emigre politics of anti-Communism - while Vietnam is also opening up. Not unlike younger Cuban Americans as well. In the San Jose area, they are more Democratic leaning than their cohorts in SoCal.
I totally agree with the above in regards to Vietnamese Americans in particular, they and Chinese Americans IMO (and that is just in my circle) have been a bit more conservative, but even they have immigration concerns. Most of my Vietnamese American friends/associates came here as refugees as children and they are now married/have families of their own and they don't like the demonization that Trump in particular has put on refugee families and the ridiculous pandering of conservative media about refugees. The main Chinese Americans who I know who are now showing their conservative side they are actually business owners and they have business interests in China and they've admitted that Trump seems to have a fondness for Chinese business for his own interests and so that only stands to help them out in their own. So it is not a personal or political liking, it is more towards business.
I'll note, I don't mind Trump thus far only because I haven't suffered either financially under him. I've always thought he was an a$$hole too but, again, I'd never vote for him. He is too classless for my taste and too unprofessional for my liking. I have some standards that I like for public officials to have when they are representing me.
As you have pointed out - Indian Americans citizens in USA are not a homogeneous group. It depends on where they live and how voting for a particular person will affect them personally. I have been to fundraisers for local republican candidates organized by the well off Indians. Here people vote more for a person and his views rather than a party and the fiscally conservative section of Indians are more likely to vote republican. But they are pretty silent about it and will never put up MAGA or Trump for President signs on their lawns, even if they vote for him in the polling booth.
Well, I know of some Indian Americans who went out and raised some $ for Bobby Jindal because he was Desi, then got really disappointed with him for his policies. They pretty much wised up.
Just like I may have the same ethnicity as Elaine Chao but I've never cared for her policies in the Bush and Trump administration. And I loathe her husband, Senator McConnell.
Asians don't necessarily have to always be a minority, as in a group of people different from the white American majority. They could theoretically assimilate, and many have. The concept of the "model minority" is offensive to many Asians.
However voting patterns show that Asians tend to become more liberal over succeeding generations. Maybe this is assimilation, to the liberal upper middle class, but I would also interpret it as a stalling out of the assimilation process.
I'm Asian American of Chinese/Taiwanese descent and here's my take on this.
- Many first generation Asian immigrants (LEGAL ones) are conservative because they have conservative values from their native culture, and also because many fled communism and socialism (much like Cuban Americans)
- The second generation Asians who live in places like New York, California etc are mostly liberal because they've assimilated into that culture, especially the college brainwashed culture. Many of them are in an Asian American subculture that's different from their parents and still separate from mainstream America
- Second generation Americans like myself who didn't grow up around an Asian subculture and had a very classic American upbringing. Many of us are conservative just like our friends and neighbors of other backgrounds.
I also think there are more Asians than Indians who are illegal and whom benefit from DACA. Thankfully this doesn't apply to anyone in my family. Most Indians are also upper class while there are more poor Vietnamese, Hmong, Chinese immigrants etc.
I'm Asian American of Chinese/Taiwanese descent and here's my take on this.
- Many first generation Asian immigrants (LEGAL ones) are conservative because they have conservative values from their native culture, and also because many fled communism and socialism (much like Cuban Americans)
- The second generation Asians who live in places like New York, California etc are mostly liberal because they've assimilated into that culture, especially the college brainwashed culture. Many of them are in an Asian American subculture that's different from their parents and still separate from mainstream America
- Second generation Americans like myself who didn't grow up around an Asian subculture and had a very classic American upbringing. Many of us are conservative just like our friends and neighbors of other backgrounds.
I also think there are more Asians than Indians who are illegal and whom benefit from DACA. Thankfully this doesn't apply to anyone in my family. Most Indians are also upper class while there are more poor Vietnamese, Hmong, Chinese immigrants etc.
I'm of the same ethnicity as you and my views are diametrically opposite of yours.
Asian Americans in California have been here for over 100 years - and we ARE in the mainstream here - especially in the Bay Area. We're just one of many. We serve in local government, we are cops, bus drivers, teachers, physicians - you name it. In fact, our culture influences much of the region. And there's heck of a lot more of us than you. Forget your strawman reference to white progressives - we have our own identity that is unique, we've been here longer than they have.
Well, I'm in California, and in particular, Silicon Valley, which has a very large and substantial South Asian community - some of whom are my neighbors. And many if not most of them are well educated professionals.
They're pretty overwhelmingly Democratic in political allegiance (regardless of their cultural or social traditionalism) And we're talking of the citizens who CAN vote.
Are Indo-Americans considered to be more conservative (politically) than other Asian Americans? From my standpoint and experience, not necessarily. Vietnamese Americans tended to lean more Republican - they're like Cuban Americans, a refugee community that fled Communism, and a lot of them are in places like Orange County, CA, which tended to lean Republican. But even that situation is changing - as the younger generations aren't as motivated by the emigre politics of anti-Communism - while Vietnam is also opening up. Not unlike younger Cuban Americans as well. In the San Jose area, they are more Democratic leaning than their cohorts in SoCal.
I hate to confirm what you're saying, Silverkris since we love to go at it so much, but the bolded above is true.
I'm of the same ethnicity as you and my views are diametrically opposite of yours.
Asian Americans in California have been here for over 100 years - and we ARE in the mainstream here - especially in the Bay Area. We're just one of many. We serve in local government, we are cops, bus drivers, teachers, physicians - you name it. In fact, our culture influences much of the region. And there's heck of a lot more of us than you. Forget your strawman reference to white progressives - we have our own identity that is unique, we've been here longer than they have.
Sounds like ethnocentrism and colonization to me rather than assimilation. I much prefer Tom Lennox's mindset.
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