Local attitudes on having a dark skinned governor (Scott, Martin: school, live)

[AD1985]

I'm from California and don't follow politics very closely. Seeing Gov. Jindal speaking out against Muslims, I had to find out what state he governed, and was surprised to find it was a state in the deep South! And he assumed office back in 2008!

Clearly my understanding of Deep Southern politics is incorrect, because I didn't think the dark skin personed could be elected to the highest office in the state even in this day and age. I don't mean this with ill intent towards anyone, just my own error.

Question for the locals: was there a big ruckus when he came into office? Or was the color of his skin not even spoken about for the most part? Has it always been like this for dark skinned Indians, or have attitudes changed only recently?

[prospectheightsresident]

Originally Posted by AD1985

I'm from California and don't follow politics very closely. Seeing Gov. Jindal speaking out against Muslims, I had to find out what state he governed, and was surprised to find it was a state in the deep South! And he assumed office back in 2008!

Clearly my understanding of Deep Southern politics is incorrect, because I didn't think the dark skin personed could be elected to the highest office in the state even in this day and age. I don't mean this with ill intent towards anyone, just my own error.

Question for the locals: was there a big ruckus when he came into office? Or was the color of his skin not even spoken about for the most part? Has it always been like this for dark skinned Indians, or have attitudes changed only recently?

Yes, many outsiders are often prejudiced towards people from Southern states in a manner that leads them to similar initial conclusions; they unknowingly take on the same attitudes they believe people in those states have (i.e. close mindedness and prejudging others based on numerous factors such as geography, race, etc.). Of course, such a narrative ignores that conservative white voters have shown their willingness to judge people by their policies and not by the color of their skin time and time again. Thus, Texas has had multiple black and Hispanic statewide elected officials, Louisiana has Bobby Jindal, South Carolina has Nikki Haley and Tim Scott, Florida has Marco Rubio, New Mexico has Susana Martinez, Nevada has Brian Sandoval, and conservative white districts have elected multiple minority candidates to Congress over the years (from J.C. Watts in Oklahoma to Allen West in Florida to Bobby Jindal in Louisiana to Mia Love in Utah to Tim Scott in South Carolina, etc.).

Bobby Jindal won statewide in Louisiana twice by outright majorities, as required by law, due to support from conservative white voters (while more African American voters vote for him the second time around than the first, they still overwhelmingly voted Democrat that year).

The only people that seem to have a problem with Louisiana having a dark skin governor are non-Louisianans, particularly liberal elites from my experience.

[rgathrights]

Originally Posted by prospectheightsresident

...
The only people that seem to have a problem with Louisiana having a dark skin governor are non-Louisianans, particularly liberal elites from my experience.

This follows what I have found in Louisiana as well.

[Innotech]

He is republican, and this very republican state agreed enough with his principles to elect him.
Im pretty sure that his ethnicity had political reasons too though.

[hdwell]

Most Louisianans probably don't care what a politicians racial or ethnic background is. I really don't for one.

[Innotech]

Originally Posted by hdwell

Most Louisianans probably don't care what a politicians racial or ethnic background is. I really don't for one.

most native Louisianians are heavily mixed race anyway.

[BeenThereDunThat]

I think most people have moved on from this however in the NW La. Uber-Conservative part of the state, there are still older folks who bristle at this. And it's not just politicians of color... I wish I had a dollar every time I heard some old yahoo say something negative about "black NFL quarterbacks". I think the further central and south La. you go, it don't matter as mixed race / multi-racial is more accepted as a fact of life. I had an elderly relative whom I had to administer to his health needs and let's just say his mindset was from a very "different period". I'd have to remind him about not using certain terms in public... I'd apologize to the RN's or other healthcare workers when he'd drop a couple inappropriate mentions... saying: "He still thinks Earl Long is alive."

[Metairie]

No, there was no complaining when he was elected or reelected where he won by a landslide. The people of this state voted for him, we could care less about his skin color providing we agree with his ideals. SMH that this is even being brought up... A lot of people don't seem too happy with what he has done with the school system among a few other things, before that he was very popular.

[hdwell]

Been there;
I don't ever hear any of this stuff from old folks since I have no contact with any. My late mother could say some of the strangest stuff about this topic of color but so much was old stereotypes and non factual. Thank God I'm just able to turn anybody off that starts in on that topic.

[annie_himself]

He said enough conservative blah to win.