06-15-2010, 05:34 AM
Nikki Haley: Another Desi Who Really Isn�t a Desi
Thursday, May 21, 2009 18:38
Posted in category Desis Who Really Aren't Desis, Politics
Nikki Randhawa Haley - South Carolina Gubernatorial CandidateYesterday, Sepia Mutiny profiled Nikki (Randhawa) Haley, an Indian American and new gubernatorial candidate for South Carolina î. Interested, we did some further investigation into Ms. Haley, and came away conflicted: on one hand, I very much wanted to support her quest to become the second South Asian governor. On the other hand, I really question whether we can characterize her as �desi� or �south asian�. Just like Miss Indiana, Courtni Shabana Hall, the feeling I get is that she may have been born to Indian parents, but there is nothing about Ms. Haley that would identify with the South Asian community.
Born Nimrata, Ms. Haley changed her name to the more southern friendly �Nikki�. She was raised in a strong Sikh household, but abruptly now talks about her Methodist affiliation and her love for Jesus. This is all well of good if she really feels this way, but a small part of me is upset that here is a South Asian that so easily dispelled two of her most South Asian characteristics: her name and her religion. Add that to a personal image and sensibility that has nothing Indian about it, and the disconnect is wide.
Now there are some that may call this ignorant, using a rationale similar to the often quoted black community mantra: I should be propping by brothers and sisters up, not tearing them down right? To those I ask though: what makes them my brother or sister? Just the fact we had parents that were born in the same country? Or is it that we share a common belief and pride in the culture we have grown up in and the community we are affiliated to?
What do you think? Do you wholeheartedly accept Miss Haley as a fellow desi? Or do you simply embrace her because you are happy to increase the number of so-called �Indian American� politicians?
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Some comments
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@canadian: It�s not so much her name in and of itself. It�s the complete package. It feels like she has made a very tactical effort to represent herself in a way that is much more palatable to a white, southern population. Now that may be a necessary evil, but it�s a sad commentary nonetheless
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I am surprised she even mentions her heritage, if she could have conveniently missed that out, then it would be a clean sweep, the tan could have been put down to a sunbed�.. This reminds me of a Ford advert from 10 years ago in the UK where the black and brown engineers were �whited� out.
Does anyone have photos of her family, has she done this to them? Maybe renamed them Alfred and Sarah Randywa?? Another convenient case of escaping your roots in order to make a few more bucks�.. There�s a word for people that do that.
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Completely disagree here. The question is not whether you should assimilate to �U.S. culture�, it is rather questioning the motivation for the name change and religious conversion. I would have no problem if Ms. Haley was born a Christian. Also, if she was in a different profession, would she have taken the same action? Perhaps. But it�s still a question that should be asked. It just seems odd that both of the high profile southern desi politicians out there have both converted to Christianity. How many desis do you know in general that have done the same?
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Jeff � please define �American� Is it being named Nikki vs. Nimrata? Is it being Catholic vs. Hindu?
I would tend to use your argument directly against you. If she is truly being American, she should be comfortable using whatever name/religion/etc. she chooses to without having to pander to what she thinks other �Americans� will like. Again, I have no issue with her changing her name or religion, as long as the motives were true (and not politically incented).
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Totally don�t see her or �Bobby� as Indian-American in any way other than having brown parents. What�s especially disgusting about Jindal was how he�d pander to Indian-Americans at Indian-American held fundraisers to raise the bucks when based on how he conducts himself it was obvious he could give a rat�s arse about Indian-American concerns or about India.
It would be admirable if this woman or Jindal held to their Indian beliefs and Indian identity and won.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 18:38
Posted in category Desis Who Really Aren't Desis, Politics
Nikki Randhawa Haley - South Carolina Gubernatorial CandidateYesterday, Sepia Mutiny profiled Nikki (Randhawa) Haley, an Indian American and new gubernatorial candidate for South Carolina î. Interested, we did some further investigation into Ms. Haley, and came away conflicted: on one hand, I very much wanted to support her quest to become the second South Asian governor. On the other hand, I really question whether we can characterize her as �desi� or �south asian�. Just like Miss Indiana, Courtni Shabana Hall, the feeling I get is that she may have been born to Indian parents, but there is nothing about Ms. Haley that would identify with the South Asian community.
Born Nimrata, Ms. Haley changed her name to the more southern friendly �Nikki�. She was raised in a strong Sikh household, but abruptly now talks about her Methodist affiliation and her love for Jesus. This is all well of good if she really feels this way, but a small part of me is upset that here is a South Asian that so easily dispelled two of her most South Asian characteristics: her name and her religion. Add that to a personal image and sensibility that has nothing Indian about it, and the disconnect is wide.
Now there are some that may call this ignorant, using a rationale similar to the often quoted black community mantra: I should be propping by brothers and sisters up, not tearing them down right? To those I ask though: what makes them my brother or sister? Just the fact we had parents that were born in the same country? Or is it that we share a common belief and pride in the culture we have grown up in and the community we are affiliated to?
What do you think? Do you wholeheartedly accept Miss Haley as a fellow desi? Or do you simply embrace her because you are happy to increase the number of so-called �Indian American� politicians?
--
Some comments
----
@canadian: It�s not so much her name in and of itself. It�s the complete package. It feels like she has made a very tactical effort to represent herself in a way that is much more palatable to a white, southern population. Now that may be a necessary evil, but it�s a sad commentary nonetheless
----
I am surprised she even mentions her heritage, if she could have conveniently missed that out, then it would be a clean sweep, the tan could have been put down to a sunbed�.. This reminds me of a Ford advert from 10 years ago in the UK where the black and brown engineers were �whited� out.
Does anyone have photos of her family, has she done this to them? Maybe renamed them Alfred and Sarah Randywa?? Another convenient case of escaping your roots in order to make a few more bucks�.. There�s a word for people that do that.
--
Completely disagree here. The question is not whether you should assimilate to �U.S. culture�, it is rather questioning the motivation for the name change and religious conversion. I would have no problem if Ms. Haley was born a Christian. Also, if she was in a different profession, would she have taken the same action? Perhaps. But it�s still a question that should be asked. It just seems odd that both of the high profile southern desi politicians out there have both converted to Christianity. How many desis do you know in general that have done the same?
--
Jeff � please define �American� Is it being named Nikki vs. Nimrata? Is it being Catholic vs. Hindu?
I would tend to use your argument directly against you. If she is truly being American, she should be comfortable using whatever name/religion/etc. she chooses to without having to pander to what she thinks other �Americans� will like. Again, I have no issue with her changing her name or religion, as long as the motives were true (and not politically incented).
---
Totally don�t see her or �Bobby� as Indian-American in any way other than having brown parents. What�s especially disgusting about Jindal was how he�d pander to Indian-Americans at Indian-American held fundraisers to raise the bucks when based on how he conducts himself it was obvious he could give a rat�s arse about Indian-American concerns or about India.
It would be admirable if this woman or Jindal held to their Indian beliefs and Indian identity and won.