While it was a moment of pride for people in the country
in general and Andhra Pradesh in particular, for 24-year-old Nina Davuluri, who
was crowned as the first ever Miss America of Indian origin, she had some tough
time facing the racist comments in social media.
When there was a huge outcry against racist comments
across the world, Nina was calm and composed. She said she just ‘had to rise
above such things. Nina, daughter of a gynecologist who emigrated from India,
from Vijayawada to be precise, some 30 years ago, showed her true inner beauty,
rather than just skin and curves and sizes.
The racists even termed her an Arab and a terrorist who
had ties with Al Qaeda! One hater tweeted: "It's called Miss America. Get
outta here New York you look like a terrorist.” There were so many such
comments, but Nina said: "I have to rise above that...I always viewed
myself as first and foremost American."
And that is true. She was born and brought up in the US.
She lived her whole life in America. She is very much an American but with
Indian blood. And for those do not know, thousands of years ago, much before
Christopher Columbus landed in the land, America was inhabited by Indians.
Indians were the aboriginal tribe of the present USA.
Those white racists do not seem to know about this bit of
a fact. Though the general idea is that racism is largely against people of
African origin, the fact is Indian Americans are the largest victims of racism
in the States.
From 1980s, this hate groups have been growing in number,
apparently unable to digest the “outsource-offshore” white-collar labour and
Indian Americans’ economic growth. It may be recalled that a man of Punjab
origin was murdered, a pizza delivery boy of Indian origin was manhandled and
mauled and another American Indian was pushed out of a running train over the
years.
Haters, remember the US is the land of Indians, and not
anybody else’!
