Comments on: ‘I, Nikki Randhawa Haley’: An Inaugural Moment

By: Rahul Rvd

Rahul Rvd — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:06:00 +0000

Words weren’t made to be used as concrete concepts bereft of context…please don’t try to pull the Nirad Chaudari act of relatively-holier-than-thou…it is bashfully indulgent.

By: Manju

Manju — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 03:14:44 +0000

I blame Sarah Palin.

By: razib khan - atheist

razib khan - atheist — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 06:14:01 +0000

profoundly perverted definitions of words like "secularism"

the indian usage of the word "secularism" is confusing. i know how it makes sense in india, but it has no real applicability in the USA in the sense they're using in india.

By: Sanjaya

Sanjaya — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 03:39:05 +0000

I like your posts. Add “social justice”, “capitalist”, “freedom of speech” and “superpower” to that list.

By: Yoga Fire

Yoga Fire — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 03:15:24 +0000

Because a crazy right-wing nut-bag in India is like a Ted Kennedy Democrat in America. Indian politics is profoundly screwed up with profoundly perverted definitions of words like “secularism” and “rule of law” that would make Voltaire turn over in his grave.

By: Seema

Seema — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:08:50 +0000

Jyotsana, How can you take such a right-wing position in India (that news post about the Kashmiri Pundits) but such a left-wing one in the USA? I’m confused–maybe you can help me out? Thanks in advance.

By: razib khan - atheist

razib khan - atheist — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:28:13 +0000

In USA today regardless of ethinicity/background you cannot get elected if you are not a confessed christian.

if you mean president, probably, though i think a jew who wasn't too secular would manage. but jews, and even muslims and buddhists, get elected in other positions all the time. just look at the composition of congress. also, there have been plenty of jewish governors (e.g., ed rendell of pennsylvania was one).

By: Yoga Fire

Yoga Fire — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:04:21 +0000

I mean I remember when Obama was running for office, the media constantly emphasized his Harvard degree, although having a degree from Harvard/Princeton/Yale or doing Law Review is hardly an unusual qualification of our political leaders

Ah but remember. Obama's Black, so he has to dodge complaints of being too nerdy on one hand AND dismiss the concerns of rubes who worry that "those people" aren't as smart.

By: Yoga Fire

Yoga Fire — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:02:20 +0000

TR, for his part, was a reformed nerd. As a child he was a geeky asthmatic who read a lot. Then his father sat him down one day and told him that he may be smart and talented, but he's physically scrawny and unless he beefs himself up people are going to walk all over him.

So this lead him along a period of Teddy putting himself through grueling physical trials until he became the moose punching badass we know and love.

By: ConfusedBong

ConfusedBong — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:33:03 +0000

If people have problems with her religion, what does it say about our openess to other faiths? In USA today regardless of ethinicity/background you cannot get elected if you are not a confessed christian. Personally I look forward to the day when USA has an atheist as a President rather than a hindu or a sikh.

However obviously you can get elected regardless of your ethnic background, even in the most conservative contituencies. Some of you may chose to belittle it because she does not fit your political agenda. But keep in mind this is true for very few countries around the world, so what standards are we comparing with. India? Minorities get elected, but the have to show the same sensitivity to the majority as in the US (Sonia Gandhi). Europe? Give me a break, will not ever happend.

I assume in the future that people of other faiths could get elected, given that US not to long ago "will never have a black President", but before that happens, we will see an atheist President.