The Immigrant Experience- Election Reflections
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
This is for all of the people out there who, for some weird reason, think that it's not Indian culture to be political.
My mom called me at 4pm yesterday, on November 4th, to ask me if I voted. I replied incredulously- the election is all I have been thinking about for, roughly, the past year. Of course I had voted!!
But then, I cautiously asked her if SHE had voted. After all, I rarely talk to my mom about politics, and Indian Americans have one of the lowest rates of civic engagement in the country. I would not have been surprised if she hadn't voted. (Besides, she has a full time job).
My chest literally swelled up with pride when she told me that she had woken up at 6 a.m. to make sure she would have enough time to vote.
An Indian American immigrant woman, born in the mid 1950s into a farming middle class family in India, voting for a black man for President. It takes my breath away.
That, my friends, is the Indian-American Dream.
Interesting experience from me:
Never bring up your political preference at work. Your rich boss who makes $329048290348023984 might not agree with your preference of a presidential candidate who plans to raise taxes for the wealthy and raise capital gains taxes for investors.
*Whoops*
