BY KUL BHUSHAN
Having faced racial prejudice at
one time or another, many Indians across the globe have expressed
support for Barack Obama as the Democratic candidate for US president.
Although Hillary Clinton would have been the first woman in this office,
which too would have been pathbreaking, Obama as the first possible
non-Caucasian US president seems more popular with Indian origin people
in the US and in other countries.
"Many Americans are somewhat taken aback that their next president may
be someone whose name is not Anglo-Saxon as all the previous incumbents
have been," said Placido DeSouza, a retired Indian envoy from New
Jersey. "But it's clearly the sign of a mature democracy."
Anil Madan, a senior attorney in Boston, says, "Obama, a very smart guy,
has good instincts. Other than some form of universal healthcare, he
won't get much done unless he has an overwhelming majority of Democrats
in Congress and that could happen with the Republicans on the run. The
presidency allows for a change in tone. We can't extricate ourselves
from Iraq easily, but he'll change the tone. He's the least dangerous of
the three and even universal healthcare is a major accomplishment for
him, so I'm positive."
But what about the great support by Indian Americans for Hillary
Clinton? Says Madan, "I see no relevance of 'Indian' to Hillary,
although I did send a sharp note to Obama when he made a disparaging
remark about Indians. He (his campaign people obviously) sent a
thoughtful apologetic note."
About Obama's skin colour and the discrimination he must have seen from
time to time, Madan said, "He's grown and realised that the racial
divide has to be healed and after his mistake on the Indian outsourcing
issue, it became clearer to him. I don't view him as having a black
agenda. One of the great tragedies is that we waste the talents of many
blacks and women due to discrimination. His presence in the White House
won't cure that, but it will go a long way to adding great strides to
the progress we've made so far."
A management trainer in Chicago, Vivek Singhal, said, "Great to see
Obama, someone whom you characterise as a 'black man', get as far as he
has in the US political system. This certainly helps enhance the
credibility of the US people and their respect for freedom and democracy
as defined and practised in the US. I am hopeful that his so-called
inexperience will help him test some fresh ideas to manage the global
reputation and reach of this truly remarkable superpower."
Nawal Kesavan, from London, said, "I supported Obama all the way and
still support him. Thus I'm happy that Obama is going to the White
House. I heard that Hillary was to be a good ambassador for India, so I
do feel a little sad, but since I supported Obama all along, I don't
think I felt really bad." On his ethnicity, he remarked, "I am pretty
sure Obama is an American first, then black and, as always, an American
is going to live in the White House."
Kenyan Indians are ecstatic about Obama's nomination. "I was so, so, so
excited and even cried watching TV news on Obama," exclaimed Oscar
Fernandes from Nairobi." A Kenyan TV anchor, Smriti Vidyarthi, said, "As
a Kenyan, I share the excitement of most other Kenyans that Obama could
be going to the White House. He's won an incredible race thus far and
has given Kenyans a sense of pride and hope. As a global citizen, I see
Obama as a great world leader, who will bring fresh policies and fresh
thinking to the US and the world."
Shamlal Puri, an author and a senior journalist from Tanzania, said,
"Many Kenyans have taken Barrack to heart because he stands for them, he
stands for the African Diaspora. It will also help break the wrong image
that East Africa is an isolated region. At least, Americans who know
little about the world beyond their back garden would now know where, on
the globe, Kenya is situated."
Puri added, "Obama will make a very good president. He will have the
tough task of proving his worth in the top job. He is a charismatic
speaker, a good orator, who knows what he is talking about. He is an
action man. To run for the top job as a black man, his own community -
the African Americans - will put a great store in him hoping that he
will fight for them and get them equal rights so far denied to a
majority of them. Obama knows that he will be serving all Americans,
irrespective of the colour of those who backed him and those who did
not."
From Melbourne, S.K. Gupta, a qualified accountant, said, "Right from
Monica's (Lewinsky) days, Hillary has never impressed me. She could not
rule Bill, then how could she be trusted to rule the whole world?
Aussies have no problem with Barrack. He has worked very hard to reach
where he is today."
Of the two million ethnic Indians in the US, around 30,000 doctors have
registered for Republican candidate John McCain showing whom they want
in the White House. So the race is far from over. And if McCain chooses
Bobby Jindal for vice president, the action for Indians will begin at a
new, feverish pitch.
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