What makes an American?
How many people watched the Miss America Pageant? I personally did not. But I did hear who won on the news and I heard Miss New York won, I was impressed and more so when I found out that our new Miss America was of Indian descent. I thought it was awesome because it was showing just how diversified America was. On ABC News they showed a Miss America Pageant in the 1960's, then showed one from this year 2013, the one in the 1960's was all white, the one from 2013 showed women of all color, race, and ethnicity.
Seeing that, it gave me hope. Knowing that as a country, a nation, we were progressing, we were accepting and lessening stigma. Then the dream ended, so many intolerant and racist comments started to show up on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites.
"4 days after 9/11 and she's crowned Miss America?"
"How is Miss America Indian? This is America....not India."
"So Miss America is a terrorist."
Those are just some of the hateful tweets, this is the 21st century and yet we still have so much ignorance, so much predjudice. Why are we mentioning 9/11? Why are we accusing her of being a terrorist? Or saying that she's not an American?
I read an article online that said that the Indian Fashion Industry was standing by our new Miss America, Nina Davuluri. They say it's a shame that a chunk of Americans does not know how to differentiate between an Arab and an Indian. Which is true, the sad thing is this is about race, not color.
But I wonder what if she was an Arab? Why would it matter? She is an American, born and raised here. Why should race, religion, sexual orientation, matter? I'm glad she's representing the modern American women, but some people disagree, to them she is not an "American"
So then I ask, what makes an American? Do you have to look a certain way? Have a certain racial descent? Belong to a certain religion? I think if you have that American Citizenship then to me you're an American. I don't care what you wear. how you look, where your ansestors are from, I will accept you no matter what.
I hope you guys will join me in accepting Nina Davuluri as Miss America.
Thanks guys and keep fighting!