As the US election campaign gains steam, it's time to analyze how the Indian American community is expected to vote.
Indian Americans (not to be confused with American Indians or Native - Red Indians who are the original inhabitants of the land) constitute 3 million - nearly 1% of the total population of USA. Demographically they are 51% Hindu, 18% Christian (many born Hindus are converted influenced by Evangelicals), 14% non-believers (I am veering towards that), 10% Muslims, 5% Sikhs and rest immaterial.
Only next to the Chinese immigrants, Indian Americans, are ubiquitous in larger cities and Metros. Nicknamed as DESIs, the NRI community have carved their niche. (Mostly Persons of Indian origin use this term Desi among themselves, often in a deregatory sense, the Mainstream Americans are mostly unaware of the term. Though I have this uncanny ability to laugh at myself, during my inititial days I was uncomfortable being called a Desi, a term generally used to denote a pariah dog back home in Odisha).
Coming to Elections - Like most monorities, an overwhelming majority of Desis are Democrats, nearly 70% of them. Couple of decades back it was 90%, a decade back it was 80%. So, on an average, a mobility of an estimated 1% of Desis from the Democrat to the Republican camp takes place every year.
The reason - many during their initial days of immigration are in a state of insecurity, tilting towards Democratic party, which is considered as more immigrants friendly. As they start earning money, making upward mobility, they are impressed by the Republican values of lower taxes (so that they can hoard more money).
Our upward mobile Desi Bhais, like Lord Shiva now have their 3rd eye opened, seeing values in the family values espoused by the Conservative Republicans, finding their own cultural roots brought back from home, aligned more to the Republicans. It's another matter, their idols and the so called votaries of family values are often found caught pants down with their concubines and gays.
So the neo immigrants who step into the Coke land as 100% Democrats, after getting their Green cards become 50% Republicans. 5 years later, with US Citizenship on hand, they are 100% Republicans - the complete metamorphosis of a DESI, from a democratic leaning Caterpillar to a Republican Butterfly is now complete.
For most of them, the journey starts with insecurity, with a perennial struggle from Credit Card to the coveted Green Card (Without a Credit history it is difficult to get a credit card, as without a credit card you don't have a credit history). With a Green Card and subsequent Citizenship on hand, a roof of their own over their head - it's time to fulfill their SHOUK (hobby).
These hobbies perpetuated by the now settled Desi are myriads - but per my observation it's mostly couple of them. First, a tendency to be a NETA (a political leader). Most are satisfied by playing roles of a KUJI NETA (small time leader) at the local Desi bodies. As MULLAH KI DAUD MASJID TAQ (A Mullah can't go beyond Mosque), their political ambitions mostly end up as a NETA in their national level cultural bodies. Very rare breeds of our Desi bros go into (or possess the ability to so) the Mainstream American politics.
Secondly, many get pets home, especially dogs and cats. Overwhelming majority of them are Dogs, as for many Desis seeing a cat waking up in the morning is considered as harbinger of bad luck for rest of the day.
The pets give company to their lonely kids at home, acting as a great stress relievers to them, filling the hiatus of lack of companionship in their life they so accustomed to in the land they left long ago.
Indian Americans (not to be confused with American Indians or Native - Red Indians who are the original inhabitants of the land) constitute 3 million - nearly 1% of the total population of USA. Demographically they are 51% Hindu, 18% Christian (many born Hindus are converted influenced by Evangelicals), 14% non-believers (I am veering towards that), 10% Muslims, 5% Sikhs and rest immaterial.
Only next to the Chinese immigrants, Indian Americans, are ubiquitous in larger cities and Metros. Nicknamed as DESIs, the NRI community have carved their niche. (Mostly Persons of Indian origin use this term Desi among themselves, often in a deregatory sense, the Mainstream Americans are mostly unaware of the term. Though I have this uncanny ability to laugh at myself, during my inititial days I was uncomfortable being called a Desi, a term generally used to denote a pariah dog back home in Odisha).
Coming to Elections - Like most monorities, an overwhelming majority of Desis are Democrats, nearly 70% of them. Couple of decades back it was 90%, a decade back it was 80%. So, on an average, a mobility of an estimated 1% of Desis from the Democrat to the Republican camp takes place every year.
The reason - many during their initial days of immigration are in a state of insecurity, tilting towards Democratic party, which is considered as more immigrants friendly. As they start earning money, making upward mobility, they are impressed by the Republican values of lower taxes (so that they can hoard more money).
Our upward mobile Desi Bhais, like Lord Shiva now have their 3rd eye opened, seeing values in the family values espoused by the Conservative Republicans, finding their own cultural roots brought back from home, aligned more to the Republicans. It's another matter, their idols and the so called votaries of family values are often found caught pants down with their concubines and gays.
So the neo immigrants who step into the Coke land as 100% Democrats, after getting their Green cards become 50% Republicans. 5 years later, with US Citizenship on hand, they are 100% Republicans - the complete metamorphosis of a DESI, from a democratic leaning Caterpillar to a Republican Butterfly is now complete.
For most of them, the journey starts with insecurity, with a perennial struggle from Credit Card to the coveted Green Card (Without a Credit history it is difficult to get a credit card, as without a credit card you don't have a credit history). With a Green Card and subsequent Citizenship on hand, a roof of their own over their head - it's time to fulfill their SHOUK (hobby).
These hobbies perpetuated by the now settled Desi are myriads - but per my observation it's mostly couple of them. First, a tendency to be a NETA (a political leader). Most are satisfied by playing roles of a KUJI NETA (small time leader) at the local Desi bodies. As MULLAH KI DAUD MASJID TAQ (A Mullah can't go beyond Mosque), their political ambitions mostly end up as a NETA in their national level cultural bodies. Very rare breeds of our Desi bros go into (or possess the ability to so) the Mainstream American politics.
Secondly, many get pets home, especially dogs and cats. Overwhelming majority of them are Dogs, as for many Desis seeing a cat waking up in the morning is considered as harbinger of bad luck for rest of the day.
The pets give company to their lonely kids at home, acting as a great stress relievers to them, filling the hiatus of lack of companionship in their life they so accustomed to in the land they left long ago.
