Miss America crowns 1st winner of Indian descent; racist tweets flow

[Penny Lane 8,159]

(CNN) -- She's the second consecutive New York beauty queen to take the Miss America title, but she's the first Indian-American to wear the national crown -- er, tiara -- atop her perfectly coiffed head.

"I was the first Indian Miss New York, and I'm so proud to be the first Indian Miss America," Nina Davuluri said after she won.

Davuluri's resume goes considerably deeper than her heritage, however.

The 24-year-old Fayetteville, New York, native was on the dean's list and earned the Michigan Merit Award and National Honor Society nods while studying at the University of Michigan, where she graduated with a degree in brain behavior and cognitive science.

Her father, who emigrated from India 30 years ago, is a gynecologist, and Davuluri said she'd like to become a physician one day as well.

"During her year as Miss America she will serve as spokesperson for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) this year as she travels to Washington, D.C., to work with the Department of Education," according to a Miss America statement.

She also is passionate about healthy lifestyles after battling obesity and bulimia when she was younger.

Davuluri's platform was "Celebrating Diversity Through Cultural Competency." For the talent portion of the competition, she performed classic Indian dances fused with Bollywood moves.

She has studied the Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam styles of dance, and in preparation for the Miss America contest, she worked with famed Bollywood choreographer Nakul Dev Mahajan.

Miss California Crystal Lee was first runner-up, and Miss Oklahoma Kelsey Griswold was second runner-up, while Theresa Vail, the tattooed, bow-hunting, Chinese-speaking Miss Kansas, won the online viewers' poll.

Despite a night of firsts, a tired theme emerged following Davuluri's victory: Racists took to Twitter to lambaste the pageant for picking an Indian-American. They were none too kind to Davuluri herself, either, with one particularly uninformed tweeter calling her a Muslim.

Something similar happened when Rima Fakih was crowned Miss USA in 2010. Fakih is of Lebanese descent, and many were quick to try to link her to the militant group Hezbollah.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/16/showbiz/miss-america-racist-reactions/index.html

Apparently, not all racists only have Twitter to push their racist views. Some of them are lucky enough to have a show on Fox News.

The Miss America pageant is not known for being especially thoughtful (the first question asked in the interview segment this year was about twerking, the second question about sexting, the third about Syria).

The judges seem unusually prescient this year though, with their decision to award the title to Miss New York, 24-year-old Nina Davuluri.

But New York-based Fox News & Commentary radio host Todd Starnes isn't pleased with the pick.

Davuluri's family immigrated to Fayetteville, New York, from India 30 years ago, and she played up her differences from the traditional idea of Miss America while campaigning for the title. She performed a Bollywood Fusion style dance for the talent portion. In her a video bio, she said, "Miss America has always been the girl next door, but Miss America is evolving and she is not going to look the same."

And, as Miss New York, she made diversity appreciation her main issue. "Diversity is a rich and endless source of experience, language, custom and tradition that enhances our nation and makes us unique. However, we fall behind due to a lack of understanding the diversity that exists in our country--an issue that persists at the local, state, and national levels," she said.

That might sound kind of vague and a maybe even a little corny at first, but after the torrent of hateful comments that appeared on Twitter after her win last night, it looks like Americans could use a lesson in diversity appreciation now more than ever.

Maybe Todd Starnes can be first in line for that lesson. The Fox radio host is pissed that Davuluri beat out Miss Kansas, Theresa Vail.

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2013/09/fox_host_todd_s.php

[mota bhai 2,675]

In honor of all the hate she's getting, we desis are all honorary Arabs today.

Just today though, no one really wants to be an Arab, cmon now.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I was going to post this, glad you beat me to it.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I actually watched the tail end of this because I found it and I sort of can't believe pageants are still real. There were a lot of uncomfortable gay jokes. And bad singing.

Sad to hear about the twits. What a cesspool.

I did wonder, though, how this girl got into pageantry! Seems like a weird thing for southerners, to me.

She was cute and poised, though. And her dance was the best, except maybe besides the baton girl. Good for her.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Harpa Timsah

[mota bhai 2,675]

southerner? she's from noo yawk.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

In honor of all the hate she's getting, we desis are all honorary Arabs today.

Just today though, no one really wants to be an Arab, cmon now.

[Danno 1,228]

Trolling twitter for racist tweets is like being surprised at the things found etched on bathroom walls.

But it would seem the women might not "represent a wide swath of America"... for one she suggests the whole country should resemble what immigration has done to NY.

I don't think a poll would back her up.

<<<<And, as Miss New York, she made diversity appreciation her main issue. "Diversity is a rich and endless source of experience, language, custom and tradition that enhances our nation and makes us unique. However, we fall behind due to a lack of understanding the diversity that exists in our country--an issue that persists at the local, state, and national levels," >>>>

Edited September 16, 2013 by Danno

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

southerner? she's from noo yawk.

I know, I am wondering, how do northern daughters of Indian gynecologists get interested in being in pageants?

To be honest, I wonder how anyone gets interested in being in pageants, except for southerners. That I understand. Toddlers and tiaras. Got it. Anyone else? No clue.

[mota bhai 2,675]

Trolling twitter for racist tweets is like being surprised at the things found etched on bathroom walls.

This is so true.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Trolling twitter for racist tweets is like being surprised at the things found etched on bathroom walls.

But it would seem the women might not "represent a wide swath of America"... for one she suggests the whole country should resemble what immigration has done to NY.

I don't think a poll would back her up.

<<<<And, as Miss New York, she made diversity appreciation her main issue. "Diversity is a rich and endless source of experience, language, custom and tradition that enhances our nation and makes us unique. However, we fall behind due to a lack of understanding the diversity that exists in our country--an issue that persists at the local, state, and national levels," >>>>

RE: bolded quote.

Is she wrong?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

But it would seem the women might not "represent a wide swath of America"... for one she suggests the whole country should resemble what immigration has done to NY.

I don't think a poll would back her up.

None of those women represent a "wide-swath of America."

They go through rounds of other competitions, and each state winner was the best in their state, this year.

They aren't voted on being the "most typically American."

[mota bhai 2,675]

None of those women represent a "wide-swath of America."

They go through rounds of other competitions, and each state winner was the best in their state, this year.

They aren't voted on being the "most typically American."

It is the right-wing's favorite delusion that "most" Americans are like them.

[Danno 1,228]

RE: bolded quote.

Is she wrong?

Of course she is wrong and fuzzy lines that work well on bumper-stickers are all she has to go on.

In fact we pay hundreds of millions of dollars every year for the Gov't to investigate and resolve conflicts due to all the joy her dream talks about, even so we know every year the list of offended people seeking an investigation only grows.

I guess we could also mention the vast sums spent in the many other related areas.... but whats the point.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Of course she is wrong and fuzzy lines that work well on bumper-stickers are all she has to go on.

In fact we pay hundreds of millions of dollars every year for the Gov't to investigate and resolve conflicts due to all the joy her dream talks about, even so we know every year the list of offended people seeking an investigation only grows.

I guess we could also mention the vast sums spent in the many other related areas.... but whats the point.

Care to elaborate on what part of that quote she's wrong about? And how? This part seems quite true:

"However, we fall behind due to a lack of understanding the diversity that exists in our country"

Edited September 16, 2013 by Penny Lane

[Danno 1,228]

None of those women represent a "wide-swath of America."

They go through rounds of other competitions, and each state winner was the best in their state, this year.

They aren't voted on being the "most typically American."

Actually your wrong, if you read what the pageant claims in the ideal candidate you might see that.