America- a highly diverse country where everyone is equal and everyone is accepted. In theory. The reality is that, while many people do accept people of different cultural backgrounds as Americans, there will always be the select few that jump straight to the stereotypes and the unjustified hatred of those that are not exactly like them, the new Miss America for example.
Nina Davuluri was crowned as the 2014 Miss America on Sunday night, and while Davuluri stood in front of the cheering crowd crying tears of joy, people at home took to Twitter for the sole purpose of expressing their disappointment with the new Miss America.
Yes- Davuluri is a woman of color. No- she isn’t the first to win Miss America. Yes- she is Asian-American. But she is still an American like anyone else. But her victory has caused some outrage across this seemingly accepting country.
All across Twitter, people expressed their disdain for the newly crowned Miss America, tweeting things like “Miss New York is an Indian. With all due respect, this is America.” FYI- saying “with all due respect” does not give one the right to say something disrespectful.
Sadly, this was one of the more benign tweets of the night. Other people had the audacity to call Davuluri a terrorist (which she isn’t), an Arab (wrong), and some people were offended that she was crowned so close to the anniversary of 9/11 (what does 9/11 have to do with this?). Then there were some tweets that were just plainly and completely racist.
People also took the liberty to express how Theresa Vail (Miss Kansas) was the perfect example of Miss America- for the sole reason that she was the standard, stereotypical American girl next door. With tattoos. Davuluri admitted to CNN “I have always viewed Miss America as the girl next door. But the girl next door is evolving, as the diversity in America evolves.” So, why should the girl next door of more ethnically standard America be better supported than the woman of the diversified American future? Answer- she shouldn’t be.
However, it cannot be ignored that many people were praising Davuluri on many social media websites. In an interview with CNN, Davuluri expressed her gratitude for the supportive and congratulatory responses she received.
“For one negative tweet, I received dozens of positive tweets and support from not only Indians, but the American people across the country.” Unfortunately, the rude and racist comments seem to overshadow the kind and respectful ones.
However, aside from the hate coming from narrow-minded Twitter users, Davuluri has accomplished something that she has been working toward for years. By winning Miss America, she wants to be an example for young girls, showing them that no matter their race, religion, or economic status, they can become anything, including Miss America. It’s her mission to challenge stereotypes and “celebrate diversity through cultural competence.” And for that, she deserves to be commended, not belittled.
The big question on my mind is, why denounce this woman, who clearly has a kind heart and a good head on her shoulders, based on the color of her skin? It seems to me that a part of this country is still trapped in the age of judging people by their ethnicity and skin tone. News flash- it’s the 21st century, and those days should be long gone.
At the end of the day, the sad fact of it is that people still have the tendency to jump to conclusions about someone based on their race and the corresponding stereotypes, and then define them as inferior in one way or another. And that, my friends, is racism, which apparently still runs rampant in the United States, seeing as people get so riled up over an Indian woman- who is an American just like you and I- winning the Miss America Pageant.
Times are changing, traditions are changing, America is changing, and it’s time that all of the American people evolve with it. Look past the differences in appearance and see people for who they are instead of jumping to ridiculous conclusions. Talk to people who are from different backgrounds. Gain some perspective. Accept diversity. And if you have something rude to say- don’t put it on Twitter.