SOURCE: CNN
POSTED BY: Sydney Slater on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013
"I was the first Indian Miss New York, and I'm so proud to be the first Indian Miss America."9/15/2013 -Nina Davuluri, 24, responds to being the first Indian-American woman to be crowned Miss America (9/15/13)
SOURCE: CNN POSTED BY: Sydney Slater on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013
22 Comments
Taylor F
9/23/2013 05:51:54 am
I think this year's Miss America contest illustrates how far our country has come in regards to accepting others no matter where they are from, their ethnic background, or what they look like. We still have a long way to go but it is nice to see these little things happen because they remind us that our world is becoming more accepting and things are changing for the better. Nina is beautiful and was the perfect contestant to win Miss America this year.
Molly Moser
9/24/2013 12:26:07 pm
I was appalled by the negative reaction many Americans had to Nina Davuluri being crowned Miss America. The racist critics that accused her of being un-American and a terrorist displayed alarming ignorance. It shows that diversity is not celebrated by everyone as it should be, and that racism and cultural ignorance is still far too prevalent in America today.
Julia Hoover
9/24/2013 01:47:31 pm
This was news that hit twitter instantly with mean and ugly comments.I was shocked at our country's response to such a great thing. Negative, racist comments thrown out onto social media were horrific and make me deeply upset about the citizens of our country. It really enrages me that people could say such horrible things about others and it shows that some portions of our nation are not moving forward in a positive direction to make this country a diverse, melting pot of people. People associated the winner with stereotypes that were not only untrue but just mean. It also made me happy that others in the public were so disgusted by these negative comments. It is a great thing that Nina Davuluri won Miss America and I am grateful for all the positive feedback from the win as well.
Tatum Barbaree
9/29/2013 07:15:13 am
While it was wonderful to have a landmark such as the first Indian-American Miss America, it was also appalling to see how so many people reacted. Many claimed that this was a moment of pride for our country in how far we've moved forward, but I actually think that what shows how our citizens think the most is what they post on social media, and the posts were extremely negative. It seems that some people still think that being American means being white, or having certain specific characteristics, but this isn't true. It was nice to see, however, that many people defended Nina Davuluri and shamed those who spoke negatively about her.
Leeann Chen
9/29/2013 07:53:53 am
Is Davuluri “American enough” to be Miss America? Of course. She’s pretty. It’s 2013 and this continues to be the measurement of a
Emma vanBree
9/30/2013 01:56:49 am
It's amazing that with all the strides we've made for racial equality, there is still a far way to go. America is a melting pot and the average American is no longer white, in fact whites are no longer the majority. Davuluri represents modern America and is definitely worthy of being Miss America.It's 2013 and there is no longer one ideal of beauty.
Erica Gurganus
9/30/2013 03:29:34 am
I think that it is awesome that this years Miss America was the first Indian-American to be crowned. It really shows how far this country has come and where it is heading. Nina Davuluri is a very lucky girl and should be very proud of her accomplishments.
Elyse Schaefer
9/30/2013 11:54:32 pm
I believe Nina Davuliri winning Miss America as the first Indian to win both the New York and America title is a representation of where our nation is headed. It is projected that in the next twenty years our nation's minority races will outweigh the majority. Many wonder what this will effect. I think we will see a large change in leadership and a more diverse group of executives and government staff. How that effects our current policies and laws, we will have to wait to find out.
Sarah Gray
10/1/2013 01:31:45 am
I was shocked the day Ms. Davuluri won the Ms. America pageant, not because of the fact that she was an Indian-American, but because of the huge amount of negative feedback all over social media to the news. To me, having an Indian-American crowned Ms. America makes perfect sense- she stands as a beautiful representation of our countries ethnic and racial diversity. Our nation was founded on the principle of freedom, and we have spent centuries claiming and propagating the "American Dream". These are just 2 reasons why people from all over the world have immigrated here, and that immigration has created a unique American culture characterized by embodying so many cultures. I think the backlash at Ms. America this year shows that many Americans have forgotten this rich history, or is choosing to ignore it.
Peyton Burgess
10/1/2013 03:02:35 am
I have been watching the Miss America pageant with my mom since I was a little girl and was thrilled when Nina won. According to the standards in my head that I had established over the years of watching, she deserved to be Miss America through her beauty and elegance in the swimsuit and formal dress competitions, her exquisite execution of her bolly-esque dance during talent and her concise and educated answer during the question-answer portion. Her ethnicity or race never came across as a deciding factor in the competition. I was shocked and disappointed to hear all of the negative feedback on her winning. She is just as American as the blonde-hair, blue-eyed girl next door.
Alyssa Armstrong
10/1/2013 06:54:33 am
The negativity that was shown after Nina won is unbelievable. It just shows that there is still an immense amount of racism and hatred within our society, and that needs to change.
John Geraghty
10/1/2013 07:32:09 am
I was very happy when I heard the news that Nina Davuliri (Miss New York) won this year's Miss America pageant. I thought it was an extremely incredible step forward that an Indian American woman took home the title! It's about time! This moment proved that our nation truly is about diversity and embracing all cultures and people despite their race, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. At least that's what I thought this win should've meant. Unfortunately, I was saddened to see such a negative response on Twitter and in the media from all around the country. I thought we were passed racism, sexism and generalizing all of the Middle-East as terrorists. Nina was the best candidate for the position, she is a phenomenal role model for American females. I am glad she is able to lead our country forward in progression. I hope soon that all negative responses will be eliminated and our world will grow even more and become a more tolerant and loving peaceful place.
Christian Lail
10/1/2013 09:16:40 am
I think this is a wonderful quote that sums up how happy she was to be able to represent the Indian American population. A lot of Nina's story got some negative attention, because she was the first Indian Miss America. I think that this quote shows how strong she truly is to be able to push past the negativity and to achieve her dreams. I think Nina is and will be a great Miss America, and will represent America wonderfully.
Kathryn Murray
10/1/2013 10:16:41 am
I do not usually pay attention to the Miss America pageant, but this year was different. It is wonderful that the beautiful and talented Nina Davuluri won, but I was absolutely disgusted by the blatantly racist backlash her victory received. There were many comments that insulted Nina based on her Indian heritage, some even going as far as suggesting she is a terrorist. Her crowning as the first Indian Miss New York and Indian Miss America should have been seen as progress and a step in the right direction, but it only reminded us that racism is still alive and well in America.
Chris Pearlman
10/1/2013 10:51:47 am
Nina Davuluri deserved to be crowned Miss America. However, she did not deserve the public picking her apart for being culturally diverse. This is America a country that was founded upon the idea of a "melting pot". The comments that were made on Twitter and Facebook were absolutely appalling. It still amazes me what people will say when they are at their home sitting on the computer. The fact that people can belittle someone they have never met because she is Indian-American is very disappointing. The facts are that Davuluri is a beautiful women who deserved to be crowned Miss America. Her looks and her personality portray how an American should act and I am proud to call her my representative for the Miss Universe competition.
Trevor
10/1/2013 10:55:32 am
I love that Miss Davuluri became Miss America this year. I don't give a damn about beauty pageants, but it shows that our the mainstream media is maturing. On the other hand I'm horrified by the outrage that occurred on Twitter in reaction to this announcement. It's frightening that there can be so much racism and bigotry in our nation in 2013, and the worst part is that there is far more than just this one highly publicized occurrence.
Sandra Lerebours
10/1/2013 12:13:06 pm
When former Miss Syracuse Vanessa Williams was crowned Miss America some of the American public reacted negatively due to her race. Exactly thirty years later, another former Miss Syracuse, Nina Davaluri, won the crown. Like William’s coronation, when Nina Davaluri was crowned she also received backlash from the public due to her race. People used social media to insult her heritage, implying that she wasn’t a true American because of her race. Some even went as far as to accuse her of being a terrorist. Like the true Miss America that she is, Ms. Davaluri reacted to the criticism with poise and grace, and used the horrible situation to promote her Miss America platform: Diversity through Cultural Competency. I was saddened but not surprised to hear about the negative reaction that Nina Davaluri received when she was crowned Miss America. It is disappointing that three decades later racism and prejudice is still pervasive in America.
Emily Anderson
10/1/2013 01:24:58 pm
I think it's great that Nina Davuluri won Miss America. Her pride clearly shows in this quote. While many Americans did call out in support of Miss America's decision and are happy to call Nina Davuluri "Miss America", there was still a lot of backlash. It is so sad that many Americans have taken to social media to attack her and call her un-American and a "terrorist". People were actually getting angry at the Miss America pageant for selecting her as winner. The pageant showed that they are willing to accept and embrace diversity, but an unfortunate portion of the American population was unable to do the same. How long will it take before all Americans are able to accept the diversity that exists in their nation?
Conway Wilcox
10/1/2013 01:25:30 pm
I think it is wonderful that Nina Davuluri won Miss America. It definitely shows how our country is making progress through diversity. Many people think of Miss America as some hot blonde chick but now it's nice that there's been a change. This definitely makes history. Since the 1960s, I believe many Americans have grown out of their prejudices and are accepting each other's hiritage and opinions, as well as moving past those biases.
Alyssa Townsend
10/1/2013 03:36:25 pm
I definitely agree that it is fantastic we can have our first Indian Miss America. However, I still think we have ways to go. People also thought we had made a lot of progress when we had our first president of color. This is unquestionably progress, yet how many threats does he receive on a daily basis? How many slurs are thrown in his direction? How many people still think he is Muslim or not a citizen of the US?
Nicole King
10/8/2013 05:56:57 am
I think it is amazing that over the last few years the Miss America contest has seen a change in diversity. However, what is truly saddening is the fact how so many people today still resist diversity. What is even more sad is the fact people still have racist tendencies. The fact that people didn't want an Indian to win the Miss America contest is really upsetting. No one should be judged based on their skin color, nationality or any other factor that can't be changed. We still have a long way to go as a nation when it comes to embracing diversity.
Michelle Park
2/19/2014 10:54:55 am
The negative feedback Miss Davuluri received is not only appalling, but embarrassing. America has made incredible social strides in this generation alone and the fact the comments made after her coronation is unacceptable. America's diversity is what makes America beautiful. It's a shame how backwards some people still are. Leave a Reply. |