“I would not have voted for you… because you’re an Indian,” said Ann Coulter to Vivek Ramaswamy.
Ramaswamy blinked twice and bobbed his head as if to calm himself from what he had just heard. Their dialogue on Ramaswamy’s podcast had proceeded fairly well up until then. Coulter had just finished praising Ramaswamy’s policy propositions and now-suspended presidential campaign, even including that she agreed with him over most of the Republican candidates during the primaries. However, her refusal to support Ramaswamy’s presidency on the grounds of his Indian heritage threw the Ohio-born political aspirant between a rock and a hard place. Cry “racism” against Coulter’s claim and Ramaswamy would be exhibiting the sensitive behavior that he disparages the left for. Do nothing and he would appear invertebrate. Ultimately, Ramaswamy pulled his punches, preferring to keep goodwill with his guest.
The situation brought to mind a perennial issue in an increasingly diverse nation. Here, we observe two outspoken conservative figures with shared beliefs about domestic policy, foreign affairs, and general political philosophy. Both are well-read attorneys, have published several books about American political culture, and have attracted significant media attention for similar comments. Their differences? Quite obvious. Ann Coulter can trace her American ancestry back to the Puritan settlers of Plymouth. Vivek Ramaswamy is a first-generation American born to Indian Hindu immigrant parents. Coulter’s comment reminded Ramaswamy that despite his efforts, she could never treat him as a member of the same club.
Before you notice Ramaswamy’s multi-billion-dollar enterprises or his self-posturing as the “anti-woke” voice of the GOP’s future, you will notice that he is Indian-American. As one of my favorite comedians says, “you can see it in his face.” I sense that as Ramaswamy was staring at Coulter and strategizing a way to proceed with the podcast interview, he was simultaneously pondering whether he had underestimated his reputation as a foreigner among uncharitable voters.
Americans of full Asian ethnicity like Ramaswamy and myself have a particularly unique relationship with the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype. Notably, our Asian heritage is physically obvious. There is no “white-passing,” making the perpetual foreigner label essentially unavoidable if you happen to encounter someone who sees Asian Americans as such. I personally find it difficult to believe that Coulter would refuse to support the son of Anglo-American or Italian-American immigrants. “I would not have voted for you… because your parents were born in Nottingham.” That doesn’t sound quite right.
I suppose that in some way, it makes sense that Asian Americans are the first ethnic group that comes to mind when considering the “perpetual foreigner.” Asian Americans are still, in some sense, new kids on the block. If you were to meet a Gen-Z American of full Asian ethnicity in the year 2024, the chances that they are the children of immigrants are quite high. Does this make natural-born Asian Americans less deserving of public confidence in their respect and commitment to their nation? Does this alone disqualify Ramaswamy from serving his country? Does this mean that Asian Americans can never truly embrace their national culture? I disagree with Ramaswamy on many points, but on this occasion, I believe that our responses would be identical.
