I was going to discuss Westernized schemata of Middle Eastern dance that many people seem to have but in light of recent comments made about the newly crowned Ms. America, I though I'd talk about that instead.

Ms. Nina Davuluri, formerly Ms. New York, is the first Ms. America of Indian descent and that seems to be a problem for some really stupid people.  These same people also failed geography...miserably. Ironically, Ms. Davuluri's platform is "Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Competency."

  

I for one think this is wonderful and very much needed.  As the world is getting smaller with our technology, it is only smart to get to know one another and its sad to see people that want to be ignorant. Here are just a sample of some of the horrible tweets and my corresponding commentaries:

"and an Arab wins Miss America. Classic."  

"How the f--k does a foreigner win miss America? She is a Arab"  (dude, I find your grammar particularly "unamerican." It is Miss America, capitalize the M and an Arab, not a Arab. Stupid.)

"Egypt dancing? This is America" (so I guess you'd have a problem with Salsa? Just saying. And for the record, THIS is what "Egypt dancing" looks like.)

Dina of Cairo and Fatme Serhan

Sadie (and she's from the Mid West.)

"Congratulations al-Qaeda. Our Miss America is one of you." (uh...I can bet money and I don't like gambling but I don't think they would let their women out the cave, let alone go in public, on TV in a swimsuit.)

According to these buffoons, Miss America is supposed to be a blonde, blue-eyed Kansas girl and better yet, Egypt and India are one in the same. But enough of their buffoonery.

In these United States of America, there are people from all over the world.  Remember the quote by Emma Lazarus, on the Statue of Liberty? "Give me your tired, your poor..." Ellis Island was the first place many new immigrants came through. And before that on (unfortunately) slave ships. Plus, lets not forget the Natives that were already here. Now America has a little but of each country within this country.  That is what makes this country so great.  I tell you, I love me some Guinness and Shepherds Pie in an Irish pub with Young Dubliners songs playing overhead (I recommend Rory Dolan's in Yonkers and Rambling House in Woodlawn, Bronx) and other days I crave Moroccan Chicken and Couscous (Tagine in the Fashion District, NYC). This diversity is how a Puerto Rican woman from the Bronx can learn a dance from the Middle East and how she can do it so much so that she has those natives saying "You remind me of home."

People, lets get it together! Some may not like groups that seem different but you know what? It isn't for you to like. Its a matter of respecting one another on a human level. Lets open our minds (some might need to open a geography book...) and we'll find that these perceived differences are actually similarities.

Ms. Davuluri, I commend you for your bravery and effort in educating people.  I'm going to help you out! Starting with a map!