The South Asian American Vote 2004

This is a report on south Asian Americans vote in 2004 presidential election. The objective of this research is to show how south Asians in America voted, in what condition and with what perspective. The report was accomplished by two institutions, The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) and National Election Pool (NEP).The comparisons variables and results were as follow:
1- Profile of respondents (Asian Indian52%, Bangladeshi 18%, Pakistani 15%, Indo-Caribbean 14%, others south Asian 1%)
2- ¾ south Asian Americans were registered in Democratic Party. 16% Independents,9% Republicans.
3- Economy and job had more impact on south Asians’ vote than war, civil right and health care.
4- Civil liberties were most important in civil rights and Immigrants rights.
5- All Asians ethnic groups have common political interests.
6- Many south Asian Americans turned to their ethnic media, more than 38%.
7- Over 20% of Asian needed language assistance to exercise the right to vote.
8- The barriers to Asians’ voting were: wrong directing, hostility, rude or poorly trained poll workers, and identification.

The results of both institutions were different in percentage of first-time voters and candidate to whom they voted.
The research was conducted simultaneously in 20 cities in 8 states, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Analysis

According to results, first important point concerned to politics is Asians’ bias of Democratic Party. Maybe it refers to Democrats’ liberal policy on immigration. Another reason may be Bush’s Administration during his first term, in fields of interior (no support to low level class) and foreign policy (war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq, considering both Asian Muslim countries).To add this argument it must be said that Democrats are more influencing through low-level class of American society, and we can account immigrants among this class.
In another case, economy and job was most important for Asians because some matters like American patriotism and Ideology do not mean for Asians ,as they mean for Americans themselves, so for them economy is more important to live than ideology.
About aforementioned civil liberties that are more important among immigrants’ rights, it is obvious that what is important for immigrants or Diasporas is freedom in doing rituals as well as sense of membership and freedom in choice of business and job.
Using the media represents identity and membership in every society, so south Asian American showed their glory of nationality and national identity through reading their own media. The media is formed by literature, language, economy, politics and all of communal characteristics that are specified to special community.
In terms of barriers, there are many obstacles for Diasporas in alien societies. It depends on people’s view, politically; ideologically that Diasporas are treated respectively or vice versa.

Conclusion

Apart from being original or aboriginal, voting in every society is sign of democracy. In every society those objectives that encourage people to participate in political activities are very important. People come to ballot box with different vista, some for economic purpose, as others for ideological views. Today’s democratic or alleged liberal democratic era is known by democratic right of voting given to minority groups, although practically they are denigrated.