Ethnic Minorities as Elected Heads of State

[Col. Crackpot]

I've been searching the web and i can't for the life of me find another nation on earth that has had a democratically elected ethnic minority as a head of state. There are many among us here who hold advanced degrees in history, any thoughts? Is this really the first?

[Xisiqomelir]

Alberto Fujimori of Peru.

[fgalkin]

Any white President of any Latin American nation.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Samuel]

Lebanon and Nigeria have had multiple minorities be heads of state.

[Col. Crackpot]

Alberto Fujimori of Peru.

Thats the one person i can think of. Fgalkin' pretty general in his statements, and I would be careful in who i would claim to be a democratic leader in Central America.

[ray245]

I've been searching the web and i can't for the life of me find another nation on earth that has had a democratically elected ethnic minority as a head of state. There are many among us here who hold advanced degrees in history, any thoughts? Is this really the first?

Singapore, if you view from the point that no one is complaining nor feeling unhappy about a head of state from a minority group. The only differnece is, our current and first head of state, who belongs to a minority group, are appointed as compared to being elected.

[General Zod]

There's the Apartheid in South Africa though I suspect that's not really a positive example.

[General Zod]

There's the Apartheid in South Africa though I suspect that's not really a positive example.

Ghetto edit: remove the "suspect" from that.

[Darth Wong]

Just a note: technically, the head of state in Canada is the Queen of England, and not an elected position. Then there's the Governor General, who's a black woman, and then there's the Prime Minister, who's a white man.

Definitely, America deserves all the kudos it's getting for electing a black man to President. Especially with all that slavery baggage.

[Mayabird]

Does it count when the ethnic minorities are actually the ruling class and have most of the money and influence (for example, the white leaders of Latin American countries)?

[Col. Crackpot]

Does it count when the ethnic minorities are actually the ruling class and have most of the money and influence (for example, the white leaders of Latin American countries)?

I'm asking about DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED in a legitimate election. Which rules out people like F.W DeClerk and that guy from Vietnam. Latin America is a tough call.

[Darth Wong]

BTW, not all ethnic minorities are distinguished by the colour of their skin. Canada has a french minority, from which several of our prime ministers were elected.

[fgalkin]

Speaking of which, there's Nicolas Sarkozy, who's of Hungarian and Greek Jewish background, neither of which are exactly widely represented in France.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[ray245]

However, the issue lies with electing someone who can be tell apart with the colour of his skin. Someone who is very visually different from another group of people.

I'm sure that is what the OP mean by 'Ethnic Minorities' as a state. The only time people will make a HUGE fuss over someone with a different ethnic background, is due to the colour of the skin.

[General Zod]

I'm sure that is what the OP mean by 'Ethnic Minorities' as a state. The only time people will make a HUGE fuss over someone with a different ethnic background, is due to the colour of the skin.

Which is totally why there's no racism between China and Japan going on; or Jews and anti-Semites despite both occasionally easily being white enough to not be distinguishable from appearance and . . .oh wait. You're just don't know what the fuck you're talking about.

[General Zod]

I'm sure that is what the OP mean by 'Ethnic Minorities' as a state. The only time people will make a HUGE fuss over someone with a different ethnic background, is due to the colour of the skin.

Which is totally why there's no racism between China and Japan going on; or Jews and anti-Semites despite both occasionally easily being white enough to not be distinguishable from appearance and . . .oh wait. You just don't know what the fuck you're talking about.

Ghetto edit: should be "you", not "you're". Fucking typos.

[fgalkin]

However, the issue lies with electing someone who can be tell apart with the colour of his skin. Someone who is very visually different from another group of people.

I'm sure that is what the OP mean by 'Ethnic Minorities' as a state. The only time people will make a HUGE fuss over someone with a different ethnic background, is due to the colour of the skin.

Oh really?

You mean, that whole anti-semitism, anti-foreigner group X sentiments that I thought were prevalent in certain countries in certain times in history, and even to this day exist solely in my head?

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Stravo]

I think part of the importance of Obama's election is that he's not just coming from a minority but a minority that has been trashed for generations by this country and less than a century and a half ago were actually slaves and only given equal rights about 50 years ago. I don't think that's the same as just a simple minority in a country or coming from an underrepresented portion of society.

EDIT: I think a modern equivalent would be if the French elected a North African muslim as their Prime Minister.

[Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba]

BTW, not all ethnic minorities are distinguished by the colour of their skin. Canada has a french minority, from which several of our prime ministers were elected.

Then again, that would mean that the UK did it by electing David Loyd George, a Welshman.

[ray245]

I'm sure that is what the OP mean by 'Ethnic Minorities' as a state. The only time people will make a HUGE fuss over someone with a different ethnic background, is due to the colour of the skin.

Which is totally why there's no racism between China and Japan going on; or Jews and anti-Semites despite both occasionally easily being white enough to not be distinguishable from appearance and . . .oh wait. You're just don't know what the fuck you're talking about.

I'm just saying the colour of your skin made a bigger impact than the racism between China and Japan. Unless that belief is wrong.

Will more Americans mind if you are voting for a Jew as compared to voting for a black?

[fgalkin]

Lieberman's Jewishness is an issue in American politics, especially when he was running for Vice President.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[General Zod]

I'm just saying the colour of your skin made a bigger impact than the racism between China and Japan. Unless that belief is wrong.

That's not what you said dumbass. You said people won't make as big a deal over it except when skin color is involved. China, Japan, and anti-Semitism are massive enough examples to make your point utterly irrelevant.

[ray245]

Lieberman's Jewishness is an issue in American politics, especially when he was running for Vice President.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

I know that Lieberman's background did cause an issue, but compare it to Barack Obama's background and ethnic group. Whose background managed to generate more controversy in this election?

I did not say that if you share the same skin colour, there will be no issue. There will be issue being raised, but compare it to people who have a different skin colour. Who will raise more eyebrows?

And Zod, I said that people won't make a big deal over it. Emphasis on the word 'big' . When you use the word big, you have to compare it to another thing.

Cool down Ray, don't get worked up, just remember you are the happiest member here. Ok, done.

[General Zod]

I did not say that if you share the same skin colour, there will be no issue. There will be issue being raised, but compare it to people who have a different skin colour. Who will raise more eyebrows?

And Zod, I said that people won't make a big deal over it. Emphasis on the word 'big' . When you use the word big, you have to compare it to another thing.

Are you being deliberately retarded today or are you willfully ignoring the sheer amount of hatred throughout history and even modern times between the groups I mentioned earlier?

[Akhlut]

Would JFK count? Irish Catholic elected in a WASP nation.

Plus, there's Mayawati Kumari, an untouchable elected to Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (essentially a governor of a state), although, given their numbers and the fact that a caste is more social than ethnic, I'm not sure if that counts.