Miss America Responds to Racism, Makes Pageant Cool Again

Nina Davulur's first day as the new Miss America

The Miss America contest became relevant again on Sunday with the selection of Nina Davuluri, a smart, outspoken 24 year-old and the pageant's first winner of Indian decent-until Internet thugs tried to blast it back to the Stone Age.

Within moments of Davuluri being crowned the pageant's winner, racist comments flooded Twitter and revealed an ugly, ignorant streak that apparently is still a part of our national psyche.

If you're #Miss America you should have to be American," said one person on Twitter.

"WHEN WILL A WHITE WOMAN WIN #MISSAMERICA? Ever??!!" asked another.

Some associated her with the terrorist bombings of 9/11:

"9/11 was 4 days ago and she gets miss America?" asked one.

Another commented, "More like Miss Terrorist #MissAmerica."

What's ironic-and distressing-about the vile comments on our new Miss America, is that Davuluri epitomizes the American dream. She was born in Syracuse, New York to immigrant parents and graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in brain behavior and cognitive sciences. She became a beauty pageant contestant in part to help pay for her own education and finished student loan-free. Her father is a physician and she says she'll put her $50,000 Miss America scholarship award toward pursuing her own degree in medicine.

Related: Miss America Contestant Reveals Tattoos, Breaks Taboo

Davuluri is a modern young American woman who is also is clearly proud of her heritage-she studied traditional Indian dance for 15 years and performed a jazzed-up Bollywood number in the talent competition. Her pageant platform was "celebrating diversity through cultural competency," and she told the Syracuse Post Standard that she's dispelled many misconceptions about her background, such as whether her parents were planning to arrange her marriage, during her year-long campaign leading up to the finale.

When quizzed in the competition about television personality Julie Chen's recent revelation that she had cosmetic surgery to make her eyes appear less Asian, Davuluri was diplomatic but firm, "I don't agree with plastic surgery, however I can understand that from a standpoint," she said. "More importantly I've always viewed Miss America as the girl next door. And Miss America is always evolving... I wouldn't want to change someone's looks. Be confident in who you are."

In a press conference after the competition, Davuluri was asked to comment on the outpouring of racism. "I have to rise above that," she said. "I always viewed myself as first and foremost American." She added that her America was one of diversity and inclusion. "I'm thankful there are children watching at home who can finally relate to a new Miss America."