Indian–Americans carry a responsibility to restore merit into the American system as the country is built on certain ideals such as the pursuit of merit and meritocracy, Republican Presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy said in his virtual keynote address at the HinduACTion gala recently.
Born to Indian immigrants, Ramaswamy believes that his parents like many others came to the United States because it was a nation built on a merit-based system. “As my parents travelled the ocean to become part of America that takes courage, there is a reason many of you come here, there is a reason why my family came here. This is the country built on certain ideals such as the pursuit of merit and meritocracy, the pursuit of excellence and recognizing that for many people who choose to come to America from India”, Ramaswamy remarked.
“There is an obligation that we share above all else to this country, either as immigrants or as first-generation Americans and especially true in a certain way of Indian –Americans bear the responsibility to putting merit back into America”,the 37-year-old maintained.
Explaining his view on meritocracy, Ramaswamy said that it is a system in which anybody can reach the fullest of their God-given potential. Without any other human being or man-made system getting in their way of achieving that potential through hard work, commitment,dedication and God–given gifts.
As the youngest candidate in the Republican presidential field, Ramaswamy said that many Americans his age are “hungry for a cause.” “We are hungry for purpose and meaning and identity and point in our national history as Americans.”
He further elaborated on American values and ideals in detail and urged the Indian-American community to contribute to restoring them. “Each of us bears the responsibility of doing that, not just by living the American dream ourselves. But by unapologetically embracing it as we raise our kids as we become members of our communities and hopefully we will ourselves play the role in breathing the merit and the American lifeblood back into America itself.”
