South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley laughed off a bizarre question from a Time magazine reporter, who asked if she would tip Sikh taxi drivers more than those of other faiths.
Haley, who was born into a Sikh family but converted to Christianity, simply said, “Oh, I give the same tip to everybody,” but the insensitive question has caused an Internet firestorm.
Breitbart.com accused interviewer Belinda Luscombe of race baiting, while AllahPundit at Hot Air wrote, “Note to Marion Barry: Good news — you’re guilty of only the second-worst stereotyping in American politics this Thursday,” referring to the former District of Columbia mayor who complained about “dirty” Asian shopkeepers.
Haley — who was born Nimrata Randhawa, in Bamberg, S.C., one of four children of first generation immigrants from India — was raised a Sikh, but converted after meeting her husband Michael Haley.
Luscombe had already asked if things would have turned out differently if she had run for office as a Sikh. Haley, who was interviewed as part of a promotional tour for her book, “Can’t Is Not An Option,” replied, “I felt like a lot of people wanted me to discount the way I was raised.
“That was something I would never do,” Haley continued. “I’m very proud of the way that I was raised, I’m very proud of the way that my parents raised me. But I also know that being Christian is something that’s very true to me and Michael.”
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