Sept. 15, Miss New York Nina Davuluriher, was the first Indian-American to win the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, N.J. While most viewers were excited for Davuluriher, some people posted racist remarks about her on Twitter immediately after she was crowned.

According to Buzzfeed, many hateful posts said things like: “Miss New York is an Indian….With all do respect this is America,” tweeted one man.

“9/11 was 4 days ago and she gets Miss America?” tweeted another man.

“Miss America right now or Miss Al Qaeda,” tweeted one woman.

Many Americans were completely outraged that Davuluriher wasn’t caucasian or African-American. I found this whole situation disturbing. Really, America? If I could, I would go back in history and remember how many Native Americans inhabited this land before Columbus arrived. Let’s remember our ancestors, but let’s also remember how diverse America is today.

Hannah Roberts, a junior biochemistry major and winner of the Miss USM Pageant in 2012, agrees with the diversity factor.

“We should come to realize that America consists of all types of nationalities and ethnicities and that they are just as American as the current majority racial group, caucasian,” Roberts said.

Davuluriher relates to more American women than you think. According to Syracuse.com, 24-year-old Davuluriher revealed she struggled with bulimia. She then started a strict regimen of healthy eating and regular exercise. Her new dream is to go to medical school to become a doctor.

“Miss America is supposed to represent our nation and the scholarship program is designed to select the woman who exemplifies that,” Roberts said. “Therefore, I feel that it is a wonderful thing that we now have an Indian-American woman representing the nation.”

It appears that Davuluriher  is taking the hateful criticism very well. During a news conference, Davuluriher said, “I have to rise above that. I always viewed myself as first and foremost American.”

“I’m so happy this organization has embraced diversity,” she said. “I’m thankful there are children watching at home who can finally relate to a new Miss America.”

Good for you, Miss America.

So watch out Twitter haters. Davuluriher clearly doesn’t care if you are calling her a terrorist or a member of al-Qaida. After all, diversity is one of the most interesting aspects of the Miss America pageant.