Their 18th century exodus from Nova Scotia was immortalized in the overwrought poetry of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Now their cuisine has become democratized into a culinary cliche as even fast-food restaurants offer ersatz renditions of jambalaya and gumbo. Yes, the Cajuns have shouldered their share of suffering. But are these injustices enough to transform the 250,000 descendants of the original Acadian settlers in Louisiana into a minority group eligible for state affirmative-action programs designed for blacks?
Almost no one took the cause very seriously when Louisiana State Representative Raymond ("La La") Lalonde introduced his bill to allow Cajuns to qualify for...
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