Thread: @WSJ @WSJopinion @almarlatour @DanHenninger. We sent a letter yesterday, urging you to remove the word "Brahmin" from your recent Op-Ed by @ZaidJilani, using a dangerous word coined by @PikettyLeMonde. cohna.org/wp-content/upl… 1/n
The callous usage of such words amounts to blatant propaganda and a thinly veiled attack on the Hindu community, and promotes hatred and animosity towards Hindus in the US and worldwide. Inserting it into the headline provides a giant megaphone to amplify #Hinduphobia. 2/n
By using "Brahmin" as a disparaging label, @ZaidJilani falsely paints an entire community (completely unrelated to the issue being discussed) as greedy, elitist and oppressive and furthers a colonial and racist narrative. 3/n
While @PikettyLeMonde may be a respected economist, his coinage of a dangerous and offensive term (“Brahmin Left”) is a deliberate and nefarious mischaracterization, which assumes that Brahmin Hindus were the economic “upper class” of India. 4/n
The truth is that Brahmin Hindus were mainly scholars, priests and teachers who were required to be devoid of wealth and power and instead focus on the pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment – quite opposite of the elitist voters being discussed in the article. 5/n
Why couldn't @PikettyLeMonde simply stick to French words such as "haute bourgeoisie," which accurately define his political and economic arguments, rather than "Brahmin"? We don't know, but such Eurocentric misinterpretations of other cultures and people must be questioned! 6/n
Describing the Brahmin Hindu community as part of the economic elites of the world is a cunning and malicious fairy tale that has no basis in reality and which leads to a reinforcement of colonial and racist prejudices against Hindus. 7/n
Such depictions are reminiscent of anti-Jewish caricatures in the late 19th and early 20th century, using bodily features, stereotypes and cartoons showing Jews as corrupt businessmen, usurpers, having too much world power, etc. 8/n tabletmag.com/sections/arts-…
Scholars have debated how Shylock from “The Merchant of Venice” has advanced anti-Jewish sentiments by depicting the character as a “stereotypical greedy Jew,” and how the play was a favorite of Nazi Germany. 9/n smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/w…
Similarly, African Americans were depicted as animalistic, crazed and savage based on pseudoscientific anthropological theories such as the Aryan Theories of the late 1800s. Such theories were used for genocide, oppression and slavery. 10/n ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jim…
Just as Shylock became a byword for bloodthirsty money lenders, the article uses “Brahmin” as a byword to describe the entitled and undeserving rich. It normalizes #Hinduphobia and creates a motive to use "Brahmin" as a slur against others. 11/n
Such usage advances existing unconscious biases about Hindus within the minds of mainstream Americans and discourages an environment that fosters diversity, inclusion, and mutual respect. It can also lead to bullying of Hindus students, as shown on many occasions. 12/n
Even worse, the next time a person is disgruntled towards the rich and “elite”, what stops them from attacking a Hindu temple or a Hindu community member, thinking that he is attacking a “Brahmin?” What responsibility will @WSJ @WSJopinion @ZaidJilani be ready to shoulder? 13/n
In the postmodern context that drives the discourse today, bringing such deliberate and false associations into your newspaper is dangerous to the secular and democratic ethos of America and is a deep affront to our American values. 14/n
Naturally, the paper would not tolerate devious characterizations of other religious and ethnic communities to drive across a political point. 15/n
Therefore, we demand and expect that @WSJ @WSJopinion @almarlatour @DanHenninger remove the word “Brahmin” from this opinion piece immediately, and issue an apology to the global Hindu community. 16/n

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More from @CoHNAOfficial

30 Nov
@WSJ @PikettyLeMonde @ZaidJilani peddling Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry by using "Brahmin Left." We expect better journalism rather than promoting hatred against our community by falsely equating India's social dynamics with US politics. 1/n
wsj.com/articles/cance…
By using "Brahmin" pejoratively, you are painting an entire community (unrelated to this issue) as greedy, elitist and oppressive and furthering a colonial and racist narrative along with prejudice against Hindus. 2/n
The callous usage of such words also amounts to blatant propaganda and a thinly veiled attack on the Hindu community. It can lead to serious long term repercussions for Hindus in the United States and globally. 3/n
Read 4 tweets
13 Nov
Thread: #SwastikaIsNotHakenkreuz. What is the Swastika? 1/n
In Sanskrit, the word Swastika means “that which brings good luck and well-being.” The word "Swasti" occurs frequently in the Vedas as well as in classical literature, and means health, luck, success, and prosperity. It is a symbol of divinity and auspiciousness. 2/n
The limbs of the Swastika are associated with the four goals of life: Dharma (right action), Artha (worldly prosperity), Kama (worldly enjoyment) and Moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death). They also symbolize the four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva). 3/n
Read 7 tweets
13 Nov
Thread: #HappyDiwali. This Diwali, join CoHNA's campaign promoting awareness about Swastika via #SwastikaIsNotHakenkreuz. Check out and download our booklet on Swastika and sign up for our campaign at cohna.org. 1/n
WHY THE CAMPAIGN? Swastika is one of the most sacred symbols for over 1.5 Billion Hindus, Buddhists and Jains around the world. Through #SwastikaIsNotHakenkreuz, we aim to foster a mutual understanding of Swastika and remove misconceptions about this sacred symbol. 2/n
Through #SwastikaIsNotHakenkreuz, individuals can learn to distinguish between the Swastika and the Hakenkreuz (Hitler's symbol of hatred) and rightly denounce the Hakenkreuz for what it stands for, rather than the Swastika, which is a symbol of peace and well-being. 3/n
Read 8 tweets
16 Sep
Thread on Hinduphobia and intolerance towards Hindu students at @txfastate @CCISD via Item 22 on the TFA Fall 2020 Legislative Docket. Link to our letter urging both to remove the topic from the docket. cohna.org/tfa-letter/ 1/n
The debate topic "Curbing Hindu Nationalism" promotes hostility towards Hindu students, by presenting that their faith is 'ultra-right-wing' and hateful towards those who are not Hindus. The debate topic is framed as a derogatory description of Hinduism. 2/n
There is already widespread #Hinduphobia and lack of understanding of #Hinduism in schools. Positioning of Hinduism as intolerant via such ill-informed and factually inaccurate debates is certain to make matters worse. 3/n
Read 21 tweets
17 Jul
1/n ACTION ALERT: Urge @NYSenate to include the Nazi Hakenkreuz and NOT the sacred Swastika in NY school curriculum on hatred and intolerance. Sign the petition at chng.it/twQkR5MtLZ.

@SenatorBiaggi @Brooks4LINY @SenatorCarlucci @NYGovCuomo
2/n We welcome a bill advancing education against hatred and bigotry; support the noose as being labeled and taught as such. But, deeming the Swastika as a hate symbol perpetuates misinformation & intolerance against Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Native American, and other traditions.
3/n Swastika is thousands of years old, far predating World War II, and has been a symbol of good fortune, peace, and prosperity since time immemorial.
Read 14 tweets
30 Apr
THREAD

On April 23, 2020, @Harvard_Press tweeted the below racist and evocative picture about #Hinduism and #Hindus to promote a talk by @ajanthasub with @tmkrishna @BIC_Blr.
Picture shows a #Hindu religious figure grinding a mill stone, conjuring up a devilish figure and crushing black figurines or throwing them into fire (one figure is even seen holding the religious figure's foot).
@Harvard_Press failed to to review the contents of the link. Interestingly, the picture is not even from the book and was used specifically to promote the book and the lecture.
Read 16 tweets

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