In celebration of #Pride2021 , we’re sharing a Hindu perspective on homosexuality. (Thread)
While the equal religio-spiritual potential of all individuals is key to understanding a Hindu basis for dignity for LGBT persons, so too is the way in which Hindu religious texts and teachings are approached.
Why is a former U.S. diplomat once stationed in Dhaka, @JonFDanilowicz, now among the loudest opponents of calls to support Bangladeshi Hindus & other minorities?
Why did he oppose @CongressmanRaja & New Hampshire legislative action supporting Bangladeshi Hindus?
See 🧵
Jon Danilowicz was appointed interim Executive Director of a Washington DC based org, Right to Freedom (R2F) in Nov 2024. Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey controls R2F’s books & records per their Form 990, and he publicly celebrated Danilowicz’s appointment.
In October 2024, R2F's Ansarey was appointed as an Ambassador of the interim government of Bangladesh.
Danilowicz engaged in loud promotion of that same interim government through a media outlet, South Asia Perspectives (also tied to Mr. Ansarey), and on social media.
#Breaking: HAF releases letter sent to Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison @SeaCityAttorney last week advising her that @cmkshama’s caste proposal targets Hindus & South Asians on the basis of their national origin and ancestry for disparate treatment. In doing so, the resolution…
violates the very policy the resolution seeks to amend, not to mention Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Adding “caste” would be a departure from the practice of facially neutral policies applying broadly/generally to all people regardless of background/identity.
When @cmkshama stated her proposal “protects those of South Asian descent from discrimination by those who do [recognize the caste system]” she made clear who her proposal targets & is the very definition of discriminatory & a denial of both equal protection & due process.
#Breaking: Court finds that Audrey Truschke & H4HR's Sunita Viswanath lied about HAF and that they along with @IAMCouncil & @Fiacona_us leaders harmed HAF with their lies.
Court found that Viswanath's allegation that HAF has "parent organisations" in India is "verifiably false," thus confirming that HAF has no existential ties to Indian orgs! Court also found that Truschke made "verifiably false" claims relating to HAF Board member @rajiv_pandit.
Even more, the court found that HAF suffered "tortious injury" [civil damage] due to the lies.
But court still dismissed HAF's suit on procedural grounds. Importantly, the suit was not dismissed on the factual basis that instigated HAF to sue.
The @DemsTeaneck@iamc resolution uses a slur commonly used by #antiSemites, against Hindus. It actually calls Hindus “infilitrators” and paints Hindu advocacy as insidious.
When Hindus meet legislators and advocate on issues, it is not something to condemn. It is being American
The @DemsTeaneck resolution also lies about the million emails HAF’s letter campaign sent to colleges over the unethical use of college logos for the Hinduphobic DGH conference. Not a single letter was sent to Audrey Truschke as they were sent to @RutgersU admin.
#Breaking: After 4 months of relentless efforts by @hinduamerican working with allies, the word “Swastika” has been removed from @NYSenate & NY State Assembly bills NY A.9155 and NY S.7680.
BOTH bills originally referred to the swastika as “anti-Semitic and fascist symbols.”
HAF’s Anita Joshi and Shereen Bhalla worked tirelessly providing solid arguments and building strategic relationships in making this happen.
We thank the NY State Senate and Assembly, and the sponsor leads for their efforts — @AMBichotte & @LizKrueger.
Despite the horrific history of Nazi Germany, we thank our Jewish allies for their generosity in helping us end the false identification of the #hakenkreuz with the #Swastika.
#Update: After HAF filed a defamation suit against IAMC, its partner groups & Audrey Truschke, @Georgetown's Saudi funded @bridgeinit released a "Fact Sheet" with several factually incorrect statements about HAF.
HAF's letter to @Georgetown President & Provost @RobertMGroves states in part:
"This factsheet, carrying the imprimatur of Georgetown University, ignores the basic values of transparency, objectivity, impartiality & integrity of scholarship that Georgetown University expects.."
The @bridgeinit's report on HAF appeared to be a coordinated move to buttress false allegations first published by Qatari State funded @AlJazeera falsely accusing HAF of ties to Hindu nationalism and speciously implying that HAF was Islamophobic.