Thread by @HinduphobiaConf

#BREAKING! Rutgers Univ. Student Assembly, a co-sponsor of UH2021, publicizes its resolution recognizing Hinduphobia. Our hats off to everyone who worked on this, esp. @RutgersHSC's indomitable president, Prasiddha Sudhakar, who worked tirelessly w/ RUSA to make this happen.

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Given DGH's blatant Hinduphobia and currently unraveling scandal around its lack of academic integrity and prof. ethics, it's the perfect time to read each word of this resolution, understand its significance, and make this go viral!!

rusa.rutgers.edu/sites/default/…

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Resolution to Condemn Hinduphobia & Co-Sponsor “Understanding Hinduphobia” Conference

Whereas, it is important to recognize that the state of NJ, home to Rutgers University, has the largest population of Hindu Americans constituting an estimated 3% of the population, and

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in addition, college campuses make up for an estimated 24,000 Hindu undergraduate and graduate students in the U.S.A.; and

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It's important to protect Hindu students on campus against Hinduphobia, and the working definition of Hinduphobia is “a set of antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes and behaviors towards Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) and Hindus that may manifest as fear or hatred” 5/

Whereas, protection of Hindu students against bias and hatred of any kind provides for a supportive campus environment, cultural learning opportunities, and contributes to personal development to fashion civil, compassionate, and caring citizens and future leaders; and

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According to the FBI 2018 Hate Crime Statistics Rpt released in November 2018, 12 reported incidents and 14 offenses against Hindus in the US were documented, depicting an increase from 11 reported incidents in 2017 and 10 incidents in 2016, marking the third straight year of
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increased violence targeting Hindu Americans; and

Whereas, Hinduism and Hinduphobia remain poorly understood in the American public sphere and media, and according to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2014,

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only 22% of Americans knew a practitioner of the Hindu faith, and Americans in general also held a neutral or negative view of Hindus compared to other religions in the United States; and

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Be it hereby resolved, the Rutgers University Student Assembly expresses solidarity with Hindu students and condemns those who seek to perpetuate anti-Hindu acts, including denial of the existence of Hinduphobia, at the University and throughout the state of New Jersey; and

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Be it hereby further resolved, the RUSA agrees to co-sponsor “Understanding Hinduphobia Conference” to protect Hindu students on campus by educating Rutgers community members and students across the USA about the historical, empirical, and epistemic evidence of Hinduphobia.

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Watch Nicholas LaBelle's announcement DURING Understanding Hinduphobia 2021.



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.@HinduStudentsC .@indumathi37 .@parthparihar .@hinduprof .@aravindasharma .@RaniRosser .@RashmiDVS .@algalitsky .@vjgtweets .@1SonalS .@raghman36 @thekejemon

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