Thread by @CoHNAOfficial

THREAD: #Diwali is around the corner, & Hindus will adorn their homes & businesses w/ the Swastika. But, Prof Truschke peddles #Hinduphobia in the name of the Swastika (this is not the first time). Her argument is dangerous & should be condemned by @rutgers & @Rutgers_Newark. 1/n

"Ambiguous sense??" The Swastika has ALWAYS been a positive, auspicious sign (vs the Hakenkreuz of Hitler). To suggest that Swastika is "sometimes" and "ambiguously" used by Hindus for hate is blatantly false & paints Hindus as Nazi sympathizers, opens them up for attacks. 2/n

In Sept 2016, she connected an innocuous Indian university building shaped like a Swastika to Nazism, even though the two had nothing to do w/ each other - a thinly veiled attempt to link Hindus & Nazis together again (tweet deleted since then). 3/n

https://twitter.com/audreytruschke/status/778205711515942912?lang=en

The recently concluded @dghconference also claimed that Hinduism inspired Nazism, Hinduism is a danger to society and thus must be dismantled. Prof Truschke and @rutgers openly endorsed this #Hinduphobic conference. 4/n

This type of "scholarship" and intellectual dishonesty put Hindus, especially students, at risk, and comes at a time when campuses across the United States and world celebrate #Diwali, the most popular Hindu festival. 5/n

It also demonstrates a pattern of bigotry and #Hinduphobia while vehemently denying that such a thing exists - a classic strategy used by Hinduphobes. @HinduphobiaConf's manual outlines this phenomenon. 6/n manual.understandinghinduphobia.org/addressing-hin…

Furthermore, just because one owns some artwork or Indian books that may have the Swastika on them doesn't give them a right to claim authority or knowledge or talk over the indigenous people who ACTUALLY use this sacred symbol in their religious and cultural practices. 7/n

In fact, it wreaks of #WhitePrivilege and a colonial mindset, both of which claim moral and intellectual superiority. They attempt to tell the natives (here, Hindus) what is wrong with them or who they really are and how they can "fix" themselves. 8/n

She also conflates the history of the Hakenkreuz & the Swastika due to her lack of expertise and intellectual dishonesty. We suggest she read actual experts like Dr. T K. Nakagaki, who has done deep research on this topic. 9/n google.com/url?sa=t&sourc…

She should also read Dr. Daniel Rancour-Laferriere, an expert on Christianity who shows that Hitler's Hakenkreuz has always been connected to the Christian Cross and NOT some sacred symbol from a far away land. 10/n google.com/url?sa=t&sourc…

One one hand, she asserts that it isn't cool to misrepresent history. Yet, she does precisely just that! And, then silences Hindus who raise concerns or condemn her bigotry and calls them "Hindu supremacists." Appalling and hypocritical indeed! #WhitePrivilege 11/n

We also welcome her to read our write up on the Swastika and the Hakenkreuz and stop "Crying Hindutva." Be well. 12/n cohna.org/swastika-is-no…