We thank @BauerKahan for amendments in CA Bill #AB2282, based on our discussions. Yet in its current form we cannot support the bill, due to language which again perpetuates false & hurtful concepts like “the Nazi swastika that was the official emblem of the Nazi party...” 1/4
Over the past 2 years, our Swastika Education Campaign has shown that Hitler & the Nazis never used the word “Swastika” only the word “Hakenkreuz”, when referring to their emblem of death & destruction. So we once again ask California to use the truth. cohna.org/swastika/ 2/4
As it is currently written the bill does not remove the Swastika's false associations of Hitler, leading to renewed challenges for the Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and other communities that revere the #Swastika, in California and beyond. 3/4
THREAD: What passes in America as “academic” is on naked display here. We know she hates Hindus but does so while blatantly lying about history & ensuring that the world equates Hindus w/ Nazis. It is she who is dying history & connecting Hindus with genocide. 1/n
For starters, she should read our FREE research on Swastika to educate herself on history. It is also venom free! Further in the thread, we also present links to academic research. Sadly for Truschke, these are not “Hindu Right.” 2/n cohna.org/swastika-is-no…
Here is an academic paper by a Jewish scholar studying genocide and holocaust and it clearly calls for distinguishing between the Nazi Hakenkreuz and the Swastika. 3/n cohna.org/wp-content/upl…
THREAD: Who has been the biggest culprit in perpetuating the "Nazi Swastika" theory? Answer: Media houses. Here, as shown before, @guardian CONTINUES to equate Swastika with Nazis even though the actual Australian law doesn't. 1/n #SwastikaIsNotHakenkreuztheguardian.com/australia-news…
In October 2021, we had illustrated how @nytimes was one of the first media houses who decided to conflate Hitler's Hakenkreuz with the "Swastika." See news clips of 1923 ("Hakenkreuz) vs 1933 ("Swastika)
THREAD: Another #Hinduphobic racist, xenophobic rant-this time by #AmyWax. Shame on @TuckerCarlson & @FoxNews for platforming such individuals. She is being sanctioned by @pennlaw. But, notice how similar she sounds to some "South Asian Scholars" who also target Hindus. @Penn 1/n
Brown & Asian faces (even those born or raised in USA) who raise concerns around racism & prejudice are marked as "foreigners" and "immigrants" and apparently not fit to be Americans! A stark reminder of the anti-Asian xenophobia present even today on both sides of the aisle. 2/n
@TuckerCarlson then says "...they have a freaking caste system...", which once again paints Hindus and Indian Americans as the oppressors by default - as if they carry "caste oppression" as part of their DNA and transfer it genetically to the next gen. 3/n
THREAD: “US-based Hindu Right” is a dog whistle used to target Hindu students, parents, community members who express genuine concerns about how “South Asian Scholars” espouse bigoted views and biased scholarship on Hinduism. 1/n
These scholars make broad brushed and Hinduphobic comments and malign an entire religion and community based on faulty data, racist colonial views. When questioned or countered, they “cry Hindutva” and attack Hindus by denying them a voice and painting them as “extremists.” 2/n
Though they are “South Asian Scholars” they ONLY target Hinduism and India as the source of all sorts of evils (e.g. “Casteism,”patriarchy, oppression, Sati, etc.) while other South Asian religions, nations and communities are spared of the hate. 3/n
A great article summarizing the fake construction of “caste” in California, the inherent unfairness of how such policies were created + the impact on day-to-day life of Hindu American students & technology workers. #Caste#HinduAmericans#CasteInTechindiacurrents.com/constructing-c… 1/n
Article calls out flawed data used, even as a June 2021 study by @CarnegieEndow found majority of Indian Americans did NOT identify themselves with caste at all. 24% denied ANY knowledge of caste in their networks. No evidence for significant caste-based discrimination in US. 2/n
OF NOTE: fears of the CSU students we at CoHNA are helping-who now worry about hosting events, catering vegetarian food, or even celebrating beloved festivals like Holi & Diwali – since both have been called violent/casteist by the same activist groups driving caste policies 3/n
THREAD: The Whirling Log is the equivalent of the Swastika among Native Americans and First Nation people. Here is an early 20th century drum used by the Pueblo people containing the Whirling Log symbols. Why did many (sadly) stop using it? 1/n
Whirling Log is a very sacred symbol for these indigenous communities. A good article describing the importance (note to read “Whirling Log” where the word “Swastika” is used because Swastika is a Sanskrit word used by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains only. 2/n adobegallery.com/art/rare-zia-s…
Unfortunately, due to continued misunderstanding about their sacred symbols, these communities face opposition even for celebrating their art. Something that Hindus, Buddhists and Jains can empathize with. 3/n sltrib.com/news/2017/08/2…