To our followers, we want to thank you for all of your love and support, especially for the New York Senate Bill S6648/Assembly Bill A8545. This state bill has been stalled for the near future. We want to specifically thank our Jewish friends, who have been understanding and supportive of our cause.
Given the background, their support especially means a lot to us, and we truly thank them for voicing their support in favor of teaching the distinction between the Hindu Swastika and Nazi Hakenkreuz. We believe that teaching both versions of the symbol, and their distinctions will be foundational for building stronger relationships between Jewish and Hindu communities.
We cannot even begin to understand the pain the Holocaust caused for their family and friends and we are upset with how an appropriation of the Hindu Swastika became the face of that horror. We do not condone any use of that symbol to signify oppression and anti-Semitic statements made using it should be stopped immediately.
We also want to extend our gratitude to Rabbi Seth Winberg for his support to Simran Tatsukar, the Brandeis Student Union President whose post was taken out of context by stopantisemitism.org on social media, and who targeted Simran to the extent of cyber bullying and harassment. The Rabbi’s letter and his assertion hold a special meaning for us and we are grateful to him for taking a public stance.
Thankfully this proposed bill has been stalled, but we must continue to work together to encourage proper education and stop misappropriation everywhere. Only then can we put an end to this misappropriation.
We believe in a world of equality, mutual respect, and appreciation for diversity everywhere and hope that together, we get one step closer to that ideal world every day.
We will continue to educate our American sisters and brothers, and advocate for a de-stigmatization of the Hindu Swastika so that our community may practice our faith without fear of social or legal repercussions.
Our sincerest gratitude once again to our Jewish brothers and sisters, and Rabbi Seth Winberg as we continue to strengthen this bond and work together to ensure a better future for us all.
We continue to hope and work toward that ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the whole world is one family.
Dhanyawaad, The American Hindu