Microaggressions: The Year 2023 Ends With a Heightened State of Hinduphobia in America
- It's time to rise to the occasion. Let's work together to amplify the voices of Hindu Americans and showcase the richness of Hindu culture and beliefs.
Anti-Hindu prejudice and violence are on the rise across the United States, manifesting in various hate crimes. This trend has been documented in various reports, including one by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
What is Hinduphobia
In 2021, scholars created a working definition of Hinduphobia in Rutgers University’s Understanding Hinduphobia conference.
Hinduphobia is a set of antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes and behaviors towards Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) and Hindus that may manifest as prejudice, fear, or hatred.
The complete range of Hinduphobic acts extends from microaggressions to genocide. Hinduphobic projects include the destruction and desecration of Hindu sacred spaces; aggressive and forced proselytization of Hindu populations; targeted violence towards Hindu people, community institutions, and organizations; and ethnic cleansing and genocide.
FBI Watch
The FBI has been keeping tabs on hate crimes targeting Hindus since 2017 through their Crime Data Explorer. The FBI’s reports from 2017 to 2022 show a concerning number of these incidents, especially considering that Hindu Americans make up less than 1% of the U.S. population.
The FBI report released on October 16, 2023, is particularly alarming. It reveals that anti-Hindu hate crimes more than doubled in 2022 compared to the year before, with a total of 25 occurrences.
Attack on Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
On December 22, the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Newark, California, was defaced with hateful slogans. The Hindu American Foundation urged authorities to investigate this as a hate crime.
“Based on the content of the graffiti, it is believed that the defacement was a targeted act, and the vandalism is being investigated as a possible hate crime,” Newark police said in a statement.
We all have a role to play
Acknowledging a problem is the first step towards solving it. Fortunately, there have been some positive strides in recognizing and addressing Hinduphobia in the United States. In a historic move, the Georgia Assembly passed a resolution condemning Hinduphobia on March 27, 2023, becoming the first state to take such a legislative action. Similarly, the City of Fremont, California, officially condemned the rise in Hinduphobia through a proclamation on April 18, 2023.
However, the increasing number of Hinduphobic incidents paints an alarming picture, demanding immediate and effective solutions. This is where individual action becomes crucial. Each one of us has a role to play in raising awareness about Hinduphobia and its harmful consequences.
It’s time to rise to the occasion. Let’s work together to amplify the voices of Hindu Americans and showcase the richness of Hindu culture and beliefs. By promoting understanding and respect, we can build a more inclusive and equitable society for all.
Tara Chand is a Senior Technologist based in California. He has a passion for working on various community service projects and writing on issues concerning communities.
The article gives a lone incident of defacing a Mandir as the proof. I suppose there are many more.
The article says the crimes against Hindus doubled, without giving the base number & comparing with those against other religious minorities- Muslims, Jews, Buddhists. Anyway, the rise is not surprising with rise of Hindutva.
Reconciling followers of Gandhi, Nehru with those of Golwalkar, Hedgewar is very difficult.
I encourage all readers of this article to also read this perspective and make up your own minds about what is at stake. Thank you.
https://scroll.in/article/1060250/how-hinduphobia-is-being-weaponised-in-the-us