Changes sought to hate symbol bill
Proposed law would include swastika in hate symbol lessons
Even scrawled on a wooden fence or abandoned building ’s wall, a swastika freezes the heart.
For most Americans, it’s an instinctive reminder of hatred and a historic horror. But centuries before the Nazis hijacked it, the swastika was an ancient symbol of good luck, prosperity and creativity for Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and a sacred symbol for Navajos and Mayans—who used it in a healing ceremony before white Europeans arrived in North America or Mexico.
Hindus adorned temples and wedding invitations with what had been for centuries, for them, a symbol of joy and good luck.
Then, Adolf Hitler bragged in “Mein Kampf ” about appropriating when he designed the Nazi flag. The swastika became forever linked to Nazi evil. And New York lawmakers have proposed legislation that “requires instruction regarding symbols of hate, including the swastika and the noose, to be incorporated into the curricula for grades 6 through 12.” The bill passed the Senate in July.
Many Hindus mourn this appropriation of a symbol their faith embraced as joyous and welcoming for hundreds of years, only to see it kidnapped by fascists. They would like New York students to understand the meaning the symbol held for their religion. Members of the Capital Region’s Hindu community met in August with Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh, ranking minority member of the Assembly’s education committee. The bill was referred to the education committee for consideration. The e-bulletin of the Hindu Cultural Center of Albany’s Hindu Temple recently provided an update on what happened:
“A very well developed presentation talking about the great significance of the swastika and its continuous legacy of association to Sanatana Dharma (Hindus) was made to Assemblywoman Walsh. The great danger
of the bill to our community, particularly to the children of our community was pointed out. The team asked Ms. Walsh to advocate for bipartisan changes to the language of the bill to disassociate the Hindu swastika from the Nazi hakenkreuz. Ms. Walsh declared her opposition to the bill in its current form. She made several pertinent comments, supported the Hindu position on this bill and promised that she would engage with the education committee chairman on the bill. She revealed that at this current time the bill is not being taken up by the committee. She appreciated both our engagement, as well as the feedback from our community very much.”
“We cannot get complacent and assume this issue will not come back. Indeed, the incidents of hate that prompted it regrettably can be expected again in future.” The goal was to “foster mutual respect and tolerance” for all faiths.
Similar legislation has been proposed in several states. The
Coalition of Hindus of North America urged people to contact their legislators to ask for the same sort of expansion that the New Yorkers suggested. The COHNA website first applauded the legislation’s intent of cultivating tolerance and inclusiveness then detailed its passion for the issue this way:
“Educating students about hatred, racism and bigotry is essential. This is even more urgent, given the recent increase in hate crimes against the Jewish and African American communities within the State of New York. Incidents of the (neo-)nazi emblem being graffitied outside Jewish homes and synagogues, often accompanied by horrific acts of violence, by anti- Semitic and white power groups have become an alarming recurrence. As a Nazi emblem, the swastika in the West is inscribed with the transgenerational trauma of the eleven million Jews and others killed by Nazi persecution, and its use today is meant to have a chilling, intimidating effect on Jew
ish Americans when used in these ways. It is important to recognize it as such.”
“Yet, as we see the interwovenness of religious bigotries, the important work of fighting anti- Semitism and racism must not inadvertently stoke resentment against other religious minorities,” the COHNA statement continued.
The organization urged supporters to sign a petition on Change.org asking legislators considering such bills to “recognize swastika as spiritual, not just hateful, to foster mutual respect and tolerance.” The petition has 8,725 of 10,000 goal.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America also expressed a desire to strengthen interfaith bonds with the Jewish community nationwide.
Empire State college professor Himanee Gupta-carlson, a veteran journalist who co-anchors the Asian American Herald, a Clifton Park-based online news show, recently interviewed Hindu American Foundation managing director Samir Kalra
about the swastika as an element of Hindu heritage. Kalra said in his parents’ home, the family altar includes a coconut embellished with a swastika as a symbol of good fortune.
Gupta-carlson, who was born in 1962 in America, reflected on her childhood when she would color decorative swastikas from patterns her mom gave to her. But it seemed to have fallen into disuse, she added. She suggested other ways to express good will and peace in the Hindu tradition, like the “namaste” greeting.
She asked Kalra, “Why fight to retain this?”
Kalra acknowledged her point but said, “For a lot of Hindus, it’s deeply embedded in our everyday practices.”
He said Hindus had met with organizations such as the Jewish Defense League that understood the symbol’s significance for Hindus. He views the current discussion as a chance to “educate, raise awareness ... and have dialogues with our Jewish friends.”