Bigotry and xenophobia does not distinguish between Hindus and Muslims, or black or brown skin. When the US President targets immigrants and refugees and encourages chants of "send her back" at rallies, this results in real harm inflicted on our communities.
We are deeply heartbroken by reports of a brutal attack on Swami Harish Chander Puri Ji, priest of the Shiv Shakti Peeth temple in Glen Oaks, Queens, NY. Swami Puri Ji was attacked on Thursday at 11am by a man who reportedly screamed "this is my neighborhood." Just a few weeks ago, Queens was declared the nation’s most diverse large county according to a new study of 2017 census data. It is deplorable that in a place as diverse as Queens, such an atrocity can occur.
Thankfully, Swami Puri Ji is recovering, and is praying for the man who attacked him. We stand with this compassionate warm-hearted leader and the Shiv Shakti Peeth community, and invite all of our interfaith and community allies in the Queens / New York City area to do so as well.
We, Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus, and the undersigned community partners and faith leaders, call upon the New York Police Department to conduct a swift investigation of this brutal attack against such a loving leader. The remarks uttered by Swami Puri Ji’s attacker are a blatant example of hate speech. Thus, we urge the NYPD to investigate this matter as a hate crime.
May justice be served, and may love prevail over this hate we are seeing here and all over the country. We all belong here!
Oṃ dyau shantirantarikṣaṃ shantiḥ
Pṛthivī shantirapaḥ shantiroṣadhayaḥ shantiḥ
Vanaspatayaḥ shantirviśvedevāḥ shantirbrahma shantiḥ
Sarvaṃ shantiḥ shantireva shantiḥ sama shantiredhi
Oṃ shantiḥ shantiḥ shantiḥ
-- Yajur Veda
Unto The Heaven Be Peace,
Unto The Sky And The Earth Be Peace.
Peace Be Unto The Water,
Unto The Herbs And Trees Be Peace.
Unto All The Gods Be Peace,
Unto Brahma And Unto All Be Peace.
And May We Realize That Peace.
Om Peace Peace Peace.
Aminta Kilawan-Narine, Sunita Viswanath, Davanie Singhroy, Samir Durvasula, Nikhil Mandalaparthy, Udit Thakur and Gautham Reddy,
Executive Board of Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus
Community and Faith-Based Signatories:
Rev. Dr. Karyn Carlo, American Baptist Churches
The Rev. Kaji S. Dousa, Senior Pastor, Park Avenue Christian Church
The Rev. Dr. Jacqueline J. Lewis, Senior Minister, Middle Collegiate Church
The Rev. Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft, Executive Minister, Middle Collegiate Church
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah
Marc Greenberg, Executive Director, Interfaith assembly on homelessness and housing
Simran Jeet Singh, Sikh community leader
The Rev. Dr. Clyde Kuemmerle,Executive Director, Ecclesia Ministries of New York
Rev. Dr. Karyn Carlo, American Baptist Churches
Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Executive Director, Greater New York Labor -Religion Coalition
Rev. Dr. Katharine Rhodes Henderson, President, Auburn Seminary
(Signatories being added at this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17sLtqAf8iSH88M_NNcmLlamfKHgE27yUreh3-o_wV-g/edit?usp=sharing)
