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Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
FEARS AROUND SAFETY AND HINDU TEMPLE ATTACKS EMERGE AS KEY CONCERNS AT CAPITOL HILL EVENT
CoHNA's 4th Annual Hindu Day of Advocacy brought together lawmakers, researchers, students and constituents WASHINGTON, July 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A packed room on Capitol Hill saw a cross section of Americans of the Hindu faith come together, for the fourth year, to celebrate the contributions of their community and highlight the problems they face. The event, on the heels of CoHNA's five year anniversary, was attended by more than a 100 Hindu delegates from 17 states across the US who visited close to 150 Congressional offices to raise awareness. It drew more than 25 lawmakers (Congressional representatives and staffers) who joined the event and heard from a variety of speakers—academics, students, human rights leaders and more. "An overarching theme during the event was around safety and the ability to freely practice one's religion. It was echoed in the thoughts of several lawmakers who were shocked to know how anti-Hindu hate is playing out in the US," said CoHNA president and co-founder Nikunj Trivedi. From multiple temple attacks to Hindu students being bullied and doxxed by peers on elite campuses; from being gaslit by academics and colleagues to facing institutional indifference and inaction when wronged; the Hindu community has been under fire. Hinduphobia is a problem that plays out in many ways—from obnoxious levels of hate and bullying online to more subtle institutional blows like 'caste' laws and policies which seek to profile and target Hindus in America. Broad Congressional Support CoHNA's advocacy day received bi-partisan support from Democratic and Republican Congresspersons, united in their encouragement of advocacy, passionate in their defense of religious freedom, and equally dismayed by the attacks on Hindu places of worship. Welcoming the CoHNA community back to Capitol Hill, Representative Rich McCormick (R-GA) shared insights on why such events matter and reflected on his own long involvement with the community—both professionally and personally. He emphasized our shared values, including a focus on family, faith, and country, on growing the future, and on the importance of nurturing relationships. Representative Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) shared how proud he is of his Hindu faith. Speaking of growing up in the tradition that has given so much to the world and influenced American society through yoga, meditation, and ancient philosophy, he said, "I'm happy to see many young Hindus here, championing the cause of Hindus and their rights, both here and abroad. We should not be afraid of being Hindu! The future generation is crucial for our community's voice." Representative Andrew Clyde (R-GA) shared a laugh with CoHNA board member and vice president Rajeev Menon as he highlighted his appreciation for the shared values he has observed. The congressman congratulated CoHNA for enabling the Hindu community to advocate for their place in American society, emphasizing the critical importance of religious liberty as guaranteed by the US constitution, and its foundational role in ensuring prosperity and innovation. Representative Sanford Bishop (D-GA), who spoke during the dinner reception, shared stories of his long association with the Hindu community and the impact it has made. He added that he was well aware of the attacks happening on the community, thanks to CoHNA's efforts. "Our country is founded on principles of freedom and equality, and the Hindu community is as much part of it as anyone else. Elected officials have a responsibility to ensure that 'you' (meaning the Hindu community) feel included and safe," he stated. Representative Thomas Kean Jr (R-NJ) also spoke of his support for the Hindu community and offered encouragement for continued engagement, especially given his involvement with the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "CoHNA is doing important grassroots work to promote understanding of Hinduism and to celebrate the community's rich heritage, values, and traditions", he added. Wrapping up the evening, Representative Shri Thanedar (D-MI) called out the explosion of hate and bigotry across the world, exemplified by the ongoing atrocities in Bangladesh where Hindus are being cleansed from their homeland, where a monk has been arrested on trumped up charges, and where temples have been destroyed. He emphasized the need for action via economic sanctions and more. Rep. Thanedar also called out the growing number of temple attacks in the US—in New York and in California. "These attacks have to stop," he said, promising to continue his fight against such hate. He thanked CoHNA and event attendees for "showing up and standing up in this fight for justice and fairness because if one temple is attacked, all temples are attacked." Expert Testimony Delivering the keynote speech, leading scientist Dr Lee Jussim of the Rutgers Social Perceptions Lab, shared highlights and data from an academic study, titled "Instructing Animosity." Released in November 2024, the study conducted on a nationally representative sample of 876 individuals, used a treatment-control approach to probe the impact of caste training on the perceptions of ordinary Americans about Hindus. Of critical note, the study found that exposure to caste discrimination narratives in the workplace and academia results in bias against Hindus as a whole. Prof. Jussim's presentation showcased results from an experiment where, after reading a short description of 'caste discrimination' from Equality Labs content, participants in the study were much more likely to endorse Hitler's quotes (with the word 'Brahmin' replacing 'Jew'). In another experiment, where a Hindu-sounding college admissions officer rejected a Hindu-sounding candidate, study participants exposed to anti-caste rhetoric were more likely to assume that the admissions officer was upper caste and biased, and feel the decision was unfair—despite no supporting evidence. Alarmingly, many exhibited a willingness to punish the admissions officer, and to view Hindus, in general, as racist! Drawing on two decades of advocacy and research work, human rights activist and author Richard Benkin emphasized that while Hindus have long been persecuted in Bangladesh, the situation has deteriorated in the past year. "The new Bangladeshi government is now playing an active role in Hindu persecution—particularly through the elimination of Hindu educators and the (mis)use of institutional power," Benkin said. He cautioned that Islamist groups are poised for political power after the 2026 election, and that US inaction risks letting Bangladesh turn into a "Chinese vassal state" like Pakistan. Benkin urged lawmakers to take action before it's too late. The highlight of the evening reception was a talk by globally acclaimed filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, whose film 'The Bengal Files' sheds light on the forgotten genocide of Hindus during India's partition in 1947. An Afternoon Packed with Testimonies and Data The event began with mantras and a solemn moment of silence in memory of the Hindu civilians killed in the past few months in places as far apart as Pahalgam (Kashmir, India) and Bangladesh. Testimony from Kashmiri community leaders Mohan Sapru and Amit Raina brought home historical and personal context to the recent terror attacks. American Hindus from Bangladesh bore testimony to the deep and continuing persecution the community has faced. A data driven presentation focused attention on the growing problem of physical attacks against Hindu temples in the United States—six in the past 18 months. Worse, the attacks have drawn little attention or outrage, with no arrests or prosecutions. When Hindus embrace their Hindu identity, they are targeted with accusations of dual loyalty, ideological labels, and subject to public shaming designed to make them water down their identity. Political leaders like Krystle Kaul and Bhavini Patel, who spoke at the event, shared heartfelt testimony of the harassment and personal targeting they faced for their backgrounds. A powerful panel of student voices from the University of California, Berkeley, and Rutgers University brought to life the hostility Hindu youth face on campus for simple things like seeking to open Hindu clubs, celebrating Hindu festivals and traditions, and holding peaceful vigils mourning dead Hindus in Bangladesh, Kashmir or elsewhere. About CoHNA CoHNA is a grassroots level advocacy and civil rights organization dedicated to improving the understanding of Hinduism in North America by working on matters related to the Hindu community and by educating the public about Hindu heritage and tradition. For more information, please visit or follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Coalition of Hindus of North America
Global News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Marjorie Taylor Greene warns Trump may lose MAGA base over Epstein files
Republican Senator Marjorie Taylor Greene says President Donald Trump is risking losing the support of his MAGA base if he does not follow through on his word to release the Epstein files. In an X post on Monday, Greene, a regular proponent of Trump, without mentioning the president by name, warned that if he did not release the files, his loyal supporters would turn on him. View image in full screen Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) attends U.S. President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 4, 2025, in Washington, DC. Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images 'If you tell the base of people, who support you, of deep state treasonous crimes, election interference, blackmail, and rich powerful elite evil cabals, then you must take down every enemy of The People,' Taylor Greene wrote. Story continues below advertisement 'If not. The base will turn and there's no going back,' she continued. 'Dangling bits of red meat no longer satisfies. They want the whole steak dinner and will accept nothing else,' she added. If you tell the base of people, who support you, of deep state treasonous crimes, election interference, blackmail, and rich powerful elite evil cabals, then you must take down every enemy of The People. If not. The base will turn and there's no going back. Dangling bits of… — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) July 21, 2025 Her message comes weeks after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi walked back her promise to deliver documents she said the administration had, detailing the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's criminal activity, including a supposed list of wealthy, high-profile clients. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy It also comes on the heels of growing calls from powerful Republicans — including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, former vice-president Mike Pence, FBI head Kash Patel and its deputy, Daniel Bongino — to release the files. Story continues below advertisement Trump, however, has been defiant, describing supporters hung up on the Epstein files as 'weaklings' who were helping Democrats. 'I don't want their support anymore!' he said in a social media post. Last Thursday, the president found himself entangled in a new problem when The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) shared never-before-seen details of a sexually suggestive note — which the outlet says included a hand-drawn sketch of a naked woman seemingly drawn by the future president — Trump allegedly wrote to Epstein, his then friend, as part of a 50th birthday gift organized by the former financier's aide at the time, Ghislaine Maxwell. Trump denied the note was his creation and, according to the WSJ, said the letter was 'a fake thing.' 'I never wrote a picture in my life. I don't draw pictures of women,' he added. 'It's not my language. It's not my words.' Story continues below advertisement The WSJ described the drawing as including 'a pair of small arcs denotes the woman's breasts,' with the president's signature written in a 'squiggly' font below her waist and a final line that reads: 'Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.' The day's revelation — coupled with frustration from Trump-allied lawmakers on Capitol Hill — pushed Trump to abruptly reverse course and direct Bondi to try to make some of the documents in the case public. Bondi said she would seek court permission Friday to release grand jury information, but it would require a judge's approval, and she and Trump were silent on the additional evidence collected by federal law enforcement in the sprawling investigation that Bondi last week announced she would not release. On Tuesday, in what activist Al Sharpton says is a distraction tactic from 'the firestorm engulfing Trump over the Epstein files and the public unraveling of his credibility,' the president released 240,000 previously sealed FBI documents detailing its extensive surveillance of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. — With files from The Associated Press
Roya News
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
US progressive lawmaker AOC rejects cutting funding for 'Israel's' air defense system
US Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez voted against an amendment proposed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Friday, that sought to cut USD 500 million in military aid for 'Israel's' air defense systems. By voting "no" on the amendment, Ocasio-Cortez effectively voted to maintain the funding. The amendment, to H.R.4016, aimed to eliminate $500 million allocated for "Israeli Cooperative Programs," which include systems like the Iron Dome. Rep. Greene argued that the US, facing a $37 trillion national debt, should cease providing foreign aid, stating that "nuclear-armed Israel" is capable of defending itself. She highlighted that the US already provides 'Israel' with $3.8 billion annually in foreign aid, with an additional $8.7 billion allocated in April 2024. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly rejected Greene's amendment with a vote of 6 in favor and 422 against (Roll Call No. 207). The six members who voted to cut the funding were Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Al Green (D-TX), Summer Lee (D-PA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). Rep. Ocasio-Cortez was not among those who voted to cut the funding. Previously in April 2024, she cast a "PRESENT" vote on a separate $1 billion supplemental military funding bill for 'Israel's' Iron Dome. She had a controversial emotional reaction after the vote, where she was seen crying on the floor before voting. In a letter explaining her decision, she cited the 'rushed' legislative process, which, she said, 'created very real spillover effects.' 'Yes, I wept. I wept at the complete lack of care for the human beings that are impacted by these decisions, I wept at an institution choosing a path of maximum volatility and minimum consideration for its own political convenience,' the New York representative said. US support for 'Israel's' security has been a long-standing foreign policy, with over $130 billion in bilateral assistance provided since 1948. This includes an annual provision of $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing and $500 million for cooperative missile defense programs, formalized through a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding.
Vox
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Vox
The astonishing racism in NYC's mayoral race
is a correspondent at Vox, where he covers the impacts of social and economic policies. He is the author of 'Within Our Means,' a biweekly newsletter on ending poverty in America. Throughout Zohran Mamdani's campaign for New York City mayor, he's faced a barrage of attacks that have only gotten worse since he handily won the Democratic primary two weeks ago. And this isn't just happening at the local level; New York City's mayoral race has drawn attention from across the country, and politicians and pundits have been fearmongering about Mamdani from afar. Here's just a sampling: On X, US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) shared a photo of the Statue of Liberty dressed in a burqa shortly after Mamdani's victory, saying, 'This hits hard.' US Rep. Brandon Gill, of Texas, criticized Mamdani for eating with his hands, saying, 'Civilized people in America don't eat like this.' US Rep. Andy Ogles, of Tennessee, who referred to the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor as 'Zohran 'little Muhammad' Mamdani,' called for Mamdani to be denaturalized and deported. And shortly after Mamdani's primary win, David Frum, an Atlantic staff writer, posted on X, 'Well, at least we can retire that faded and false line, 'antisemitism has no place in New York City.'' It's also not just conservatives. In an interview on CNN, US Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) said, 'I don't associate myself with what [Mamdani] has said about the Jewish people,' without expanding on what, exactly, Mamdani has said. (While Mamdani has criticized Zionism and the Israeli government, he has not said anything negative about Jewish people.) Kirsten Gillibrand, New York's Democratic senator, falsely claimed that Mamdani had made 'references to global jihad' in a radio interview. She later apologized to Mamdani, according to her team, 'for mischaracterizing Mamdani's record and for her tone.' Anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant bigotry is, of course, not a new feature of American politics. But how emboldened public figures clearly feel to make such brazen and openly racist statements seems to have reached a fever pitch. Since when, for example, is it acceptable to call on deporting American citizens? Here are three reasons why the racism against Mamdani in particular has been so extreme: 1) Trumpism has ushered in a new age of bullying The kind of rhetoric directed at Mamdani is a product of an era of politics where hate speech and cruelty have become normalized. That has made public figures far more comfortable saying things in public that they might have thought twice about before. Stephen Miller, a senior Trump administration official, said that New York City is 'the clearest warning yet of what happens to a society when it fails to control migration. Even the president's son retweeted a post that said, 'I'm old enough to remember when New Yorkers endured 9/11 instead of voting for it,' adding, 'New York City has fallen.' It's no longer shocking to see members of Congress, pundits, and business leaders criticizing entire peoples and cultures within the US as un-American. In addition, President Donald Trump has pushed anti-immigrant rhetoric since he launched his campaign for president in 2015, and has only become more extreme in return to office. In this new era, meanness is not only politically rewarded but openly embraced and promoted by the White House and a variety of official online accounts. Trump's White House, for example, has turned videos of deportations into memes, taken dehumanizing photo ops, and used AI-generated images to make light of genuinely cruel policies. This kind of politics has made hate speech all the more acceptable. Part of the reason the attacks on Mamdani — who was born in Uganda and is of Indian descent — have been so widespread is precisely because this type of rhetoric gets spewed from the very top of American politics and government on a regular basis. Since Mamdani's recent rise in New York City politics, there have been calls to deport him despite the fact that he moved to New York with his family when he was 7 and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 2018. Trump himself has threatened to arrest Mamdani, saying, 'Look, we don't need a communist in this country.' That we are now at a point where we're talking about deporting citizens is a new low, but it is a direct product of Trump's style of politics, which has ushered in a new era of online bullying, extreme xenophobia, and open racism. 2) Mamdani is a victim of anti-Palestinian racism As I wrote last year, anti-Palestinian racism specifically targets people because they support the cause of Palestinian liberation — even if they aren't Palestinian themselves. This is why crackdowns on college campus protests were so extreme, and why the Trump administration has detained and attempted to deport international students, including non-Palestinians, simply because of what they have said about Israel. Mamdani isn't Palestinian, but has been a vocal critic of Israel and has a history of organizing and advocating for Palestinian rights. Like many activists in pro-Palestinian spaces, Mamdani has been baselessly smeared as antisemitic. That's why comments like Frum's have cropped up since Mamdani won his primary: By supporting Palestinians, Mamdani is inherently viewed as a threat — not just to Israel but to Jewish people as a whole. Frum, for example, later posted on X about the NYC primary, '[...]people with zero (or worse) regard for Jewish life and Jewish safety scolding actual Jews about how wrong and stupid we are about Jewish life and Jewish safety.' But this has nothing to do with what Mamdani has said about Jewish people. In fact, Mamdani's platform also includes addressing antisemitism in the city by dramatically increasing funding for hate-crime prevention. Anti-Palestinian racism is still an acceptable form of bigotry that we often see displayed in American politics and media without receiving the kind of pushback that other forms of racism do. It also results in amplifying other forms of racism when its victims come from other marginalized groups. 'Like many other forms of hate, there can be intersectionalities, and that's also true when it's allies of ours who are speaking for Palestinian human rights,' one expert told me last year. 'If it's a Black ally, we will see anti-Black racism. If it's an Indigenous ally, we will see anti-Indigenous racism. [If it's] queer allies, trans allies, we will see homophobic and anti-queer rhetoric.' 3) Islamophobia is broadly acceptable Anti-Muslim bigotry has long been a constant in American politics, and it has been especially potent since the War on Terror. Former President Barack Obama, for example, was accused of being Muslim — as though that would disqualify him from public office — even though he is a Christian. Since Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar were elected to Congress in 2018, they have been routinely victimized by smear campaigns and hate speech that has specifically targeted their identities. Tlaib, for example, has been accused by her colleagues in Congress of engaging in 'antisemitic activity' and 'sympathizing with terrorist organizations.' And at a fundraiser, Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado called Omar the 'jihad squad.' Now, Mamdani is seeing his own Muslim background be weaponized against him. He has been said to come 'from a culture that lies about everything,' that he is uncivilized, and that he is a threat to people's safety simply because New York might have a 'Muslim mayor.' There are still several months until New Yorkers head to the polls to vote for a new mayor in the general election. And unfortunately, this kind of open bigotry against Mamdani is likely to only get worse as Election Day nears. But while the attacks on Mamdani might seem like just one attempt at bringing down a candidate in a local race, their ultimate effect is much more damaging: They will make US politics all the more toxic and will only further normalize this kind of extreme bigotry against Muslims and immigrants in America.
Irish Daily Star
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Star
Family member says Trump's 'fragile ego' is still reeling from unflattering nickname
Trump's niece, Mary Trump, says privately the president is still fuming over the "TACO' nickname bestowed on him by Wall Street to ease fears over his unpredictable tariff policy President Donald Trump is reportedly still privately fuming over the "TACO" nickname bestowed upon him by opponents, according to one of his direct family members. Trump's niece, trained psychologist Mary Trump, on Sunday published a piece on Substack entitled, " The Worst Person at the Worst Time," where she argues that his decision to get the United States directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran was a "unilateral, unprovoked, and illegal war." "As a country, we are at war and the man who led us into this war is a corrupt, degraded, ignorant know-nothing who acted illegally to plunge us into a potentially catastrophic situation without the consent of Congress because, despite the fact that he is president of the United States of America and arguably the most recognized figure on the planet, he wasn't getting enough attention," she said. "It is long past time that we stop imputing some deeper or reasonable motives to Donald Trump." She added, "Despite being depraved and cruel, much like his cohort Benjamin Netanyahu, he is driven by the most primitive impulses that center almost solely around protecting his fragile ego from humiliation (about which he has a pathological terror) and himself from the reality that he is a complete fraud." She continued to lambast her uncle, bringing up the notorious "TACO" nickname, given to Trump by his opponents which is an acronym for "Trump Always Chickens Out." The nickname came from the president's backing off of many of his sweeping tariffs imposed on good imported to the U.S. "Donald is still no doubt stinging from the acronym recently coined to mock his inability to follow through on anything—TACO: Trump Always Chickens Out. In the wake of Israeli strikes against Iran, Donald spent a few days saber-rattling only to back off (chicken out, if you will) in the wake of searing criticism by some of the most reliably sycophantic members of his cult—e.g. Rep. Marjorie Green (R-GA), Alex Jones, and Steve Bannon)," Mary Trump wrote. "He announced at a bizarre press conference that his decision to address the ostensibly urgent crisis regarding Iran would be put off for two weeks." She continued: "Only two days later, he ordered the attack on Iran. His allies would have us believe that Donald, a brilliant strategist, was faking us out. Sure. An infinitely more plausible explanation is that, on the one hand, he hates being challenged or contradicted, especially from those who almost always fall in line; therefore, he felt the need to double-down on his threats by carrying them out. On the other hand, Donald is a desperate black hole of need—by changing the narrative, he could make sure the spotlight turned back on him."
