RSS
Home
Indian Independence in America
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
On August 15, 2009, India celebrated its 62nd Independence Day from under British rule. That’s 62 years of no foreign nation occupying India’s land (if you don’t count China in the north) and its people being able to rule with absolute sovereignty and democratically. The efforts of Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Dr. Patel, Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh (and a plethora of others) should also be mentioned, for without their struggle the movement of independence may have taken a lot longer than what we know today. All of which leads us to today – India, a nation that at the advent of its Constitution declared equal voting rights for all, has had Women in power (from Prime Minister to President), and an economy that continues to grow at a record pace. Let us take this moment to recognize the grandeur of India’s accomplishments over the last 62 years of Independence. Jai Hind!
Of course the fight for absolute freedom will never be over. In 1946, President Harry Truman signed into act the Luce-Celler Act. This Act effectively ended statutory discrimination against Filipino-Americans and Indian-Americans erstwhile deemed inassimilable along with most other Asian Americans (it should be noted that the law allowed a meager 100 immigrants per year from India and 100 more from the Philippines). The quota didn’t change until 1965 when President Lyndon Johnson signed the INS Act of 1965 into law, eliminating per-country immigration quotas and introducing immigration on the basis of professional experience and education. It’s no wonder why according to the 2000 Census Indians are the most educated and highest earners in America amongst all minority groups.
So that’s 62 years of Independence. 49 years of allowed immigration into America (with an education, of course). 9 years of being declared the most educated and highest earners in arguably the most powerful country in the world. Surely the “struggle” appears to be over, but the path ahead of Indian-Americans may be far more intricate than one believed.
The fight for physical-freedom may be coming to an end, but the struggle for mental/emotional/spiritual freedom continues in America. There are a number of atrocities to Hinduism and Indian culture in America that not only go unheard of but they are also not acted upon. One glaring example is that of Abercrombie & Fitch. In the class action suit Gonzalez vs. Abercrombie & Fitch Judge Susan Illston ruled that Abercrombie "violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by maintaining recruiting and hiring practices that excluded minorities and women and adopting a restrictive marketing image, and other policies, which limited minority and female employment." Abercrombie has since promised to hire minorities and be more “open-minded” with its policies.
Along the same lines is that of American Eagle Outfitters. AE not only had the ingenious idea of putting Lord Ganesh on the sole of its sandals (effectively making those wearing the sandals walking on a picture of God) but also created a handbag of Ganesh sitting atop a pile of peanuts with an upside-down Om beside him. In response to a formal complaint filed by the American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD), Neil Burman, Jr., Vice President and General Counsel in American issue said, "Our goal at American Eagle Outfitters is to make AE brand merchandise that is fashionable and affordable for our customers in an inclusive and equitable environment. We value diversity and respect the ideal of freedom of expression of all religious and cultural beliefs."
The stories of those fighting for protection of Hinduism and Indian culture in America are countless. The struggle may be silent to many but it’s a battle that is waged by numerous individuals and organizations across this country. And, like our ancestors that stood up when crimes against Indians were being committed during the march towards freedom in 1947, so are organizations such as AHAD, Hindu American Foundation (HAF), Vedic Foundation, Hindu Education Foundation (HEF), etc.
However, this battle cannot be fought solely by such organizations. It takes the actions and movement of Indian-Americans to stand up when such atrocities to Hinduism are taking place. Rather than buying that top from Abercrombie look elsewhere around the mall, surely you can find the same style in the mall elsewhere. Or when you are reading your child’s 6th grade textbook and notice that the depiction of Hinduism appears to be misconstrued (see California Textbook Controversy vs. CAPEEM and HAF), create a platform and say something. It only takes one voice to move a mountain.
While we celebrate India’s 62nd Independence Day, let us continue to remember the continual fight that we as a collective community must make on a daily basis. The responsibility of carrying the name Indian and/or Hindu may appear arduous when attempting to stand against the grain. However, the time to stand and declare absolute independence is now. And, in the spirit of freedom, I leave you with Mahatma Gandhi’s quote “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Jai Hind!
