[Assam] In Jews, Indian-Americans See a Role Model in Activism

[Chan Mahanta]

I should have made it clear that I was not 
looking for web-links to  know about these orgs. 
But I hoped that there would be an understanding 
of what we are attempting to establish. But since 
that did not register, no doubt due to 
expediency, let me ask a more specific question, 
leaving no doubt about what we are trying to 
determine:


How many of the orgs. do you know of personally 
Alpana? Are you a member or office bearer? If you 
are, can you tell us WHO exactly are members of 
these, what they do when they meet, and can you, 
with a straight face tell us that these  do 
indeed represent an inclusive and united Indian 
heritage mirroring its diversity?


Be careful with your answer :-). I  happen to 
know ALL about these, having been a Board Member 
of one such  orgs.  for over four years now ( and 
unable to leave due to peer pressure) with 
secular pretensions, what its membership is and 
who actively support it, and why those who don't 
support it don't.

My LEADING question to Dilip was not out of  ignorance :-).













At 6:38 PM -0500 10/2/07, Alpana B. Sarangapani wrote:
>
>Many:
>
>Indo-American Association - 
><http://www.iaahouston.com/>http://www.iaahouston.com/
>Inod-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater 
>Houston 
>- <http://www.iaccgh.com/>http://www.iaccgh.com/
>ICC - 
><http://www.icchouston.org/boardofdirectors.html>http://www.icchouston.org/boardofdirectors.html
>Indo American Charity Foundation of Houston 
>- <http://www.iacfhouston.org/html/aboutus.htm>http://www.iacfhouston.org/html/aboutus.htm
>Houston Durgabari - 
><http://www.houstondurgabari.org/mambo/index.php>http://www.houstondurgabari.org/mambo/index.php
>Houston Maharashtra Mandal - 
><http://www.hmmhouston.org/>http://www.hmmhouston.org/ 
>Houston Indian Cricket Club - 
><http://www.hicconline.com/>http://www.hicconline.com/
>
>... and many more, including the Consulate 
>General's office - 
><http://www.cgihouston.org/>http://www.cgihouston.org/ 
>
>So C'da, what does it prove?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>"In order to make spiritual progress you must be 
>patient like a tree and humble like a blade of 
>grass"
>
>- Lakshmana
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 12:58:11 -0500
>To: assam at assamnet.org
>From: cmahanta at charter.net
>Subject: Re: [Assam] In Jews, Indian-Americans See a Role Model in Activism
>
>.ExternalClass blockquote, .ExternalClass dl, 
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>{padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;}
>WHAT is the unity and how does it manifest itself in its diversity?
>
>How many non-sectarian or pan-ethnic desi-orgs in Houston ?
>
>
>  > "we are Indians"
>
>*** That is akin to Jewish Americans going about 
>proclaiming  themselves Israelis or Germans or 
>Ukrainians or Russians. At least they have a 
>commitment to their adopted land :-).
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>At 12:41 PM -0500 10/2/07, Alpana B. Sarangapani wrote:
>
>  >**** Can they?
>
>
>
>  >Is it a DEFINITIVE proof?
>
>
>
>Haven't they been? What else is needed? That 
>they chant "we are Indians" everywhere they go, 
>in addition to having this unique type of "unity 
>in diversity"?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>"In order to make spiritual progress you must be 
>patient like a tree and humble like a blade of 
>grass"
>
>- Lakshmana
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 12:26:32 -0500
>To: assam at assamnet.org
>From: cmahanta at charter.net
>Subject: Re: [Assam] In Jews, Indian-Americans See a Role Model in Activism
>
>.ExternalClass blockquote, .ExternalClass dl, 
>.ExternalClass ul, .ExternalClass ol, 
>.ExternalClass li 
>{padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;}
>
>  >Since Indians cannot unite as depicted by some
>
>
>
>**** Can they?
>
>
>Is it a DEFINITIVE proof?
>
>
>
>
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>
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>
>At 10:21 AM -0700 10/2/07, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote:
>
>The following article from the NYT caught my 
>attention. Since Indians cannot unite as 
>depicted by some in this net, how do these first 
>generation Indians in USA manage to run an 
>organization as written here?
>
>Comments from netters, especially those in 
>California who may know more about the group, 
>will help us all in understanding better. There 
>may be organizations like this in the east coast 
>too.
>
>Dilip
>
>
>
>From the New York Times
>
>
>
>In Jews, Indian-Americans See a Role Model in Activism
>
>
>
>
>Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 12:26:32 -0500
>To: assam at assamnet.org
>From: cmahanta at charter.net
>Subject: Re: [Assam] In Jews, Indian-Americans See a Role Model in Activism
>
>.ExternalClass blockquote, .ExternalClass dl, 
>.ExternalClass ul, .ExternalClass ol, 
>.ExternalClass li 
>{padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;}
>
>  >Since Indians cannot unite as depicted by some
>
>
>
>**** Can they?
>
>
>Is it a DEFINITIVE proof?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>At 10:21 AM -0700 10/2/07, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote:
>
>The following article from the NYT caught my 
>attention. Since Indians cannot unite as 
>depicted by some in this net, how do these first 
>generation Indians in USA manage to run an 
>organization as written here?
>
>Comments from netters, especially those in 
>California who may know more about the group, 
>will help us all in understanding better. There 
>may be organizations like this in the east coast 
>too.
>
>Dilip
>
>
>
>From the New York Times
>
>
>
>In Jews, Indian-Americans See a Role Model in Activism
>
>
>Heidi Schumann for The New York Times
>
>A dance class at the India Community Center in 
>Milpitas, Calif., which was created by 
>Indian-Americans based on models by Jewish 
>groups.
>
>by 
><http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/neela_banerjee/index.html?inline=nyt-per>NEELA 
>BANERJEE
>
>Published: October 2, 2007
>
>When Anil Godhwani and his brother, Gautam, 
>looked into creating a community center for 
>Indian-Americans in Silicon Valley, they turned 
>to the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco 
>as a model.
>
><http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/02/us/02hindu.html?th&emc=th#secondParagraph>Skip 
>to next paragraph
>
>Enlarge This Image
>
>
>
>Heidi Schumann for The New York Times
>
>Rajiv Hora in a yoga class at the center, which 
>promotes the variety of Indian culture.
>
>When the Hindu American Foundation began, it 
>looked to groups like the 
><http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/a/antidefamation_league/index.html?inline=nyt-org>Anti-Defamation 
>League and the 
><http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/w/wiesenthal_simon_center/index.html?inline=nyt-org>Simon 
>Wiesenthal Center for guidance with its advocacy 
>and lobbying efforts.
>
>Indian-Americans, who now number 2.4 million in 
>this country, are turning to American Jews as 
>role models and partners in areas like 
>establishing community centers, advocating on 
>civil rights issues and lobbying Congress.
>
>
>Indians often say they see a version of 
>themselves and what they hope to be in the 
>experience of Jews in American politics: a small 
>minority that has succeeded in combating 
>prejudice and building political clout.
>
>Sanjay Puri, the chairman of the U.S. India 
>Political Action Committee, said: "What the 
>Jewish community has achieved politically is 
>tremendous, and members of Congress definitely 
>pay a lot of attention to issues that are 
>important to them. We will use our own model to 
>get to where we want, but we have used them as a 
>benchmark."
>
>One instance of Indians following the example of 
>Jews occurred last year when Indian-American 
>groups, including associations of doctors and 
>hotel owners, banded together with political 
>activists to win passage of the United 
>States-India Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation Act, 
>which allows New Delhi to buy fuel, reactors and 
>other technology to expand its civilian nuclear 
>program.
>
>"Indian-Americans have taken a page out of the 
>Jewish community's book to enhance relations 
>between the homeland and the motherland," said 
>Nissim B. Reuben, program officer for 
>India-Israel-United States Relations at the 
><http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/a/american_jewish_committee/index.html?inline=nyt-org>American 
>Jewish Committee and himself an Indian Jew.
>
>The American Jewish Committee, like some other 
>Jewish groups, has worked with Indians on 
><http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/i/immigration_and_refugees/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier>immigration 
>and hate crimes legislation. It has taken three 
>groups of Indian-Americans to Israel, where they 
>have met Arabs and 
><http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/p/palestinians/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier>Palestinians, 
>as well as Jews.
>
>Many Indian-Americans, like the Godhwanis and 
>others with the India Community Center in 
>Milpitas, Calif., have taken an avowedly 
>nonsectarian approach in creating institutions. 
>But among Hindus, who are a majority in India 
>and among Indian-Americans here, some assert 
>that a vital bond they share with Jews is the 
>threat to India and Israel from Muslim 
>terrorists.
>
>"Some on both sides of the discussion feel that 
>way, and take a stance that is anti-Muslim or 
>anti-terrorist, depending on your point of 
>view," said Nathan Katz, professor of religious 
>studies at Florida International University in 
>Miami.
>
>Most Jewish groups, however, have tried to avoid 
>a sectarian cast to their work with 
>Indian-Americans. Instead, Jews said they were 
>struck by the parallels between the issues that 
>Jews and Indians had faced.
>
>"It echoes 30 years ago," said Rabbi Abraham 
>Cooper, associate dean of the Wiesenthal center. 
>"There is the same feeling of a growing 
>community that says, 'We want our voices to be 
>represented, and how do we that?' "
>
>For years, many Indians who immigrated to the 
>United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s 
>considered India their home. Now, most are 
>rooted in the United States, as are their 
>children, and they have moved with astonishing 
>speed into politics, said Representative Frank 
>Pallone Jr., Democrat of New Jersey, where there 
>is a large Indian-American constituency. Mr. 
>Pallone is a founder of the Congressional Caucus 
>on India. Representative Bobby Jindal, 
><http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/r/republican_party/index.html?inline=nyt-org>aRepublican 
>from Louisiana who is Indian-American, is 
>running for governor of his state, and 
>Indian-Americans hold or are vying for other 
>local elected positions nationwide.
>
>Indian-Americans have reached out to American 
>Jews, in part, because of the growing friendship 
>between India and Israel, whose chilly cold war 
>relations began to thaw in the 1990s.
>
>Indian and Israeli heads of state have recently 
>visited each other's countries. The countries 
>have strengthened trade and intelligence ties. 
>In February, the chief rabbi of Israel, Yona 
>Metzger, met with Hindu leaders in India, after 
>which the Jewish and Hindu clerics declared 
>common beliefs, among them that their 
>"respective traditions teach that there is one 
>supreme being." The statement was a breakthrough 
>because many Jews had long considered Hinduism a 
>form of idolatry, Professor Katz said.
>
>
>Inspired by the Wiesenthal Center, which 
>produces a CD annually that compiles Internet 
>hate speech, the Hindu American Foundation 
>issued its own report this year about "online 
>hatred and bigotry against Hindus," Suhag 
>Shukla, the foundation's legal counsel, said. 
>The foundation also learned from the success of 
>Jewish groups that it needed a full-time staff 
>member to lobby Congress.
>
>The Hindu American Foundation is among those who 
>contend that Jews and Hindus are natural allies 
>because of the common threat Israel and India 
>face from Islamic terrorists. "There are the 
>shared terrorist threats where we are the 
>religious minority, for example Jammu-Kashmir 
>and Islamic terrorism there or the situation in 
>Israel," Ms. Shukla said, referring to the 
>anti-Indian insurgency in the northern state.
>
>Those parallels disturb some Indian-Americans, 
>who contend they veil a deeper anti-Muslim 
>sentiment.
>
>"This makes me relatively suspicious, because 
>there is the desire to reduce the complexity of 
>the issues in a conflict," said Vijay Prashad, 
>professor of South Asian history at Trinity 
>College in Hartford.
>
>The India Community Center in Milpitas, Calif., 
>represents the nonsectarian approach many 
>Indian-Americans take to replicating the 
>experience of American Jews. When Anil Godhwani 
>began talking to other Indians in Silicon Valley 
>about opening a center, "more than one person 
>talked to us about making this a Hindu community 
>center - sometimes in very strong terms," he 
>said. That was never his intention, though he 
>was raised Hindu.
>
>A Silicon Valley millionaire who sold his 
>company to Netscape in the late 1990s, Mr. 
>Godhwani said he and his brother envisioned a 
>place that promoted the variety of Indian 
>culture to Indian-Americans and non-Indians 
>alike. The Godhwanis canvassed other ethnic 
>centers and the 
><http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/y/young_mens_christian_association/index.html?inline=nyt-org>Y.M.C.A. 
>But the Jewish Community Center model resonated 
>with them. It celebrated Jewish culture while 
>avoiding the divisiveness of politics and 
>religion. And it welcomed outsiders. The India 
>Community Center occupies a 40,000-square-foot 
>building that offers, among other things, free 
>medical care for the uninsured, Indian language 
>classes and Bollywood-style aerobics but keeps 
>out religious activities.
>
>Talat Hassan, chairwoman of the center's board 
>of trustees, said, "Those of us who grew up in 
>the '50s, '60s and '70s in India grew up in a 
>truly inclusive atmosphere, and that is the gift 
>that India can give to rest of the world: the 
>ability to embrace diversity in very deep way."
>
>"Then we came here, and maybe India was changing 
>in this way too," Ms. Hassan said, "but 
>Indian-Americans were organized around religion, 
>and we found that to be very divisive. We 
>thought there should be a place where people can 
>come together as Indian-Americans, period, 
>regardless of religion."
>
>
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