PEW Data about Americans who identify as Hindu.
Hindu American website, and the Hindu Hate Watch https://www.hinduamerican.org/projects/hindu-hate-watch
Trends and Analysis
Looking at the overall number of suspected hate crimes reported in the media, there are two important trends to note.
First, two important spikes in the incidents must be noted: the first occurring right after the 9/11 attacks; the second occurring in 2014-15.
The first spike is more easily explainable, coming as a part of a backlash from the attacks targeting Arab and Muslim Americans, and those who could be mistaken for such, including Sikh, Hindu, and other South Asian Americans. However, the 2014 spike is not tied to any such major terrorist attack.
The second trend is a shift in the types of incidents occurring.
Out of 18 reported incidents in the last three months of 2001, two were attacks on houses of worship, four were attacks on private or commercial property, while the remaining twelve were physical attacks or harassment of individuals. In contrast, out of the 33 incidents in 2014 and 2015, there were only two attacks on individuals, with the rest of the incidents comprising of vandalism, attacks on houses of worship, and home invasions. Subsequent to 2015, there were 18 incidents, 14 of which were directed towards individuals and four against houses of worship.
Anti-Hindu Prejudice in the Media and the Public Sphere
Even as the Hindu American community grows its numbers, Hinduism remains poorly understood in the American public sphere. According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2014, only 22% of Americans knew a practitioner of the Hindu faith, compared to 38% for Muslims and 61% for Jews. Americans in general also held a neutral or negative view of Hindus compared to other religions in the United States.
Given a lack of familiarity with Hindu practitioners, many Americans are influenced by the portrayal of Hinduism offered in the mainstream media, by public officials, and by their own community and religious leaders.
Unfortunately, much of the coverage of Hindus, Hindu Americans, and Hinduism in these outlets is flawed, relying on stereotypes and inaccurate information.
Anti-Hindu Prejudice In the Public Square
Given the level of misconceptions and ignorance about the Hindu community and it’s beliefs, Hindu Americans frequently face harassment and religious prejudice when they attempt to participate in public life, whether they choose to lobby their representatives or run for public office.
On September 14, 2000, the first Hindu invocation in the history of the United States Congress was offered by Venkatachalapathi Samudrala before the U.S. House of Representatives.
This prayer attracted criticism from the Family Research Council, who argued that it was a sign that the country was “drifting from its Judeo-Christian roots.”
On July 12, 2007, the first Hindu invocation was offered before the US Senate by Nevada Hindu leader Rajan Zed. As Zed stood up to speak, three protesters started screaming at him, “This is an abomination!” Zed’s invocation was the first invocation in the history of the United States Senate to have been protested.
Shortly after the incident, former Navy Chaplain, Gordon Klingenschmitt wrote in the protester’s defense, arguing that Hinduism constituted idolatry and should not be respected in America.
Similarly, Rev. Flip Denham condemned the prayer, decrying the equal treatment accorded to Christianity and Hinduism, and accusing Hinduism of worship a “false god.”
A number of public figures joined the chorus of support for the protesters including US Representative Bill Sali (R-ID), Tim Waldmon of the American Family Association, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council and currently a commissioner at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Bonnie Alba of Renew America, evangelical activist David Barton, Chief Justice Roy Moore of the Alabama Supreme Court, and Rev. Wiley Drake of the Southern Baptist Convention.
In March 2015, Zed was invited to give the invocation before the Idaho State Senate. Unlike the 2000 and 2007 invocations, which were largely protested by outside groups, the 2015 invocation was protested by members of the Idaho State Senate. Senator Steve Vick, who led the protests, argued that Hinduism should not be welcome in Idaho because Hindus “worship cows” and “have a caste system.” Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll added that “Hindu [sic] is a false faith with false gods.”
Similarly, Hindu attempts to represent their heritage alongside Christian monuments have repeatedly been rejected. Applications to include Hindu monuments alongside the Ten Commandments have been rejected in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Hindu candidates running for office have frequently been the target of religious prejudice and attacks.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), the first Hindu American elected to Congress, was criticized by her opponent for her Hindu faith.
Similarly, former Minnesota State Senator Satveer Chaudhary was asked to convert to Christianity by his Republican opponent in her concession speech. She said, “The race of your life is more important than this one…It is my sincere wish that you’ll get to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Jesus is the way.”
Even non-Hindu candidates open themselves up to the risk of attacks if they appear tolerant or respectful of Hinduism.
In Kentucky, Gov. Steve Beshear was attacked by State Senate President David Williams for attending the groundbreaking ceremony for a Hindu temple. In his remarks, Williams announced that he would never participate in a religious ceremony that was non-Christian and demanded that all Hindus in Kentucky convert to Christianity.
President Barack Obama was attacked for speaking positively about the Hindu God Hanuman.
Ordinary Hindu Americans have also not been spared. In early 2019, after the Tulsi Gabbard became the first ever Hindu American to run for president, several media outlets began targeting political contributions made by individuals with “Hindu origin names.” These articles accused Hindu Americans of having dual loyalties to India. They also alleged, without any evidence, that these same donors financially support Indian political parties and politicians, which incidentally, would be in contravention of Indian law.
These articles have yet to be redacted and editors have failed to respond to questions about the racist and bigoted nature of these “investigations,” including whether they would approve of similar investigations of Jewish donors to Jewish candidates, Muslim donors to Muslim candidates, or Hindu Americans contributions to other candidates, including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and numerous others.
Such attacks show the progress that needs to be made before religious prejudice is erased.
And from Doximity the most common last name for doctors has changed to Patel!
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