Days after Donald Trump shared a Truth Social post suggesting he has got the support of the American Hindu Coalition Georgia Chapter in the 2024 race to the White House, a number of South Asian organisations in the United States have expressed their “disappointment” in the endorsement. In a statement shared withHindustanTimes.com, Desis 4 Democracy and They See Blue clarified that “the American Hindu Coalition Georgia Chapter does not speak for the greater South Asian population.” They also stressed that they do not endorse former president Trump.
Trump posted on Truth Social on September 14, “American Hindu Coalition Georgia Chapter: “The Make America Great Again movement has always been characterized by the principles of strength through unity and by welcoming Americans from all walks of life, regardless of their ethnic, cultural, or religious backgrounds…There is no place for hate or division in our pursuit of Making America Great Again. We will continue to move forward together, standing united in our goal to build a strong, secure, and prosperous America for all of our citizens – and we will never be deterred by those who seek to sow discord among us or divide from within.””
What are the South Asian organisations saying?
The joint statement from the South Asian organisations, including Desis 4 Democracy and They See Blue, said that they “stand for inclusivity, equity, equality, and diversity.”
“Proud of the range of faiths (Hinduism included), cultures, and traditions that weave us together, we are disappointed in the American Hindu Coalition Georgia Chapter’s endorsement of Donald Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene and the MAGA movement. The American Hindu Coalition Georgia Chapter does not represent Hindu or South Asian values at large,” the statement said.
It added, “We know firsthand that the Make America Great Again movement has not been characterized by the principles of strength through unity nor welcoming to Americans from all walks of life. Donald Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Laura Loomer and their MAGA allies have consistently engaged in rhetoric steeped in xenophobia, racism, misogyny, and scapegoating of immigrants and people of color. They have created an atmosphere that is unwelcoming and hostile to immigrants within this country. Their actions have influenced their supporters to follow their examples.”
The statement further claimed that “Haitian immigrants in Ohio are under attack due to vile MAGA movement lies” and that “our Asian friends have suffered from a spike in hate crimes due to Donald Trump’s rhetoric during the pandemic.” They also accused Trump of referring to “our Mexican neighbors” as “rapists.”
“We were deeply saddened to hear of the Sikh man who was attacked in Washington and told to “go back to his country,” by a Trump supporter. And we still remember the pain of hearing that two engineers from India, Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani were shot in a hate crime by a MAGA supporter who told them to “get out of [his] country,” they added.
Back in 2017, a White man named Adam Purinton shot dead Indian national Kuchibhotla and wounded two other men at a restaurant in northeastern Kansas. He was later sentenced to life in prison.
Witnesses said Purinton angrily confronted Kuchibhotla and Madasani at an Austin’s Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas, yelling “Get out of my country!” He then went on to fire eight rounds, killing Kuchibhotla and injuring Madasani. Kansas resident Ian Grillot was also wounded.
“As immigrants ourselves or as the children of immigrants we are proud of the accomplishments our communities have made and how they have added to the power of this nation,” the statement said.
“We stand with leaders who are doing the work to build a prosperous nation where every child and every adult feels free to pursue their dreams and are welcomed not in spite of their cultural backgrounds and skin colors, but because of it. Together, we stand for freedom for all and for the right to pursue the American dream,” it concluded.
