We need more people like Vish in our community. Vish has been working selflessly to encourage Guyanese to register and vote and participate in PTA meetings. It takes patience and a great deal of tolerance to convince the ignorant about the benefits of participating in the political process and devoting time to your children's education.
Billy Ram Balgobin posted:We need more people like Vish in our community. Vish has been working selflessly to encourage Guyanese to register and vote and participate in PTA meetings. It takes patience and a great deal of tolerance to convince the ignorant about the benefits of participating in the political process and devoting time to your children's education.
Thank you Billy
Hindus To Rally Friday in Support of Hate Crime Victims in Queens
Several prominent Hindu leaders are joining forces for a rally Friday to speak out against what police are investigating as a hate crime â the burning of dozens of religious flags outside a home in Queens â and NY1's Ruschell Boone reports on the group and the woman leading the charge.
Sunita Viswanath is working the phones and her contacts to get the word out about the We are One rally Friday night to denounce the burning of 40 religious flags outside a Woodhaven home on Thanksgiving.
"It's at 7 o'clock until 8 and we really want you to be there," Viswanath says on the phone.
The rally is being held at the corner of 89th Avenue and 80th Street in Woodhaven.
Viswanath is one of the co-founders the group Sadhana, a coalition of progressive Hindus who are behind the rally.
"We took the lead in organizing this in order to stand in solidarity with the family that was attacked," Viswanath said. "The family is terrified because if those flags had been affixed to their house which they often are there could have been a major fire and people could have been hurt."
The rally is a departure from their usual work. Sadhana is known for cleaning up beaches and just this summer it was honored with a Champion of Change award by the White House for its environmental work. Viswanath says it is becoming more vocal about other issues.
"It is imperative that faith based people who stand for justice and unity, faith-based people who believe that we are stand together and this is what propels us," Viswanath said.
Viswanath has also enlisted the help of Vishnu Mahadeo, a well-known community leader in this Indo-Caribbean enclave where the Jhandi flags are often placed at the end of prayer rituals. Mahadeo is hoping the rally can also be a teachable moment.
"We have to be aware of our environment and we also have to increase the awareness of the larger community about who we are, and what we are, and the purpose of our flags and other places of worship that people will understand we are here to stay and partners in society," Mahadeo said.
Police are still hunting for the suspect who burned the flags.
Vish, good luck with your rally.
Shanti Mantra:
Om Treyambhakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvarukamiva Bandhanam Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat
Om Sarvesham Svastir Bhavatu Sarvesham Shantir Bhavatu
Sarvesham Purnam Bhavatu Sarvesham Mangalam Bhavatu
Sarve Bhavantu Sukhina,
Sarve Santu Niramaya,
Sarve Bhadrani Pashayantu,
Maa Kashchid-Dukhabhavbhaveta
Mitwah posted:Vish, good luck with your rally.
Shanti Mantra:
Om Treyambhakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvarukamiva Bandhanam Mrityor Mukshiya MaamritatOm Sarvesham Svastir Bhavatu Sarvesham Shantir Bhavatu
Sarvesham Purnam Bhavatu Sarvesham Mangalam BhavatuSarve Bhavantu Sukhina,
Sarve Santu Niramaya,
Sarve Bhadrani Pashayantu,
Maa Kashchid-Dukhabhavbhaveta
English subtitle....please
Django posted:Mitwah posted:Vish, good luck with your rally.
Shanti Mantra:
Om Treyambhakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvarukamiva Bandhanam, Mrityor Mukshiya MaamritatWe Meditate on the Three-eyed reality, which permeates and nourishes all like a fragrance. May we be liberated from death for the sake of immortality, Even as the cucumber is severed from bondage to the creeper
Om Sarvesham Svastir Bhavatu, Sarvesham Shantir Bhavatu
Sarvesham Purnam Bhavatu, Sarvesham Mangalam BhavatuMay there be happiness in all, May there be peace in all. May there be completeness in all, May there be success in all
Sarve Bhavantu Sukhina, Sarve Santu Niramaya,
Sarve Bhadrani Pashayantu, Maa Kashchid-DukhabhavbhavetaMay all be prosperous and happy. May all be free from illness. May all see what is spiritually uplifting. May no one suffer
English subtitle....please
Much obliged! 
The above are sankrit mantras taken from the Upanishads.
Om dyauh shanti, Antarikshagum shanti, Prithivee shanti,
Rapah shanti, Oshadhayah shanti, Vanaspatayah shanti,
Vishvadevaah shanti, Brahma shanti, Sarvegum shanti,
Shaanti reva, shanti Sama, shanti redhi
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
May peace radiate there in the whole sky
as well as in the vast ethereal space everywhere.
May peace reign all over this earth,
in water and in all herbs, trees and creepers.
May peace flow over the whole universe.
May peace be in the Supreme Being Brahman.
And may there always exist in all peace and peace alone.
Om peace, peace and peace to us and all beings!
Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi
May there be Peace Peace Peace
Thank you for your positive postings.
Please join us tonight at 80th St and 89th Ave in Woodhaven
Mitwah posted:
- May peace reign all over this earth,
in water and in all herbs, trees and creepers.
I like the herb part...that's nice, see what ah keep sayin alllllll the time...it's a peaceful 'erb, legalize it.
Question. Would the creepers be like Nehru or Cobra?
Update!
Rally was well attended.
There was representatives from the Hindu, Muslim and Christian organizations
Former Member
I see you guys didn't listen to me...even my wife disagreed with me...oh well
RiffRaff posted:I see you guys didn't listen to me...even my wife disagreed with me...oh well
No one agrees with scratchity old people.
Read about become informed about issues in the community.
http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-bor...-woodhaven-home.html
Community leaders rallied Friday night to denounce a hate crime in Queens, when 40 Hindu flags were burned at a Woodhaven home on Thanksgiving morning. NY1's Na'eem Douglas filed the following report.
Police released surveillance video of a man who they believe burned 40 Hindu flags on Thanksgiving morning.
The flags belonged to a family living 80th street near 89th Avenue in the Woodhaven section of Queens.
"Some had shared an article, and it said, 'Hindus alert: there is someone going around burning flags in the community. Everyone needs to remove their flags from the front yards and put them in the backyards.' And that really upset me because someone is going around telling people to hide who they are," said Aminta Kilawan of Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus.
The flags burned play a central role in Hindu beliefs. So in response to the act of hate, Hindu neighbors and community members from all walks of life gathered at the spot of the incident.
"Each flag represented a prayer, a special prayer. That is sacred. To anybody believes in who believes in any type of religion of religion a prayer that it is a sacred is a sacred thing."
"Right now, what is going on with the violence, one way or the other, it crosses all religion, and we need to put a stop to this," said one person at the gathering.
Organizers say the attacks in Paris and California have put a touch of fear in the air, a fear of those who are different, and by standing together Friday, it shows that the community and city, despite its differences, are standing as one.
"This really is a teaching moment to teach individuals about the significance of the Hindu flag, and whenever there's an act against any community, regardless of ethnicity or race, it is really important that we come out together," said Public Advocate Letitia James.
The family that the flags belong to were dealing with a death in the family and could not come to the event, but an organizer says they plan on putting their flags back up.
Channel 7 - ABC news
http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-bor...-woodhaven-home.html
Community leaders rallied Friday night to denounce a hate crime in Queens, when 40 Hindu flags were burned at a Woodhaven home on Thanksgiving morning. NY1's Na'eem Douglas filed the following report.
Police released surveillance video of a man who they believe burned 40 Hindu flags on Thanksgiving morning.
The flags belonged to a family living 80th street near 89th Avenue in the Woodhaven section of Queens.
"Some had shared an article, and it said, 'Hindus alert: there is someone going around burning flags in the community. Everyone needs to remove their flags from the front yards and put them in the backyards.' And that really upset me because someone is going around telling people to hide who they are," said Aminta Kilawan of Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus.
The flags burned play a central role in Hindu beliefs. So in response to the act of hate, Hindu neighbors and community members from all walks of life gathered at the spot of the incident.
"Each flag represented a prayer, a special prayer. That is sacred. To anybody believes in who believes in any type of religion of religion a prayer that it is a sacred is a sacred thing."
"Right now, what is going on with the violence, one way or the other, it crosses all religion, and we need to put a stop to this," said one person at the gathering.
Organizers say the attacks in Paris and California have put a touch of fear in the air, a fear of those who are different, and by standing together Friday, it shows that the community and city, despite its differences, are standing as one.
"This really is a teaching moment to teach individuals about the significance of the Hindu flag, and whenever there's an act against any community, regardless of ethnicity or race, it is really important that we come out together," said Public Advocate Letitia James.
The family that the flags belong to were dealing with a death in the family and could not come to the event, but an organizer says they plan on putting their flags back up.
http://queenstribune.com/hindu...abeled-a-hate-crime/
Hindu Flag Burning Labeled A Hate Crime
Posted on by tribune in This Week, This Week Forest Hills, This Week South Queens with 0 CommentsBY JON CRONIN
Staff Writer
In a tragic beginning to the holiday, an unknown man set fire to 40 religious Hindu flags in the front yard of a Woodhaven residence near 89th Avenue and 80th Street in the early Thanksgiving morning.
The New York City Police Department released black and white security camera footage of the man in a front yard bending over at the waist as he takes a few seconds to ignite the flags, and then casually walks off into the night.
A week later the police at the 102nd Precinct are still seeking the publicâs assistance to identify the man for arson and labeled the incident as a hate crime.
The police stated that the incident took place at approximately 1:15 a.m. They noted the arsonist âentered the victimâs front yard and did ignite a fire to 40 religious Hindu flags before fleeing south bound on 80th Street. There were no persons injured as a result of the incident.â
The police describe the arsonist, as, âan adult male, wearing a three quarter length jacket, baseball cap and pulling a medium size travel bag.â
State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach) released a statement following the event, âThe burning of these Hindu flags near someoneâs home is an unacceptable act of hatred that our community will not tolerate. Queens is one of the most diverse places in the world, and we as a borough should be extremely proud of that. My support is with the family whose culture and beliefs were targeted by this inexplicable crime and I thank the NYPD for not only naming this a hate crime, but for working diligently to ensure those responsible for this act are brought to justice.â
Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) also released a statement. âCrimes which target religious expression are hate crimes, and should be treated as such,â he said, âWhoever is responsible for the burning of these flags must be held accountable. We simply cannot tolerate any form of religious persecution.â
Reach Reporter Jon Cronin at (718) 357-7400 x125, jcronin@queenstribune.com or @JonathanSCronin
- See more at: http://queenstribune.com/hindu...sthash.DQSacuEw.dpuf
List of Speakers
Aminta Kilawan, Co-Founder, Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus
Pandit Manoj Jadubans, Spiritual Leader, Shaanti Bhavan Mandir
Statement from Narine Family (family whose home was targeted) - Read by Sunita Viswanath, Co-Founder, Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus
MOIA Commissioner Nisha Agarwal
Public Advocate Letitia James
New York State Assembly Member Michael Miller
Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez
New York City Council Member Eric Ulrich
State Senator James Sanders Jr.
Community Affairs Officer Jose Severino
Rev. Chloe Breyer, Executive Director of Interfaith Center of New York
Naheed Bahram, Flushing Interfaith Council and Women for Afghan Women
Imam Safraz, Masjid al Abidin
Rev. Alfonso Wyatt
Simone Jhingoor, Co-Founder of Jahajee Sisters
Kenrick Ross, Executive Director, Indo-Caribbean Alliance
Richard David, Member Community Board 9
Vishnu Mahadeo, President of Richmond Hill Economic Development Corporation
Martin Colberg, President, Woodhaven Residents Block Association
Adrienne Adams, Chairperson of Community Board 12
Lakshmee Singh, Let's Talk With Lakshmee
Mohamed Q. Amin, Caribbean Equality Project
Thanks to Coalition of Progressive Hindus for putting this together.
As reported in all the articles above their spokesperson was quoted the most.
This was a classic example of a team effort
Taken from Aminta Kilawan Facebook:
Absolutely bursting with joy at how powerful the âŠ#âWeAreOne⎠rally was last night. A unified response from community members, religious leaders, and elected officials to the burning of 40 âŠ#âjhandi⎠flags in Woodhaven, Queens resulted in a total pledge of $4,500 towards the arrest, indictment, and conviction of the perpetrator. But even greater than this, what occurred in the front of the victimized home last night was a collective spirit of love, and a denouncing of hate in... our local neighborhood, our city, our country, and our world. In light of all the tragic news lately, last night was a beautiful reminder that #WeAreOne. Thank you to all who joined with Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus to make it a reality. Sunita Viswanath Rohan Narine Richard S. David Vishnu Mahadeo Kenrick Ross Mohamed Q. Amin Lakshmee Singh James Sanders Jr.Eric Ulrich Ravina Vibart-Jadubans Pandit Manoj Jadubans, Public Advocate Letitia James, MOIA Commissioner Nisha Agarwal, Assembly Member Mike Miller, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association, Rev. Chloe Breyer, Naheed Samadi Bahram Imam Safraz, Rev. Alfonso Wyatt,Simone Devi Jhingoor, Dhanpaul Narine, Imran Ahmad, Guy Paray, Hemma Kilawan, Kamelia Kilawan, Ramash Kilawan, and the list goes on. Photos and a full recap to come!
Vasudaivam Kutambakum.
I am surprise the Narine Family did not go out and voice a strong condemnation. THis is America, no need to be afraid.
Former Member
Nehru posted:Mitwah posted:warrior posted:Mitwah posted:VishMahabir posted:The local TV and Radio stations reported it as a "hate crime", and one report said it was committed before...a little bit of pressure on the police will go a long way towards addressing the problem.
Do you plant "Jhandis" or other religious artifacts infront of your home?
people do it in canada and nobody mess with it my brother have one by his front steps and both of his neighbour is white
My neighbors are white too and they love Jhandi food especialy in purine leaf.
Everyone does except Stormy but he has a right not to care.
As the Chief said "the man is predictable". He is predictable in his verbose hog wash. The non resident ill-informedGuyanese buckman responds to almost everything. The predictable responses are without substance.
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