By SHIRLEY WITHERSPOON
A Woodhaven Queens, New York home was the target of a racist act of vandalism on America’s national holiday of celebrating different groups aligning, working, eating, and enjoying festivities together. Approximately 40 Hindu flags were burned outside the home on Thanksgiving day. Police are currently investigating.
Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, said it was “shocking for the hard-working, harmonious and peaceful US Hindu community, who had made lot of contributions to the nation and society, to receive such signals of hatred and anger.” He called for New York governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to act on the matter.
Hinduism, which is one of the oldest traditional religions in the world and has the third largest following according to Zed, has been the subject of many recent attacks, including: a Hindu temple was vandalized in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada on November 15; a sign at “Winston Salem Hindu Temple” in Clemmons, North Carolina was hit with over 60 shotgun blasts in July; a Hindu temple was vandalized in Dallas, Texas in April; and two Hindu temples in Kent and Bothell, Washington were vandalized in February.