While the definition of caste has evolved over the centuries, under both Muslim and British rule, the suffering of those at the bottom of the caste pyramid – known as Dalits, which in Sanskrit means “broken” — has continued.
There has been strong pushback to anti-discrimination laws and policies that target caste from groups such as the Hindu American Foundation and the Coalition of Hindus of North America. They say such legislation will hurt a community whose members are viewed as “people of color” and already face hate and discrimination.
Laurence Simon, international development professor at Brandeis, said a university task force made the decision based “on the feelings and fears of students from marginalized communities.” “We South Asians have so many difficult historical traumas,” she said. “But when we come to this country, we shove all that under the rug and try to be a model minority. The shadow of caste is still there. It still destabilizes lives, families and communities.”
“The understanding of Hinduism is poor in this country,” Trivedi said. “Many people believe caste equals Hinduism, which is simply not true. There is diversity of thought, belief and practice within Hinduism.”“There is a heavy reliance on anecdotal reports,” he said, suggesting it would be difficult to verify someone’s caste.
Legislation pertaining to caste is not about targeting any community, said Nikhil Mandalaparthy, deputy executive director of Hindus for Human Rights. The Washington, D.C.-based group supports the proposed caste ordinance. Sawant said the ordinance does not single out one community, but accounts for how caste discrimination crosses national and religious boundaries. A United Nations report in 2016 said at least 250 million people worldwide still face caste discrimination in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Pacific regions, as well as in various diaspora communities. Caste systems are found among Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Muslims and Sikhs.
As if we are to believe the rich and powerful are going to surrender any of it. This is the council person that wanted to move to the front of the line for police investigations
The US is not India
I am glad the Council is tackling the pressing and critical problems.😳
And… so what?
Good for her. Long overdue.
Maybe she should go back to India. People die everyday from drug overdoses, crime is the new normal, the city is a shit hole and this is what the council is working on? Give us a break!!
Huh ?
😂🥴🤪
Why each race tries to fix the problems that belong to the countries they come from. This is not India, Ethiopia or Africa. If you want to solve their problems - you need to go to these countries. Solve real problems that are here in America!
What does India have to do with Seattle? This is another good reason why Seattle needs to get rid of their current city council.
Another woke artist, desperately trying to solve problems that don't exist. Do something to stop drugs, crimes and homelessness rather than waste my tax dollars on stupid naan-sense like this.
Stop giving this criminal air time, her picture alone makes me sick.
Why? Has there suddenly been the emergence of a new caste system in Wedgwood or West Seattle or on Capital Hill?
We are in America.
I would like to meet a Dalit in Seattle. Also cmkshama made up story about her grandfather is next level masala. Can the Seattle council fix the potholes around Capitol Hill first?
Wtf does Seattle care lame
Why are we giving this lady any time of the day?
Caste system opinions aside, it does appear that her grandfather had a good read on his granddaughter decades ago...
Can you explain what laws on the books don’t already address this discrimination?
Shouldn’t Seattle be more concerned with making the streets safer?
Lol. Joke right?
Huh? Something her grandfather said in India is basis for a law proposed in Seattle? Isn't this redundant considering laws already in place? Lovely waste of time and money. This councilmember is utterly a bane on Seattle
Historic only in the sense that it has no baring here in the US and probably will go through. Another useless unenforceable law that will never see a conviction
Here in lies the issue with our law makers. They so want to be part of the “I did that crowd” they forget they were elected to serve the people. What a fucking joke. Remember this bill of bull shit when you vote next time.
Meanwhile in Seattle skyrocketing crime, shootings, homelessness, drug overdoses hit record levels.
Seattle people are mad spending time on this topic. NOT RELEVANT HERE IN SEATTLE
Another solution desperately looking for a problem to spend money fixing. Nobody in America cares about what caste someone from another country belongs to. Even the people who hate people from a given nation would hate them all equally.
Wildly irresponsible waste of time
While you were looking in the wrong direction..this initiative passed and creates a new tax authority and the corrupt homeless industry is going to benefit
Who cares? We are in the United States not India. SCC is dealing with this perceived issue rather than crime and homelessness and 100s of other more pressing issues. Embarrassing!
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