Religious discrimination is on the rise across the world and must be contained before it harms businesses and our social progress. A religiously or politically prejudiced employee can affect others’ morale, cause a lot of headaches, bring lawsuits, and affect the organisation’s ability to function cohesively. He or she can waste the CEO’s time and the precious resources defending and correcting the mistakes rather than focusing on business development and creating employment.
 

We are pleased to offer sound advice to the corporate CEOs on placing the right employees in supervisory positions. It is a brand-new feature and going to become increasingly important for the following reasons. 

A few facts

Cisco is facing a lawsuit for its discriminative practices by one of its managers. The problem was not with the policies of Cisco but placing the wrong people in supervisory positions. An Indian-American supervisor from the “upper caste” (religious supremacist) did not promote the “lower caste” employee. He believed that the employee did not deserve to be promoted because he was born inferior and must remain in the lowest rung of the ladder. 

Facebook’s supervisor in its India operations, Ms. Ankhi Das rejected taking down a posting that was false and harmful to society. Ms. Das supported the Indian leader who posted the anti-Muslim controversial item, and refused to take it down, despite being urged by her associates and completely disregarding the policies set in motion by Mark Zuckerberg. 

That single decision has caused a lot of turmoil; the internet is flooded with this news from the Wall Street Journal to just about every journal in the world. Zuckerberg finally fired her, good riddance. What a waste of time! 

A medical doctor in India refused to admit patients in the hospitals because they were Muslims. One of them was a pregnant woman who delivered the baby in the ambulance, and her child did not survive. Imagine if that doctor were in America and did the same.

Shamefully, these practices have become commonplace. However, it is a significant liability for global corporations hiring employees from India, a few of whom would discriminate against Dalits in particular, Muslims, and Christians in general. Should we have a place for them in these corporations? 

At this point in the society, you will not find a place of work, worship, playground, school, restaurant, theater and other areas of public gatherings where people of different faiths, races, and ethnicities can be seen interacting, working, studying, intermingling, playing, and even marrying each other. 

These interactions are bound to create conflicts. We must prevent such disputes so that each individual can live securely with his or her faith, culture, gender, race, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.

It is just the beginning; a few among the white supremacist and the brown supremacist will create a mess in the coming years for the global corporations who hire people without character references. 

Sound advice 

We ask global corporations to consider the following suggestions as they can help you avoid getting sued by your employees’ reckless actions.

1. Update hiring policy — Only hire individuals who respect and practice inclusivity and do not bring religion or politics to the workplace. How can that be achieved? Ask each of your current employees to submit social testimonies. If it is a Muslim, ask him/her to provide verifiable testimonials from Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, and others. Likewise, if it is a Hindu, ask him/her to produce similar testimonials from non-Hindus.

2. Remove poisoned employees – Remove the existing bad apples in your basket. A Hindu doctor was a guest at my place for a few weeks while attending the meetings related to his residency. At the end of his stay – he said, “I wish my parents had not poisoned me against Blacks, Muslims, Christians, and Jews; everything I have heard from them turned out to be false.” He continued, “I have lived in dorms with others, and now with you, my parents were plain wrong.”

He agreed, when you are biased towards others, it affects your work performance. Your relationship with fellow workers will not be cordial as you were prejudiced against them. You keep a reserve with your fellow workers, and subconsciously, you don’t trust and share everything with them. That attitude reduces your contribution to your work, and you will not be able to serve your employer with full integrity. And when you go home, you are not giving 100% to your family either, and you are obsessed with your hatred towards the other.

Would you hire a poisoned employee to work for you?

3. Add to employee records – Ask your existing employees and all future hires to produce their social media records from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Whatsapp for at least one year.

You cannot go wrong if you and your employees follow Lincoln’s wisdom, “With malice towards none.” Justice and fairness will sustain the system and pave the way for moving forward instead of fighting the side battles.

Like all other corporations, Facebook has an interest in operating in nations where there is the rule of law, cohesive functioning of society, security, and the ability to sustain and grow.

*Dr. Mike Ghouse is the founder and president of the Center for Pluralism. He is a speaker, thinker, author, community consultant, pluralist, activist, newsmaker, and an interfaith wedding officiant.

Other articles by Dr. Ghouse:

Turkey: Hagia Sophia should not be converted to a Mosque  

July 4th Message: Muslims have a special bond with America  

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Image Courtesy: Countercurrent

Suhag Shukla, executive director of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) was reportedly “upset” with the congressional hearings on October 22, 2019, about Modi governments’  gross violations of  Human rights, democratic norms and abrogation of the article 370 without the consent of the governed.

All their expensive and powerful lobbying effort seemingly went down the drain at the hearing.  Even though the assistant secretary of state Ms. Alicia Wells was cautious in her use of words, she acknowledged the unaccountable s behaviour from among the current Indian political dispensation to some tough questions from Congressmen.

Even the newly appointed Republican Assistant Secretary Destro was speechless at the testimonies, faced with accusations of gross human rights violations by the Modi government. He was consistently parroting the regime’s version of security concerns, even though he did not seem even he believed in the excuses that this provided.

The testimony of two witnesses who happened to be Hindu, one of them a Kashmiri pandit were particularly damaging to the Modi government in its all-out bid to sow discord between Hindus and Muslims. Thanks are due to Ms. Kaul and Ms. Chatterjee.

The Modi and Shah duo have a record of creating facts to support their nefarious actions. I suspect they will make an attempt to bulldoze the State Department with fake security threats. The Indian court system is still reliable, and they have thrown out the fake encounters manufactured by the duo in the recent past.

Modi will not be interviewed by any respectable journalist, nor will he let the American Commissioners from USCIRF visit India to find the truth. Very few journalists are left to question these ‘lords of the nation’.  Shame on my fellow Indian Americans, who trust the Modi government without verifying facts; I hope they can see Modi is hurting India in the long haul.

It was appalling to hear a representative of HAF, Jay Kansara announcing at a meeting on religious freedom, that the Hindu American Foundation supports India’s actions.
 
How can an American believe that the consent of the people does not matter? They all need to take the first amendment course to function as good American Citizens. As American Indians, we need to wish for Indians what we cherish for ourselves in America; freedom. The freedom to eat, drink, wear and believe whatever works in the pursuit of their happiness.

Hindutva is not Hinduism; it is an aggressive movement patterned after Nazi ideals and the claim that Hindu race/ belief is superior to others. The problem is not the belief, as the preachers of all religions ridiculously claim superiority of their faith. The problem is Hindutva teaches people to acquire political power and subjugate all others.  Indeed, it calls for continued oppression of Dalits, and the eliminationof inferior people like Christians and Muslims from India by December 31, 2021. Modi‘s party and their leaders subscribe to this ideology, and obviously have not condemned these statements. 

Hinduism on the other hand is a religion that guides one to live a meaningful life. It teaches how to receive moksha or salvation from the conflicts of life and frees one from the cycle of life. The Times of Indiawrote, “Indian officials were clearly taken aback by the largely one-sided narrative of Indian oppression and the lockdown in the Valley without the historical context of Pakistan’s use of subversive violence and terrorism to ignite unrest.”

Suhag Shukla, on Twitter expressed her concerns about their failed efforts in nurturing a “friendship” with Democrats, and hinted to latch on to the Republicans.

My advice to HAF is to stick with justice, you cannot go wrong and you don’t need to be chasing or pandering to either Republicans or Democrats. Truth always triumphs, stay on the right side of the history.

Shukla’s hint is effectively doubling down on PM Modi’s blunder in Houston of shamelessly supporting Trump’s verbiose. “Ab ki bar Trump Sarkar,” Modi had chest-thumped in the USA.  That is a welcome cry, in anticipation of there being a Trump-led government again. What an embarrassment to Democracy.

There is not a single Indian American who is not proud of his/her motherland. All they want is India to do the right thing and not earn a name as a violator of human rights.

Once the Indian Americans learn to understand the American system, the rule of law, and the first amendment, they will stand on the right side of the history over blind support for a cult leader.

Related:
 

1.“As Hindus, it is our dharma (duty) to speak up and oppose fundamentalism and violence committed in the name of our religion”

2.Ahead of US poll, Hindu American group sends booklet on Hinduism to candidates – and a questionnaire

(Dr. Mike Ghouse is a thinker, author, speaker, newsmaker, and an interfaith wedding officiant. His new book American Muslim Agenda is available on Amazon. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His information is linked-in.)
 

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Wouldn’t it be nice if you know a little bit about your neighbour’s festival and perhaps invite them to your celebrations? When we live in a community, we might as well learn about each other.

Almost all people celebrate something or the other in their way, each one is different, but the essence is the same, that is celebrations and commemorations. Festivities bring people together. Here we explore Ramadan, one of the major festivals of Muslims.

You can wish your Muslim friends “Eid Mubarak” Happy Eid, Ramadan Mubarak, Eid-al-Fitr Mubarak… or just Happy Ramadan will do.

Rituals signify the milestones in our daily lives. Every significant moment of the day is a ritual.  Every faith is composed of a set of unique rituals to bring discipline and peace to human life. Fasting is one of the five essential rituals that Muslims around the world observe.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is generally observed with a ritual precision; it is an annual training or a refresher. It requires one to abstain from food, drink, intimacy, ill-will, ill-talk, ill-actions and other temptations from dawn to dusk, every day for the whole month. One has to rise above his or her baser desires. Islam gifts this month to its followers to teach discipline to bring moderation to their daily lives.

Although Ramadan is popularly known in the West for its culinary delicacies and fancy iftars, the spirit and intent of Ramadan lie in a human transformation in a month-long inner spiritual journey of finding oneself in tune with spirituality.

Hindus can see that transformation in nine days of fasting during Navaratri, the Jains in 8-10 days of fasting during Paryushan, Christians during 40 days of lent, Jews for seven days around Yom Kippur, and likewise you find fasting is a way of life in most traditions.

God has no need for the hunger or thirst of someone who hurts others, violates their dignity, or usurps their rights.  The consciousness of behavior and vigilance over action are the most profound dimensions of fasting: the fasting of the heart focuses on the attachment to the divine. That is when Ramadan becomes a source of peace and solace, just as Christmas or Dussehra goes beyond the rituals to bring forth kindness, charity, and caring.

True fasting is self-purification, and from this comes an abundant inner life that brings about values such as justice, generosity, patience, kindness, forgiveness, mercy, and empathy — values that are indispensable for the success of the community.

For fasting to be truly universal, its benefits must extend beyond the fraternal ties of Muslims and must continue to forging a common humanity with others. Fasting is meant to impart a sense of what it means to be truly human, and its observance reflects its universality in Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Sikh, Zoroastrian and other faiths.

The day of Eid

The number of days one fast corresponds with the Moon cycle, which varies from 29 to 30 days in a given month.  At the end of the fasting period, it is time to celebrate! It is thanking the creator, observing a disciplined life, and rewarding yourselves.

To make your celebration wholesome and guilt-free, you thank the Lord for your blessings and share a portion of your income with the underprivileged, so they can also celebrate along with you. When you uplift others, your spirit is lifted as well. The idea is to fill the environment with positive energy.  Paying zakat is one of the most important duties of a Muslim. Zakat is like income tax, and it is roughly 2.5% of your earnings. However, it’s voluntary and an honor system.

Chand Raat – When you see the pencil-thin moon on the horizon, it signals the end of fasting and the start of celebrations. The evening is shopping spree and gifts are bought for the loved ones.

Eid – festivity.  The whole community gathers up in the morning around 9.00 AM, wearing new clothes, new perfume and thanking Allah for completing the blessed month of Ramadan.

Practices differ in each town. In Dallas, Texas, they rent the Auto Exhibit hall in Fair Park or the Convention hall that seats about 25,000 people, together they pray and celebrate the festivity. They do the same in Louisville, Ky.  In Yelahanka, my hometown, a suburb of Bangalore where I was born and raised, the entire town gathered at the Masjid and walked about a Mile to the Eidgah – a place for large congregations.

Back in the late 70s Bollywood film actor Mehmood lived near my town, and he invited his friends for Eid celebrations at his home. Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, and other actors joined in the Eid prayers with Mehmood.

Eid is also a day to pray for the deceased; almost all Muslims visit the cemeteries and pray for their loved ones. It is one of the most beautiful prayers that seek forgiveness for all humanity, for the living, and the deceased. The Navkar Mantra of Jains is very close to this Muslim prayer.

Most Muslims visit the cemetery on the day of the Eid. You can visit any cemetery to pray for the loved one buried anywhere. And pray for the entire humanity by using the words for the deceased and the alive.

Typically, it is a day to clean your slate, seek forgiveness from the ones you have hurt or forgive those who have hurt you. When you see Muslims hugging each other, it is washing off ill-will from their hearts for each other.

The foods

The most popular dessert of Ramadan in South Asia is “Dum ke Saviyan” (Sauteed vermecellis), and “Sheer Qurma” – that is vermicelli’s cooked with milk, cashew, raisins, and other dry fruits.

Biryani is the most popular food in South Asia, and it is the dish prepared to honor your guest. There are varieties of Biryanis like Kashmiri, Lahori, Multani,  Bengali, Punjabi, Kabul, Rangoon, Colombo (Sri Lanka), Bombay, Delhi, Lucknow, Bangalore, Kerala, Goa, and Hyderabad.

The best of all the biryanis is the Dum ki Biryani from Hyderabad, it is the way it is cooked, the spices are evenly distributed, the moisture remains consistent and the rice is usually fluffy and the meat melts in your mouth. If you have not eaten Hyderabadi Biryani, you have not eaten good food. Goat Biryani is the most common item in South Asia, and I am sure each one of the countries in the world has their own. My native American Muslim friends make things out of corn.

Mike Ghouse

Then there are Bhuna Gosht – Grilled Mutton – my favorite, my late wife Najma used to mix rice with the nearly burnt sauce at the bottom and hand feed me…  I can never forget those romantic moments; Cooked Keema – delicious with the Paratha; Anday ka Salan – Egg curry; Mirchi ka salan, Baghare-Baigan (eggplant); Dum ke Saviyan – Sauteed Vermicellis; Dum ke Saviyan – Sauteed Vermicellis with fruits; and Sheer Qurma – I make it more liquidy and drink it as a beverage in a cup.
—
*Author of the book, “American Muslim Agenda”, founder- president of the Center for Pluralism, Washington DC, public speaker, interfaith wedding officiant

 Courtesy: Counter View

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