Couldnt agree more.

sirc… this is not the time to point fingers inside. Or India will fail again for the same reasons as past few centuries.

I will believe all this “let’s support the SCIENTIC TRUTH on Hinduism” pontification, when I see similar “Honesty” about the Bible, the Quran, the Torah and the US DoD and President – without FATWAs, Papal Bulls, or screams of discrimination and defamation.

Do some diligent reading please, and see all the RECENT instances where university Presidents have apologized, faculty are sent to “sensitivity training”, reporters are fired, lawsuits are filed all over, books and newspapers are censored, all when people feel offended at perceived slights to THEIR religions. Then study carefully just WHO is counseling this extreme “tolerance” to Hindus. A Hindu name means nothing – it’s probably a Marxist Communist, or a very capitalist self-promoting sepoy echoing His Master’s Voice.

All this “scientific research” argument in favor of racist bigots, is just plain dishonesty and paid propaganda.

In the US, “majority” opinion in many cities, such as, say, Atlanta. GA, is that Hinduism is a Satanic heathen cult, and Indians are brown heathens. Revising school textbooks to instil some minimal awareness and multicultural sensitivity is all that these California people are trying to do. The savage attacks on them by the racist bigots is very reminiscent of what some of us suffered for decades (centuries?) before we wised up on how to deal with these types.

The Aryan Invasion theory might be the most contentious issue but they are so other basic facets that the mislabeled Hindutva groups are trying to correct. I don’t want to see textbooks written by cranks on either side – Witzel or people like David Frawley, whose fawning writings on the Subcontinent are just ridiculous.

By the way, check out the latest issue of India Abroad- they feature long interviews with Witzel and the Hindu American Foundation’s attorney, Suhag Shukla. ‘Tis a shame they don’t (re)publish their stuff on the web.

AUSTIN, TEXAS, December 17, 2005: The Vedic Foundation issued the following press release:

Dear Hindu Community Members:

At the request of some individuals we are forwarding the below sample letter that can put on your letterhead and e-mail or faxed to all of the individuals on the attached contact list. Please note that the email for Alan Bersin has been updated and some additional names have been added to the list.

Please feel free to modify this letter in any way you wish or write your own. It is only meant to serve as a template. According to feedback received from one of the Commissioners at last week’s meeting, it is not necessary for each letter to have a different message. A few weeks ago there was a letter posted on a users group. More than 100 people forwarded the same letter to the Curriculum Commissioner. This made a big impression on her.

Please keep up your efforts and forward this message to all of your contacts so that on Monday morning the recipient’s e-mail boxes and faxes will be flooded with messages of support from the Hindu community in favor of making the corrections to the textbooks. This will make a strong statement to the State Board of Education Members who are the final decision makers.

Your continued support is crucial to the success of everyone’s efforts.

Regards,

Janeshwari Devi The Vedic Foundation Austin, TX (512) 288-7180

E-mails: norma.baker@lausd.net, Assemblymember.Goldberg@asm.ca.gov, sstickel@cde.ca.gov, ksteento@cde.ca.gov, kheinrich@ose.ca.gov, DeborahKeys@comcast.net

Suggested letter:

State Board of Education 1430 N Street, Room 5111 Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: The Edits and Corrections relating to Hinduism/India in 6th Grade Textbooks

Dear President Green and the Members of the State Board of Education; Alan Bersin, California Secretary of Education Karen Steentofte, Counsel for State Board of Education Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg Dr. Deborah Keys, Vice Chair, Curriculum Commission

I am writing to express my concern about the unfair and improper handling of the edits and corrections of the Hindu community during 2005 History-Social Science adoption process. The edits and corrections submitted by the Vedic Foundation and Hindu Education Foundation have been approved by:

1) Content Review Expert, Professor Shiva Bajpai in October, 2005 2) Ad-Hoc committee on October 31, 2005 3) Curriculum Commission on December 2, 2005

Textbooks describe the sacred writings of other religions as ‘historical accounts’ and their personalities as ‘historical figures,’ but irreverently describe the form of God in Hinduism, Lord Rama and Sita as ‘characters’ of the ‘fictional story’ Ramayana; Goddess Durga and Kali as ‘extremely terrible and bloodthirsty;’ the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures as songs, poems, myths, and legends. Also, the textbooks use ‘God’ in the discussion of other religions, but use ‘god or goddess’ with a small ‘g’ to describe the forms of God in Hinduism and wrongly teach our kids that Hindus believe in ‘many gods.’

The approved and the concurring edits remove such derogatory and prejudical language and achieve a balanced and respectful presentation of Hinduism similar to the treatment of other world religions.

The approved changes also introduce both sides of the Aryan Invasion/Migration historical debate by incorporating the language, “The Aryan invasion theory has been contradicted by scholarly evidence…” and introduce the words, “Some historians believe…” in their discussion of the Aryan Invasion/Migration theory.

Please give urgent consideration to this matter of utmost importance to myself, all Hindu youth and the Hindu community. We urge you, the Board Members, to approve the decision of the Curriculum Commission to correct the inaccurate and defamatory portrayal of Hinduism/India from all of the adopted textbooks so that thousands of Hindu students are not subjected to the detrimental effects of a denigrating and demoralizing education.

Sincerely,

Contacts to Send Correspondence in Support of California Textbook Reform:

Secretary Alan Bersin; California Secretary of Education; kheinrich@ose.ca.gov; Fax: (916) 323-3753

Karen Steentofte; Chief Counsel, California State Board of Education; ksteento@cde.ca.gov; Fax: (916) 319-0176

President Ruth Green and Board Members, California State Board of Education 1430 N Street, Room 5111, Sacramento, California 95814 Phone: (916) 319-0827. Fax: (916) 319-0176. Email not available.

Members, State Board of Education Phone: (916) 319-0827. Fax: (916) 319-0176. Email not available.

Sue Stickel; Deputy Superintendent, Curriculum & Instruction Branch, California Department of Education; sstickel@cde.ca.gov; Phone: (916) 319-0806. Fax: (916) 319-0103

Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg; Chair of the Education Committee http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a45/; Assemblymember.Goldberg@asm.ca.gov; Fax: (916) 319-2145

Dr. Norma Baker, Ed.D.; Chair, Curriculum Commission; norma.baker@lausd.net

Dr. Deborah Keys, Ed.D.; Vice Chair, Curriculum Commission; DeborahKeys@comcast.net

The above address for Karen Heinrich is incorrect, which is why many letters have bounced. The correct address is kheinrich@ose.ca.gov.

Also, I am told that the Saudis have given Harvard a HUGE grant which is why WITZEL and his gang of Sanskrit ‘professors’ are busy honoring the grant and denigrating Vedic sanskriti. PLEASE KEEP THE HEAT ON THE COMMISSION FOR TEXTBOOK CHANGE

Jonathan A. Lewin, “Sanskrit Dept. in Disarray, Students, Officials Say”. The Harvard Crimson, 1995. http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=500579

Anonymous (why am I not surprised by that? It seems a Gestapo place) “Former Sanskrit Chair Remains Controversial Students Grumble in Spite of Changes” The Harvard CRIMSON, 1996
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=89651

Relevant excerpt:

“All of the graduate students who spoke against Witzel spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they feared retaliation if their names were published.”

“The graduate students held a meeting in December and took notes which they sent to Wolff. The minutes said they did not record the names of students who spoke for “fear of retribution.”

Witzel later threatened to sue Sarah LeVine, agraduate student who recorded the minutes of the meeting.”

Ah! Harvard’s Liberal Academic Freedom!

“But some students said they fear that when Witzel returns from Asia he will destabilize thedepartment.

“Nothing has really changed,” one student said.”When Witzel gets back, everything’ll be back to usual.”

Anyway, please send your protest letters again to Curriculum Commission: (different addresses this time)

kheinrich@osc.ca.gov, ksteento@cde.ca.gov, sstickel@cde.ca.gov, Assemblymember.Goldberg@asm.ca.gov, RParker@cde.ca.gov, joconnell@cde.ca.gov,

Address to: Secretary Alan Bersin, CA Secretary of Education Email: kheinrich@osc.ca.gov Fax: (916) 323-3753 Address to: Karen Steentofte, Chief Counsel, State Board of Education Email: ksteento@cde.ca.gov Fax: (916) 319-0176

Address to: Ruth Green, President, State Board of Education Fax: (916) 319-0176

Address to: Sue Stickel, Deputy Superintendent of Schools Email: sstickel@cde.ca.gov Address to: Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg Email: Assemblymember.Goldberg@asm.ca.gov Fax: (916) 319-2145

All their chronology must conform to this basic ludicrous requirement. Their loud claims of being “scientists” is exactly the shrieking of the Creationist fundamentalists as well.

It is sad that a university like Harvard is AGAIN at the lead of such nonsense. Mr. Witzel’s racist and bigoted sneering, and his flunkie Farmer’s obscene shrieking rants, must make any Harvard graduate wince. I mean, if they have time to pause and think between their Corporate Insider Trading scams and their shady-lawyer scams.

Harvard’s racist, anti-woman President Lawrence Summers should be fired forthwith.

The shrillness of these guys is unbelievable. Witzel claims that “Indian Civilization would be a good idea” . Both he and Farmer sneer at the community, calling people interested in his subject, but competent in other things “bank employee” (the gentleman retired as one of the top executives of a global bank) or “computer programmers” Apparently possession of any useful technical skills, or the ability to count past 20, disqualifies one from being an “Indology expert”.

Farmer also called the California State Education Board “IDIOTS” because they saw though this hollowness. Someone should inform those kind and hard-working folks about this.

Are you sure Michael Witzel is at Harvard UNIVERSITY, and not the kingergarten school attached to the university? This is far more blatant racism and bigotry than I ever expected to see in any American university after the 1970s.

Scholarship of Equine Posteriors Har(vard)appa-Style Part-II

Harvard professor launches anti Hindu Crusade