We, as Co-Directors of Communications of North America, like much of America, are greatly disturbed by the increase in violence and attacks against the Asian American community and other minorities, and we condemn such acts.

As members of minority religious community ourselves, we are aware of the pain and fear that is felt when individuals are targeted, communities threatened, and homes, temples, mosques, or churches burned. 

America strives to be a nation that offers shelter to the refugee, the distressed, those fleeing persecution, and those hoping for a new beginning. Yet, throughout America’s history, with each wave of new immigrants and minorities, others have pushed back against them with resentment, envy, bitterness, and violence. 

Whether it is hatred of race, language, culture, or religion, such hate and violence is far beneath the ideals and the goals of America and its people. Despite our checkered past, Americans aspire for a brighter future interwoven with mutual respect, opportunity for all, and understanding that our future depends upon each other.  

The Vaishnava Hindu tradition of Krishna Consciousness teaches that we are all intimately connected as children of the one Supreme Divinity. Forgetting that, we wage war upon each other in ways big and small, forgetting that our actions will reap adverse karmic repercussions. 

Our neighbors are not our enemy–whether or not they look like us, or talk like us, or worship like us. Our enemy is the anger, selfishness, greed, and envy that dwells in our minds and our hearts and drives us to thoughts, words, and deeds of violence. 

Only by understanding our shared brotherhood and sisterhood, knowing that happiness and peace comes through celebrating our similarities as well as our differences, and knowing that the world itself is not meant to be dominated by the most powerful or wealthy, but instead is a gift of God to be shared among us, we will find true happiness and security for all. 

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For more information please contact: 

Madan Gopal Das, ISKCON North American Communications Ministry, Co-Director at Madan.gopal@iskcon.org.

Kumari Kunti Dasi, ISKCON North American Communications Ministry, Co-Director at Kumari.kunti@iskcon.org.