7 min read
By: Dr. Richard L. Benkin
On October 24, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), introduced Senate Resolution 424, which is anti-India, based on misinformation and disinformation, and treats one of our greatest allies as a second rate power. The resolution calls on the United States (US) government to “engage” the Indian government “to end persecution of, and violence against religious minorities and human rights defenders in India and a reversal of government policies that discriminate against Muslims and Christians on the basis of their respective faiths.” It was referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations where it remains—and where it must die.
There are a lot of things wrong with the resolution, but its fatal flaw is its assumption without critical evaluation that this Indian government actively discriminates against religious minorities and provides impunity for individuals who do so. Because minorities unfortunately face discrimination pretty much everywhere. Resolution 424 charges India with being far worse by asserting that such discrimination is government policy. It also singles out India in a way that usually is reserved for Israel, while holding favored nations harmless. For instance, it calls out the state of Karnataka for banning the hijab in schools and colleges but never seemed concerned when France did the same; nor when several European states banned kosher slaughtering of food animals. Nor did it object to the reams of US case law in which courts ruled that public safety and law have precedence over parochial religious desires that put them both in jeopardy. One set of standards for white Europeans and another for non-white Asians was the basis for centuries of European imperialism and colonization. Baldwin might not be trying to revive the British Raj, but her actions do so anyway.
Having said that, I have no reason to not think that Senator Baldwin herself is a bigot. I don’t know her or what her personal biases might or might not be; but I do know the US Senate and a lot of current and former Senators. Most have expertise in one or another area, however, they are asked to take positions on a range of topics, foreign and domestic. Only in very rare cases do we find one who knows most of them; especially where foreign policy and global matters are concerned. The sheer volume of issues can be overwhelming; plus, constituents, staff, and supporters often come to them believing their issue should take precedence over everything else. So, Capitol Hill lawmakers depend on their staff and constituents to research, verify, and provide them with good insight and information on whatever particular issue is before them. It’s even more complicated when the subject is India or South Asia because of its distance from the United States. As such, few Americans go there, unless they have South Asian heritage themselves. Cultural, linguistic, and other differences between West and East also militates against serious understanding. Add to that the fact that many people, by default, have a notion that India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “Hindu nationalist,” and somehow that is not good for Muslims and Christians. I know that’s not the case, but I do spend a lot of time in India so I know better. I’m talking about people’s perceptions when all they hear comes from one, politically interested, side.
That means two things for us. First, it would be a mistake to dismiss Senator Baldwin as irredeemable and assume that she never will see things fairly. Second, it is our responsibility to inform lawmakers. If all they hear comes from those who have an agenda to harm India and especially Prime Minister Modi, what should make them think that there’s another side to the story? That’s where a truly grassroots effort can have an impact on what happens to Senate Resolution 424.
In actuality, there is little chance that this resolution will pass the entire Senate, but this is not the goal of those who cajoled Baldwin into proposing it. If they can get it heard in Senate hearings, where their political operatives can get a whole bunch of anti-India misinformation on the record, they win because few people will go to the trouble and fact check their allegations. The bias and misinformation will be out there as something “everyone knows.” Stopping that requires anyone who cares about this to contact their US Senators. For instance, if you live in Illinois, as I do, you would want to contact the offices of Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth. If one of your Senators is on the Foreign Relations Committee (as Duckworth is), it is even more important that he or she gets this important information. If you live in Maryland, contacting Senator Ben Cardin is critical because he chairs the Committee. Virginia and Tennessee residents want to contact Senators Tim Kaine and Bill Hagerty respectively because the resolution’s advocates are trying to convince them to co-sponsor it. Kaine is a Democrat and Hagerty is a Republican; and the resolution will need co-sponsors who are on the Committee, one from each party. If we stop that, we stop the resolution.
Besides killing a very bad and bigoted resolution, your action also helps your Senators who depend on getting good information from their constituents.
Calls are better than emails or faxes, and the call can be as simple as registering that you are a constituent of the Senator and strongly opposed to Senate Resolution 424, introduced by Senator Tammy Baldwin and referred to the Foreign Relations Committee; and you urge the Senator in the strongest possible terms to reject this bigoted resolution and make sure the Senate rejects it, too. Or you can add something about how it offends you, or that it is based on false information. You can cite the unequal treatment it accords to India vs. other nations as evidenced by the example I gave earlier regarding the hijab ban. Or that it leans heavily on recommendations from USCIRF—recommendations that the State Department rejected. You also might refer to the highly authoritative Pew Research Center, which studied this and found that about nine in ten Indian Muslims and Indian Christians said they were perfectly free to practice their faiths. And certainly, Wisconsin residents should contact Senator Baldwin’s office.
If you need information to call your Senators, you can get information here: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
If you want to know who is on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, that information is here: https://www.foreign.senate.gov/about/membership.
Several years ago, I was told by former Vice President and then Indiana Congressman Mike Pence that any Member of Congress who gets five or more calls from constituents about any piece of legislation will take notice and take action. They are that sensitive to what the voters say, especially if, like Senator Kaine, they are up for re-election.
The opposite is true, as well. If they do not hear from you, they might have no reason to question all those who are telling them otherwise. Take advantage of your rights as a member of this democratic republic. The choice to stand up for them or not is yours.