NEW JERSEY, USA, July 12, 2007: The Hindu Students Council commends the United States Senate today for creating history in having a Hindu priest lead the opening invocation of today’s session. Such an event marks the profound diversity of religion in American civic life, and HSC compliments Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada for taking the courageous step of inviting Shri Rajan Zed to deliver the invocation as a guest Chaplain.
Unfortunately, the invocation was marred by three protesters who felt the need to display their intolerance for other religions and disrupt the opening prayer. These protesters, professing radical Christian beliefs, and those who support them fail to understand the premise of America, and why the First Amendment exists. Nikunj Trivedi, President of HSC, said “HSC considers awareness about Hinduism and religious diversity as part of its mission on campuses, and we are encouraged by the fact that not one Senator stood to support the protesters.” HSC congratulates the Senate for taking such an important step today, and hopes that it will further continue to reinforce the idea that religious diversity is an important component in American civic life.