As an Indian American male myself, I can very much see how our country’s recent presidential candidate brings a lot of essential qualities to the political circuit.
I value his unapologetic Hinduism in a country largely unaware and somewhat prejudiced against non-Christian religions. I also value that he isn’t rude towards or attacking his opponents personally, as well as admire his next-level eloquence.
That said, there is a far bigger picture of reality than he misses in his “truths”. Here is my take on them:
1. Vivek – “God is real.”
Me – The point isn’t whether God is real or not, but whether we commit to loving Him with all our heart (whether we call him Source, Light, Truth, or something else) and are committed to His guidance.
Simply stating that God is real is a cheap and pointless assertion, in my opinion.
2. Vivek – “There are two genders.“
Me – Cultures and religious traditions throughout history have had (often revered) places for the transgendered and intersex, including Hinduism. The key is, do we “Love our neighbor / enemy”, whoever they are and however they identify?
This is what I feel should be everyone’s second Truth, far more essential than an assertion in the “true” number of genders.
3. Vivek – “Human flourishing requires fossil fuels.“
Me – Maybe, but hopefully not for long as these are linked with climate change. New technologies and approaches are continuously being developed to better sustain our existence on our planet. That’s a good thing.
4. Vivek – “Reverse racism is racism.“
Me – Sure. But be clear that selective choice based on race is not the same as racism. Considering race, culture, gender, worldview, and unique personality is important for making decisions that take into account a diverse range of perspectives.
5. Vivek – “An open border is no border.“
Me – The question is “how open” should be the semi-permeable membrane that is our border. Not totally open. Not totally closed. How open should it be?
6. Vivek – “Parents determine the education of their children.“
What happens if parents are narrow-minded, not well-informed, and rely mostly on dangerous stereotypes and status-worshipping aspirations for their kids? What if the child sees something the parent doesn’t? Up until what age should they choose?
This is something that many Indian parents miss, resulting in potential anger, depression and lifelong resentment.
7. Vivek – “The nuclear family is the greatest form of governance known to mankind.“
Me – It has its place, but the “greatest” form of governance is relative and contextual, beyond what we can define in one form. There is a great variety of relationship and family configurations prevalent in various traditions, including Hindu, ancient and modern.
8. Vivek – “Capitalism lifts people up from poverty.“
Me – It can, but also can reinforce poverty. What is the right balance that can safeguard against unchecked greed? What checks and balances allow maximum opportunity for each human being to do the Divine work written in the hearts, minds and souls?
9. Vivek – “There are three branches of the U.S. government, not four.“
Me – Sure. We can keep an open mind about modifying our US government over time to be more effective. I hear the point about governmental forces that seem to be run by special interests, in parallel and behind-the-scenes. That is a serious issue to be aware of.
10. Vivek – “The U.S. Constitution is the strongest guarantor of freedoms in history.“
Me – Perhaps so. Of course, like any other document written by humans, it can and should be continuously updated to be even better of a guarantor. The Constitution has been amended many times in the last 200 years to better protect our freedoms. As our society evolves, let’s continue to amend it to ensure our freedoms are protected even more.
At the end of the day, his assertions do allow for a starting point for further discussion. As for being end-all, be-all “Truths” however, they fall far short.
Please get in touch if I can be of service or further insight.
Ranjeeth Thunga
Perspective Mapper
rkt@perspectivemapper.org