Seattle Considers Historic Law Barring Caste Discrimination
Deepa Bharath of the Associated Press reports that the Seattle city council is considering an ordinance to bar caste discrimination, a South Asian form of social hierarchy. Seattle would be the first American city to bar the practice if the proposal passes. Critics of the policy, however, claim that it would create the false impression that Hinduism is inherently discriminatory. Nikunj Trivedi, the president of the Coalition of Hindus of North America, said, “The understanding of Hinduism is poor in this country. Many people believe caste equals Hinduism, which is simply not true. There is diversity of thought, belief and practice within Hinduism.”