I urge you not to poison or prejudice your children against any individual. When they grow up and find themselves working alongside those you have taught them to view negatively, they may struggle to connect, leading to unnecessary challenges and unhappiness. Additionally, if they aspire to hold public office, those prejudices could hinder their success.
I wish everyone could experience true freedom—freedom from bias against any fellow Indian or human being. Let us promote unity among Indians and dare to speak out against divisive rhetoric. Take the time to learn about others. If we can respect and embrace the differences among us, conflicts will diminish, and solutions will surface.
I officiate interfaith marriages between individuals of different faiths, races, and ethnicities, with no conversions involved.
A Letter to my fellow Indians;
We are Indians and nothing but Indians. An Indian is an Indian is an Indian, period.
As a nation, we comprise Adivasis, Atheists, Bahais, Bos, Buddhists, Christians, Dalits, Hindus, Jains, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Tribals, Zoroastrians, and countless other identities. We are of various skin tones—brown, black, white, yellow, and green with envy—but our hearts remain Hindustani.
Every race, nationality, ethnicity, language, culture, and religion is a part of our Motherland. We perceive the divine in one, none, and many forms; as male, female, genderless, and non-existent; as being and non-being; nameless and with innumerable names. We accept them all as we are all created by the same process.
We take pride in our heritage—a multifaith, multicultural, multiregional, and multilingual society that embraces and respects the diverse ways people choose to live. For over 5,000 years, India has stood as a beacon of pluralism, welcoming Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Baha’i faith, and Zoroastrianism alongside indigenous religions such as Hinduism, Tribal traditions, Dalit practices, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.
Let us consciously strive to think and act as one person within a nation, one community, and one global family. There is peace in being conflict-free. I hope each of us can shed any biases we hold against one another. There is joy in being free from ill will. From this day forward, let’s commit to being free from anything that obstructs our unity.
Our collective philosophies promote the idea of one world. Hinduism teaches that “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” or that the whole world is one family. Sikhism emphasizes the oneness of humanity—everyone is created from the same source. The Quran and the Torah convey similar messages, and Jesus embraced all people, regardless of their backgrounds. Jainism introduces Anekantwad (the theory of multiple viewpoints), while Buddhism encourages us to focus on living a happier life. These principles are found in all our religions.
While some individuals stray from their heritage, engaging in thievery, violence, rioting, and other evils that threaten societal fabric, the majority of people from every group navigate their lives peacefully, striving to coexist without disturbing others. We should focus on supporting the 99% of the population committed to pluralism and work to bring the remaining individuals into the fold of humanity.
On this day and every day moving forward, I urge you to embrace the identity of “I am an Indian,” instead of identifying as Malayalee, Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, or as a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or any other designation. Do not expect others to adopt this mindset immediately; allow them time. If you remain consistent for at least a year, you will inspire others to follow suit.
India has historically led the freedom movement. Since 1947, countries around the world have liberated themselves from colonialism. Indian democracy exemplifies the peaceful transfer of power by the people.
We are inherently secular and economically capitalistic, believing in a “live-and-let-live” ethos—the essence of capitalism. We respect everyone’s rights to choose how to eat, dress, and feel, all in pursuit of happiness. Every one of us is unique, as evidenced by our thumbprints, eyeprints, tastes, beliefs, and DNA.
Over the years, we have shown remarkable maturity in handling extreme situations. As we encounter diverse opinions, our hearts expand, our embraces grow wider, and we become better equipped to cushion our differences. Let’s remember that there are always multiple sides to every story, and discovering the truth is our shared responsibility. I am proud of my heritage and proud to be an Indian-American.
Believing that every Indian desires justice and fair treatment for all 1.6 billion citizens—regardless of wealth, connections, religion, or any other distinctions—we must engage in social and community life to create an exemplary India that can serve as a model nation in the world.
We need to coexist with minimal friction. Justice is in everyone’s interest, including yours and mine, as it fosters sustainable peace and prosperity. We must find solutions for individuals who resort to extremes, regardless of their faith—be it Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Muslim, Sikh, Zoroastrian, or otherwise. We hope they will recognize the divine space each of us occupies and understand the benefits of co-existence.
Patriotism should be defined as taking action to uplift the hopes of our fellow citizens. Initiatives such as providing education for all, creating jobs for as many people as possible each year, ensuring housing for every individual, and promoting a better lifestyle for every Indian are crucial.
Every public office holder, from the lowest rank to the President of India, must take this pledge and adhere to it. Any violation should disqualify them from holding public office, and there should be public oversight in place.
I pledge to honor and treat every Indian with the utmost dignity.
I pledge that every individual will be treated equally.
I pledge to respect all religions.
Mike Ghouse
(202) 717-2892
(Dr. Ghouse is the President and founder of the Center for Pluralism and director of the World Muslim Congress. He is an Interfaith Wedding Officiant for InterfaithMarriages.org and a Muslim Wedding Officiant. He is a Muslim, Pluralist, activist, speaker, author, and social scientist. More on- Google)
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