Bill Text: MI HR0419 | 2013-2014 | 97th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: A resolution to declare October 2014 as Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month in the state of Michigan.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-2)
Status: (Passed) 2014-09-24 - Adopted [HR0419 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2013-HR0419-Enrolled.html
Reps. Slavens, Singh, Hovey-Wright, Geiss, Switalski, Barnett, Brown, Darany, Heise and Howrylak offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 419.
A resolution to declare October 2014 as Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month in the state of Michigan.
Whereas, There are 25 Hindu temples in Michigan, spread across the state from Grand Rapids to Detroit. Furthermore, Ganges, Michigan is the site of two prominent Hindu ashrams (retreats), including the Vivekananda Monastery and Retreat Center; and
Whereas, Michigan Hindu temples have been involved in numerous charity and community drives across the state, including, but not limited to, providing college scholarships for deserving students, serving Hindu refugee communities across the state, and providing free meals to all temple visitors; and
Whereas, Hindu Americans in Michigan are involved in the state's interfaith leadership. Hindu Americans currently serving on major Michigan interfaith initiatives include: Chandru Acharya on the Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit, Padma Kuppa on the Women's Interfaith Solutions for Dialogue in Metro Detroit (WISDOM) and Board Member of Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion and Outreach, and Fred Stella as host of the NPR-syndicated radio show Common Threads and president of the Grand Rapids' Interfaith Dialogue Association; and
Whereas, The Bharatiya Temple in Michigan hosted the World Sabbath of Religious Reconciliation in 2013. This marked the first time that the Sabbath has been hosted outside the Judeo-Christian community;
Whereas, There is an estimated one billion Hindus worldwide, and more than 2 million Hindu Americans live across the nation; and
Whereas, Michigan and our nation have greatly benefited from Hindu Americans, especially through the Vedanta philosophy, Ayurvedic medicine, classical Indian art, dance, music, meditation, literature, and community service; and
Whereas, The United States was officially introduced to Hinduism by Swami Vivekananda in 1893 at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago: and
Whereas, Hindu Americans promote the ideals of tolerance, pluralism, and religious freedom, which are inherent to their beliefs and respect the diversity of all faiths; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare October 2014 as Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month in the state of Michigan.
