Place Where We are Right

Reflections on Tulsi Gabbard's Gita Oath

Last week’s post-election news features Tulsi Gabbard, the “first Hindu-American congresswoman,” who plans to take her oath on the Bhagavad Gita. Gabbard served with Hawaii’s National Guard, and during her time in Iraq, drew strength from the teachings of the Gita; in particular, about the eternality of the soul.

That Gabbard has no Indian heritage has no bearing on how warmly the Indian-American community recently celebrated her election-success. Interviewed about her claims to Hinduism, she stated that her sense of Hindu identity did not derive from birth: “My father is of Samoan/Caucasian heritage and he is a deacon in the Catholic church. However, he also likes to practice mantra meditation, including kirtan. My mother is Caucasian and a practicing Hindu.”

Gendering of Voices in a Mormon Sunday Choiar

Like the master-signifier of reality, the hanging portrait of a prophet hovered in the air of a vacated instruction room, smiling with relief over a group of the elect youth of God's Zion who had been selected by heavenly beings in heavenly places to live in the latter days of human history and to call downtown Salt Lake City their home.

Our fearless leader was a young urban twentysomething who had managed to negotiate the waist of her yellow pencil-skirt by means of a thin, tan belt that somehow maintained its functionality regardless of the fact that it had no loops. She rapped stubbornly upon the pulpit with her conductor's baton to summon the attention of chuckling boys who were seated in chairs that had been designed for children whose ages bear only one digit. A small selection of voices--the ward choir--had gathered into the room to reflect on the character of the day's imminent performance.

"Men's voices are on the right; women on the left," the conductress sighed tiredly, explained. "Tenors, basses, altos--do you know your parts? Sopranos."