On September 12, 2022, The Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC) released a resolution against terrorism that named certain Hindu groups in New Jersey.

Though I am a former Democratic Municipal Chair of Teaneck I tend to look at political movements, speeches, and accusations as John Q Public would do until I need to figure out the whys and wherefores.

So as John Q Public I would like to address the resolution that has ensnarled New Jersey Democrats.

Firstly, as John Q Public, I would want to understand the intent or intentions of the resolution.  The intent seems multifaceted, as it appears that the TDMC has come out against terrorism of any kind.

However, after understanding that portion of the intent of the letter, the TDMC goes on to name certain Hindu Organizations as possible fronts and/or somehow/someway involved with Hindu Terrorists.

And that is where the problems for the TDMC begin regarding the resolution.   As John Q Public I would want to know how this political organization knows that the mentioned Hindu Organizations are somehow in cahoots with Hindu terrorists.

The argument that Hindu nationalists/terrorists have spoken at different events, is becoming a really weak argument.  Because of Trump’s usage of misinformation, John Q Public has grown very tired of the divisive hate being spewed from one group to another group regardless of religious, ethnic, racial, and/or political affiliations.

So because that type of argument has become abused in the eyes of John Q Public, the TDMC must have some sort of documented proof that the mentioned groups are what they are being accused of by this political organization. Right?  The TDMC appears to be against all terrorist groups, yet they single out Hindu groups in NJ at this time. They must have detailed proof.

Secondly: No group would accuse another group of being tied to terrorists without having real proof of their accusations.  Correct? That is unless you are practicing Trumpism. The members of the TDMC are educated and intelligent people.  Surely, they would have proof because their organization is making very serious accusations. They can’t be that naïve to think that they could get away with accusing certain groups of being in “bed” with terrorists and not have to produce the proof.

So as John Q Public I would want to know if the TDMC has turned over their proof to the FBI.  Why, because it appears that none of the mentioned groups are on any terrorist/connected to terrorism lists that the Federal government has. Therefore, they must know something that the Federal Government doesn’t know. Surely they have contacted the FBI!

However, John Q Public is thrown for a loop when the TDMC wrote its first Resolved statement.

“Resolved. That the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC) call upon our representatives, Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, Congressman Josh Gottheimer, and Governor Murphy to request the FBI and CIA to step up their research on foreign hate groups that have domestic branches with tax-exempt status, to further review the thousands of emails that were sent to academic institutions and scholars. Regarding the Dismantlinghindulva.com conference.”

Wait a minute.  The TDMC doesn’t appear to have any proof!  They are asking the FBI & CIA to move quicker in identifying foreign hate groups that are tied to organizations in the USA.

Thirdly: At this point, John Q Public is unable to understand why the TDMC has singled out Hindus and appears to be saying that the mentioned Hindu Organizations may have ties to terrorists.  Yet these are the same people who yelled “not all Muslims are terrorists and not all Muslim organizations harbor Terrorists” over the years whenever the Muslims were singled out.

Why would the TDMC do such an action?  Using the TDMC members’ strong feelings against terrorist groups and their request for governmental action in addressing the problems of terrorist groups, to cover up the fact that they have singled out non-profit Hindu organizations in the resolution?  Why?

This is where John Q Public turns into a former Democratic municipal chair of Teaneck.  The only logical explanation that makes any sense is the upcoming elections in the Township.  There must be candidates who are running that have TDMC’s backing.

The answer as to why they would single out Hindus at this time may be to garner the Muslim population’s votes in Teaneck for the candidates TDMC is backing. Maybe there is a rift that has opened between some members of the TDMC who also sit on the Board of Education/Town Council and Teaneck’s Muslim Community. Maybe because of the tensions between Hindus and Muslims, the TDMC wants the Muslim community to know that the TDMC stands with them. That’s the only logical explanation.

However, that does not excuse the attacks on Hindu Organizations. I agree that the FBI should get involved, as well as the Attorney General of NJ.  However, not for the reasons that the TDMC is asking, but to determine if this action by the TDMC was a biased attack.  If I were a member of any of the Hindu groups attacked, I would join with the other Hindu organizations mentioned and sue the TDMC.  I would go after them with anything I could under the Letter/Rule of the Law.

I would call upon the Democratic Committee of Bergen County Chairman Paul Juliano to contact the other 69 municipal chairs and have them sign a letter of condemnation and censorship against the TDMC. He must address this.

I would call upon the State Democratic Party to issue a letter condemning the actions of the TDMC and have all the other County Chairs in NJ sign the letter. As well as any other actions that can be done under the rules of the State Democratic Party.

I would call upon Gov. Murphy, US Senators Booker and Menendez, and Congressman Gottheimer to make certain that the New Jersey Democratic Party does whatever it can to address this issue under the Law.

I would not let this go quietly into the night.  The Democrats cannot allow this to go silently into the woodwork.  Do not permit this to become fodder for the Republicans because of the Democrats’ inaction.

To the NJ Democratic Party Leadership – Do something!!