Home > Why Should I Care?

Uphold Civil Rights
We have been denied basic Civil Rights such as Due Legal Procedure, Equal Protection of the Law, Freedom of Religious Expression, Freedom of Speech, the Right to Contract; as well as and the right to use our property for religious purposes as guaranteed by
‘The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000.’ Our rights have been repeatedly violated by Village officials and in the Village Courts, culminating in the recent egregious denial of due process; wherein a local County Court Judge refused to even hear our testimony before granting an Injunction to ban our sacred cows from the Village.

“It Is Proper to Take Alarm at the First Experiment on Our Liberties”
“it is proper to take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties. We hold this prudent jealousy to be the first duty of Citizens, and one of the noblest characteristics of the late Revolution. The free men of America did not wait till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise, and entangled the question in precedents. They saw all the consequences in the principle, and they avoided the consequences by denying the principle.” James Madison, Memorial and Remonstrance

Take a Stand Against Hate Crimes
Our family has experienced several hate crimes during our struggle for civil rights. “All Americans have a stake in an effective response to violent bigotry. Hate crimes demand a priority response because of their special emotional and psychological impact on the victim and the victim’s community. The damage done by hate crimes cannot be measured solely in terms of physical injury or dollars and cents. Hate crimes may effectively intimidate other members of the victim’s community, leaving them feeling isolated, vulnerable and unprotected by the law. By making members of minority communities fearful, angry and suspicious of other group -- and of the power structure that is supposed to protect them -- these incidents can damage the fabric of our society and fragment communities.” quoted from the Anti Defamation League

Support the American Ideals of Diversity and Religious Tolerance
Today everyone is worried about the threat of terrorism, and this has caused a tremendous amount of suspicion and fear of unfamiliar Eastern cultures. This is very unfortunate, because, as a society, we are beginning to lose sight of the ideals, which made America famous as the land of religious freedom, and the place where the diversity of cultures is celebrated. Please support our cause and let the Village of Angelica know that they have nothing to fear by allowing the Hindu religious practice of cow protection. The Village allows beef cows to be raised across the street from our home, why not allow sacred cows? Just because we practice a different religion (Hinduism practiced by almost a billion people is an authentic and ancient religion!) should not give anyone a reason for intolerance towards us or towards our way of life.

Promote Harmony Between Religions and Cultures

Challenge your own Cultural Biases
As Americans, we all grew up scoffing at the idea of ‘sacred cows.’ It was a derogatory term used to denote anything irrationally held in esteem. Yet members of the Hindu faith really do hold cows to be sacred. Our cows are not “Farm Animals”. They are part of our family and are truly sacred for us. There is no better time than the present to confront cultural bias and to learn why the cow is so vitally important in Vedic Culture. You may not know much about our religious practices, and you may not agree with our views, but by reading our story with an open mind, you will be richer in knowledge, and more able to actively promote harmony between cultures, at a time when this wisdom is so desperately needed in the world.

Have Compassion towards Animals
Violence to animals leads to violence to humans. Social scientists recognize that if one intentionally disregards sufferings inflicted upon animals, this can lead one to develop callousness and disregard for human life as well. Animal cruelty cases are beginning to carry very stiff penalties for this very reason. This principle is true not only for cats and dogs, but for cows and other ‘Farm Animals.’ We are trying to show that all life has intrinsic value. It is not right to ignore the suffering condition of any animal species, simply because they have been deemed ‘food animals.’

Promote Peace
Every culture and every theology has their own version of “As you sow, you shall reap,” and Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” If we as a society continue to ignore the sufferings caused to our fellow living creatures, be they human or animal, then our own lives will become filled with disharmony and strife. The Vedic scriptures state that if human society wants real peace and prosperity they should see to the comforts of the cow, which is the most socially important animal to man. One need not be a follower of Hinduism to logically analyze these statements. By protecting our fellow creatures we cannot help but to develop gratefulness, compassion and understanding of our fellow man.

Save Earth Now
The cow/animal slaughter industry is directly responsible for tens of thousands of acres of rainforest destruction, pollution, ground water depletion and contamination, and a myriad of other types of environmental degradation. Obviously, because of our religious beliefs we oppose cow slaughter and we work to educate people about its destructive effects upon the environment.

Vegetarianism and World Huger
We actively promote vegetarianism and follow a lacto-vegetarian diet for religious and cultural reasons. Practicing a vegetarian diet saves valuable food grains for human consumption. We periodically offer cooking classes and host vegetarian dinners for the public, using food that we grow ourselves. We welcome visitors who would like to learn more about how to cook vegetarian meals and address issues of world hunger through their personal lifestyle.

Support Simple Living and Locally Grown, Natural Food
Our family maintains an Heirloom garden of rare vegetables, grains and beans. We are trying to show a practical model of the Vedic Agri-Cultural lifestyle, which utilizes the cow’s natural gift of milk and the oxen for draft power, while providing care and protection for them through out their natural lives. We feel that this is the most Sustain-a-Bull method of ensuring a locally grown, natural food supply. We promote simple living and cottage industry similar to the Gandhian model of self-sufficiency. Our activities are meant to provide benefit to society and they should not be squelched simply because we engage in them for religious reasons.