Source: The Arizona Republic

On August 13, 2003 The Arizona Republic reported that "police are investigating two graffiti attacks on a Chandler Hindu center [AZ] as possible hate crimes... Chandler police assigned detectives to the two cases Wednesday after the Bhakti Vedanta Cultural Center was vandalized for the second time in two weeks late Tuesday or early Wednesday... In both cases, graffiti about drugs, sex and Satan was spray-painted on the north windows of the building, at 100 S. Weber Drive. Originally, police considered the July 31 vandalism to be...

Source: INDO Link

http://www.indolink.com/News/NRI/news_080803-190334.php

On August 8, 2003 INDO Link reported, that "a Ratha (chariot) festival was celebrated for the first time in the streets of Stuttgart by the local Indian community last Saturday. Many German residents of the city stretched their necks out of their windows, unbelievingly, as hundreds of Hindus pulled the Elephant God [Ganesha] on a holy vehicle through the streets. For nine days, the Hindus...

Source: Tech MIT

http://www-tech.mit.edu/V123/N30/shankar30.30c.html

On August 6, 2003 Tech MIT printed an editorial by Shankar Mukherji stating that "as a religious person, I am deeply offended at the thought that such an inspirational part of my life could be hijacked for such a destructive, mean-spirited purpose. As a practising Hindu, a religion that represents nearly one-sixth of humanity, I can humbly assert that God couldn’t care less about the gender of...

Source: Toledo Blade

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030802/NEWS10/108020120

On August 2, 2003 the Toledo Blade reported that "a Toledo couple known for their efforts in promoting interfaith programs have launched a new organization, the Multifaith Council of Northwest Ohio, to better facilitate understanding and acceptance among the area’s diverse religious communities... 'What’s so different about us? We...

Source: India Abroad

On August 1, 2003 India Abroad reported that the Center for Indic Studies, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, organized a conference entitled "Impact of Swami Vivekananda's Voyage to the West." It was the first conference of its kind in North America.

Source: India Abroad

On August 1, 2003 India Abroad reported that "the Hindu University in Orlando, Florida, plans a course in Purohitya to train priests for Hindu temples in the United States."

Source: The Honolulu Advertiser

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Jul/31/ln/ln03a.html

On July 30, 2003 The Honolulu Advertiser reported that "San Marga Iraivan Temple, rising on the grounds of the 33-year-old Saiva Siddhanta Church monastery, is built of Indian white granite and formed by Indian stonemasons... It is fulfilling the vision of the late Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, known to his followers as Gurudeva, founder of the church...

Source: Times of India

Source: The Arizona Republic

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0726nehindu26.html

On July 26, 2003 The Arizona Republic reported that "Hindu worshipers kicked off a three-day festival Friday in Scottsdale that will culminate Sunday morning in the pulling of a decorated chariot down Hayden Road... The festival, known as Ratha-Yatra, or the Chariot Festival or Car Festival, is expected to attract thousands of Hindu worshippers...

Source: Los Angeles Times

Source: Tolerance.org

http://www.tolerance.org/news/article_tol.jsp?id=816

On July 25, 2003 Tolerance.org reported that "in Wichita, Kansas, one group combines diversity, faith and community service to make the world around them a better, more accepting place... For more than a century, Inter-Faith Ministries has brought together people of all faiths to build inter-religious understanding and promote justice. Currently, membership represents the widest range of faith...

Source: Economist

http://www.economist.com/world/na/displayStory.cfm?story_id=1944402

On July 24, 2003 the Economist reported that "an assembly of Sikhs and Hindus and even a token Muslim set aside their differences and turned out on July 22nd on the roof of a posh downtown high-rise to endorse the first American from the Indian subcontinent ever to run for the Senate... It is not going to be easy for Mr. [Chirinjeev Singh] Kathuria, a millionaire Sikh...