'Hate has no place in America': Congressman Krishnamoorthi condemns 'Go back to India' chants in Texas
Washington DC, June 19
Democrat Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi on Thursday condemned white supremacist slogans, including "Go back to India" and "You will not replace us", outside a Texas city hall, saying such hate targeting any community has no place in America.
Krishnamoorthi urged unity against bigotry.
In a post on X, he said, "Go back to India." "You will not replace us." Those were the chants of white supremacists outside a Texas city hall just weeks ago. Whether directed at Hindus, Muslims, Jews, or any other community, hate has no place in America. We must stand shoulder-to-shoulder against bigotry, prejudice, and discrimination wherever it appears."
In a similar vein, earlier during his visit to India in May, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly defended the United States as a welcoming country while dismissing racist comments targeting Indians in the United States as the actions of "stupid people", saying such remarks do not reflect America's broader character as an immigrant-friendly nation.
Addressing a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi, Rubio responded to a question on racism against Indians in the US and said he takes such concerns seriously, but emphasised that offensive remarks made by individuals do not reflect the values of the United States.
Rubio on Monday reiterated his stance of how "people say stupid stuff" when asked about racist comments targeting Indians in the United States, following a question raised at a press conference in the national capital on Sunday.
Clarifying his response, Rubio said he was referring to online comments and suggested that some of them could be posted by trolls or bots.
Noting that he did not know the exact context of the question being referred to, Rubio said he assumed it was about online activity.
"I assumed that he was talking about people posting stuff online. Some of those could be a troll, a bot," he said.
He further reiterated that such behaviour is not unique to any one country. "People say stupid stuff all the time on social media and in every country in the world, unfortunately," Rubio added.
In his remarks, Rubio also emphasised that the United States remains a welcoming country and said that offensive comments made by individuals should not be seen as reflective of the nation as a whole.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Rubio's 'stupid people' comment feels a bit dismissive. Yes, individuals can be stupid, but when chants like 'Go back to India' happen at a city hall, it's not just a few trolls—it's organized hate. We need more than just acknowledgment; we need action and stronger laws against such behavior.
Honestly, as someone whose cousin lives in Texas, this is scary. But I also know there are many good Americans who welcome us. The key is for all communities—Hindus, Muslims, everyone—to stand together. Krishnamoorthi’s call for unity is exactly what we need.
I appreciate Rubio trying to downplay it, but let's be real—words have power. When chants like that happen in public, it emboldens others. The US needs to address the root cause of this white supremacist rhetoric, not just call it 'stupid stuff.' Good on Krishnamoorthi for calling it out directly.
This is why representation matters. Having Indian-origin leaders like Krishnamoorthi in Congress gives a voice to our community. His condemnation is strong and clear—hate has no place anywhere, whether in America or in India. We must all fight this together.
Rubio's 'troll or bot' theory feels like a cop-out. These chants were real people outside a city hall, not online bots. I get that he wants to protect America's image, but ignoring the severity won't make it go away
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.