I read with some interest that some Indian Americans have formed a PAC to support Trump.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/us-canada-news/Indian-Americans-form-committee-to-support-Donald-Trump/articleshow/50757507.cms

Trump is against all Muslims. Gandhi sacrificed his life defending the rights of Muslims in a Hindu dominated India. I myself have been torn on this issue. Hmm, Trump or Gandhi?

• Trump has gorgeous red/blond/orange hair. Gandhi is bald.
• Trump wears a $10,000 suit. Gandhi’s clothes can best be described as some kind of underwear with a bath towel wrapped around him.
• Trump lives in a penthouse in a building aptly named after himself. Gandhi lived in an ashram (code word for a bunch of filthy huts that he spent his days scrubbing).
• Trump hates “losers”. Gandhi spent all his life with downtrodden losers.
• Trump is the CEO of a large real estate empire. Gandhi was trying to fight back against another empire.
• Trump stated a few days ago on Martin Luther King’s day that he thought that MLK was a “great man.” Turns out that MLK thought that Gandhi was not too shabby. He stated, “Gandhi was probably the first person in history to lift the love ethic of Jesus above mere interaction between individuals to a powerful and effective social force on a large scale.” Apparently he considered Gandhi to be ‘‘the greatest Christian of the modern world’’

It is a tough call but I think I will have to come down on Gandhi’s side.

I am a Hindu who went to a Christian boarding school. I have a lot of Muslim friends and had a grandfather who went to jail supporting Gandhi’s freedom movement. Yes, I am one of those secular Indians. When I migrated to the U.S. around 30 years ago I dived right into adopting American values of tolerance and respect for people of every stripe.

The Indian Americans who formed the PAC “Indian-Americans for Trump 2016” justify their actions with the following statement. "On realizing that the agenda of Donald J Trump for President 2016 is focused on reviving the American economy, rightly bringing America on the world stage, defeating terrorism and establishing peace through strength; many Indian-Americans believe that he is the best hope for America and the right candidate to be the next president of the United States.”

So it is about lower taxes, more jobs, strength on the world stage, fighting terrorism, and other admirable goals. I am all for that. We just need to sign on to Trump’s campaign of hate against Mexicans and Muslims. Oh yes, I forgot to mention we should join in on laughing at our Sikh brethren. When a Sikh protester was being ejected from one of his rallies, Trump could not help himself and asked, “He wasn’t wearing one of those hats was he?”

We all know where this is leading. In Trumpistan, if you are not white you do not belong. Perhaps these Indians believe that by supporting Trump they can escape his wrath and blend in.

To be fair to Trump, though he insulted many countries including Mexico, much of Central and South America, parts of Europe, China, and Japan, he had not mentioned India until very recently. His first mention was positive, stating that “India is doing great. Nobody talks about it.”

Now keep in mind that the only other countries and leaders that Trump had positive words for are Putin’s Russia and North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un. So not sure why India’s news media is ecstatic about Trump’s endorsement of India’s well-being.

As the first vote is cast today in Iowa in the primaries, Indian Americans, other minorities, and all those who respect core American values should keep Gandhi and Martin Luther King in mind on fighting bigotry and racism.