Open Letter to the GBC
by Mira Mishra
Posted December 10, 2002

Dear Editor:

I have just read the reposted GBC Resolutions on the Women's Page of Chakra. It is timely and useful because I have just written an open letter to the current GBC Chairperson H.H. Giridhari Swami regarding organizational reforms to make Iskcon a haven for people of all genders and backgrounds. I hope that the new, inclusive Chakra will be able to post it as it is.

Haribol,
Mira Mishra

Toronto

"Come senators, come congressmen, please heed the call; don't stand in the doorway, don't block up the hall. For the one who gets hurt will be he who has stalled. There is a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. For the times, they are a changin'.
---Bob Dylan

Dear Your Holiness Giridhari Swami:

As a devotee and friend of Iskcon, I am deeply concerned about the status of women and minorities in Iskcon. Therefore, I am requesting you to kindly review and consider the following recommendations for reforming your movement:

A. Edit the Holy Books for racist, sexist, homophobic, and sexually degrading comments.

B. Kindly request Chakra, VNN, Dipika and other ISKCON-friendly media outlets to refrain from printing materials that are sexist, racist, homophobic, degrading and limiting to any spirit soul.

C. Issue a broad apology to worldwide followers and friends for past mistakes and historical wrongs against women and racial minorities in the name of religion.

D. Appoint multi-racial women and persons with disabilities to your GBC Committee.

E. Allow women the CHOICE to become Sanyasis.

F. Declare Radhastami an ALL-DAY FAST for devotees.

G. CHANGE the MahaMantra to read:

Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare
Hare Radha, Hare Radha, Radha Radha, Hare Hare.

AND

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Hare Sita, Hare Sita, Sita Sita, Hare Hare.
This way, the MahaMantra will be inclusive and address women directly.

Above all, please make ISKCON an organization, that in legendary singer Bob Dylan's phrase is "busy being born, not busy dying."

Radhe Shayam!

Sincerely,
Mira Mishra
Toronto