Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists rebut Santorum: ‘Equality’ is their concept, too

Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus are accusing Republican presidential
candidate Rick Santorum of bigotry and ignorance after he said that
equality is solely a Judeo-Christian concept.

"Where do you think
the concept of equality comes from?" Santorum said on the campaign trail
January 20. "It doesn't come from Islam. It doesn't come from the East
and Eastern religions. It comes from the God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob."

Not everyone agreed. "Santorum's presidential campaign is
now playing to the lowest common denominator of religious bigotry and
prejudice by attacking Eastern religions and Islam," said Aseem Shukla
of the Hindu American Foundation. San­torum's comments, Shukla added,
"show a profound ignorance of the teachings of Dharma spiritual
traditions, such as Hindu­ism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism."