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Valley Sikhs haunted by misunderstanding

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pReEt_lUv:
Lets read on what some of our Sikh brothers share on their personal experiences as in regards to the misunderstood identity threats and attacks on them as well as their families:


Ten years after 9/11, Valley Sikhs say they're still victims of confusion.
The backlash felt by Muslims has at times included Sikhs, with some people associating their turbans and long beards with terrorism.
"It's a little better," said Mohinder Singh Sandhainalia, an official at the Sikh Center of the Pacific Coast in Selma. "But it's still there."
Sikhism was founded by the guru Nanak more than 500 years ago in north India and is based on monotheism and rejection of the caste system and idolatry. It is the world's fifth largest religion with more than 20 million followers.
Over the years, Sikhs have reported an increase in attacks, verbal and physical. The national Sikh Coalition recently launched a website -- unheardvoices of911.org -- compiling accounts of discrimination and violence since 9/11.


In the Central Valley, vandals spray-painted racist graffiti -- "Rags Go Home" and "It's Not Your Country" -- on the wall of Gurdwara Sahib, a Sikh temple in west-central Fresno, in 2004. No one has been arrested in the case.
Valley Sikh truck drivers have reported being recklessly cut off by motorists on freeways. Sikh teenagers say they've been called "ragheads." And at the Sikh Institute of Fresno building, under construction near Highway 99 and West Shaw Avenue, a large sign reads: "We are building a future home of God. Please don't vandalize."
Sandhainalia, who owns U Save Liquors 2 on West Shaw Avenue, said he continues to distribute "Introduction to Sikh Americans" cards to customers to clear up the confusion. The cards list 10 facts about Sikhism, including "Sikhism is a distinct religion, separate from Hinduism and Islam."
"We are not linked any way to Osama bin Laden," he said. "We are a different nation. We are very peaceful and hard-working people. We are told to be respectful of every nation."

Parminder Singh, a Sikh worshipper at Gurdwara Gur Nanak Parkash on East Lincoln Avenue near Highway 99 and Clovis Avenue, said, "Ignorance is ignorance. It's just plain people who are stuck on stereotypical beliefs. They don't want to learn."
He said the confusion plays out mainly in name-calling. "You brush that off; you get used to it," he said. "You don't pay attention. I'm grounded in what I believe.
"Every part of society has weak links. When someone questions you, I tell others to give them the 'peace' sign. Treat them nicely. You have to be prepared to defend yourself, but don't instigate anything."
Dr. Navdeep Singh, a member of Gurdwara Sahib, doesn't wear a turban or beard. But, he said, he has dealt with confusion over his identity.
"Over time, it has diminished," said Singh, adding he believes the community's perception of Sikhs is positive. "Sikhs are socio-economically strong in the community. That helps remove some of the misconceptions and stereotypes.
"By nature, Sikhs are stoic people. They've put up with a lot. They've developed a thick skin. Of course, it hurts to hear things."
Some Sikh youths say they've never felt the backlash.
Kiranjit, 18, who helps teach a children's class at Gurdwara Sahib on Sundays, was 8 years old on 9/11. She was attending Cedarwood Elementary School and was supposed to go on an ice-skating field trip that day, but the event was cancelled.
"I was crying at home -- a bunch of people died," said Kiranjit, now a student at California State University, Fresno. "My parents told us never to judge. And I've never been judged."
In Selma, the Sikh Center of the Pacific Coast will mark the anniversary of 9/11 with prayers for peace and God's blessing on America.
"Because we live here," Sandhainalia says. "Everybody is created by one God and there is a principality of brotherhood. We are told not to hate anyone."

---Human consciousness arose but a minute before midnight on the geological clock.  Yet we mayflies try to bend an ancient world to our purposes, ignorant perhaps of the messages buried in its long history.  Let us hope that we are still in the early morning of our April day.  ~Stephen Jay Gould

Post 9/11 - Hatred Attacks Sikhs In America

Ķιℓℓα Ķαuя:
Nice topic preet

The sad thing is central valley has a large population of Sikhs but there were many events that took place that could have been stopped however our own people can't get along to raise a voice to make a change ...i wouldn't say it's only about "others" judging us (the Sikhs) because we are giving them a way to get away with their judgement and not doing anything about it when it needs to is why its still happening. Now don't get me wrong, i understand there has been cases where steps have been taken place too and that's very good....but i have actually personally seen that when there was one person crying out about the problem others from the Sikh community didn't offer to raise their voice with them and it led to one thing after another. Jadon kise nu muh torva jawab devo te samjaaao ki tusi ki a te oh tuhanu ki samjde ape hi samj jande a baki of course there are many ignorant people out there in the world who refuse to learn or even understand ..can't say much about them lol

pReEt_lUv:
The documentary video above prominently shares the fundamentals and basic religious protocols that Sikhs follow, most of which we all know but I would encourage everyone to post this video to Facebook, Orkut, Myspace, especially those of our brothers and sisters who have White or any other Non-Sikh American friends in their friend lists. Lets spread the word that we are here not  to harm but to earn our bread and spread love.  :hug:

...
@ Preet, you raised a very good point here. Supposedly it comes down to the level of selfishness in such cases, people from our community back off from helping each other out, may be because they are scared that tomorrow it would chase down to their families if they involve themselves in it. But they don't wanna see the other aspect of it that by not doing so, it could happen with you as well. I am sure the killings have subsided to an enormous level but the hatred in the mind of some non-Sikh Americans will live for ages and the less are we doing to erase those thoughts, it could have consequences. Baaki di agg ta media hi la dindi hai.

anonymous:
very iglish cant undrstand :sad:

Ķιℓℓα Ķαuя:

--- Quote from: _EcceNtriC_ on September 13, 2011, 12:49:28 PM ---@ Preet, you raised a very good point here. Supposedly it comes down to the level of selfishness in such cases, people from our community back off from helping each other out, may be because they are scared that tomorrow it would chase down to their families if they involve themselves in it. But they don't wanna see the other aspect of it that by not doing so, it could happen with you as well. I am sure the killings have subsided to an enormous level but the hatred in the mind of some non-Sikh Americans will live for ages and the less are we doing to erase those thoughts, it could have consequences. Baaki di agg ta media hi la dindi hai.

--- End quote ---

Yeah gal ta sahi a teri...and i understand people don't want to step fwd to help others unless they have been through it themselves but if don't help our own people at somepoint it will end up hurting us sometime in the future... anyhow i understand the point tho...baki rahi gal hatred di its not just non sikh americans i wouldn't say that what about the indian that are involved in drug dealing gangs and other gangs around America/Canada...eh stories b all the time sunan nu mildiya ...some of our people that are either killed/shot what not are sometimes presented in the same category as "hate crime" ...recently two incidents happened in Central Valley area or near by... i believe these news were posted on PJ as well...okay the stories were somewhat like this i don't wanna go into naming these people but okay .... 2 bujrug jani ki apne grandparents di umer de bande walk karn jande a ...both are wearing turbans and are shot in the middle of the street on the sidewalk and left there...luckly the grandkids didn't get shot ...(this was a hate crime and it was classified as one also i'm not sure if the shooter was ever found or not but one of the baba ji died) ...Another story few months later in the same city or around it ....someone came into the house with a gun and tha tha tha shoots you 4-5 times and booom! The guy who got shot is dead on floor...also classified as hate crime ....when everyone  in the area is pretty knowledgeable that guy's death has to do with drug dealing n all that :loll: we are putting two different situation in the same category lol who is to blame? lol i dono you can be the judge of it :p

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