Rupinder Mohan Singh

Jasdeep Singh of Jakara Movement Misl Fresno discusses community engagement projects to help prevent future hate crime attacks in the community. (Source: YouTube)

A community effort against hate crimes

May 24, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Jasdeep Singh of Jakara Movement in Fresno, California, describes the community’s response to the alleged hate-motivated assault on 82-year-old Piara Singh almost two weeks ago: Animosity and hatred fester in places where people do not engage, interact and share with one another. Law enforcement can react but not prevent; the same is also true of legislation. One should not need to be “educated” or even require greater “awareness” to know not to attack innocent, elderly men. Read more at The […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Interfaith • Tags: California, Fresno, hate crimes, Jakara Movement, Jasdeep Singh, Piara Singh

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President Barack Obama outlines future counter-terrorism efforts in a speech on May 23, 2013. (Source: The Washington Post)

What the President said, and didn’t say, about the Oak Creek, WI, shooting

May 23, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In his speech today about the US government’s counter-terrorism activities and strategy, President Barack Obama made reference to home-grown radicalized “individuals”, citing explicitly the mass shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek last August: Finally, we face a real threat from radicalized individuals here in the United States. Whether it’s a shooter at a Sikh Temple in Wisconsin; a plane flying into a building in Texas; or the extremists who killed 168 people at the Federal Building […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Politics • Tags: Barack Obama, hate crimes, Oak Creek, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Terrorism, White supremacy, Wisconsin

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Honoring Dalip Singh Saund

May 22, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On May 16, US House Representative Mark Takano (D-CA) commemorated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by honoring one of his predecessors, Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian American (and only Sikh) to serve in US Congress (1957-1963): Congressman Saund was the first Asian American Member of Congress, the very first Member of a non-Abrahamic faith, and the first Member born in Asia. He was also our first Sikh American to enter Congress. He also represented my hometown of Riverside, California, […]

Categories: Events, Politics • Tags: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Dalip Singh Saund, Mark Takano, United States House of Representatives, US Congress

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Piara Singh speaks to local media about being attacked on May 5 in Fresno, California. (Source: ABC30/KFSN)

Piara Singh, 82-year-old assault victim, speaks about his attack

May 21, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Piara Singh, the 82-year-old Sikh man who was brutally assaulted in an alleged hate crime on May 5 in Fresno, California, spoke to local media about the attack that has left him with dozens of stitches, broken ribs and a punctured lung — injuries from which he is still recovering: “You have good people and you have bad people, this person was not a good person when he attacked me but there are very wonderful people who are out there […]

Categories: Hate Crimes • Tags: California, Fresno, hate crimes, Piara Singh

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"Classroom Illustration in 'Royal Falcon' by Jessi Kaur. Photo © Courtesy IIGS Inc." (Source: sikhism.about.com)

What do social studies textbooks say about Sikhism?

May 21, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The Sikh Coalition is surveying the content of social studies textbooks used in K-12 curricula across the country for representations of Sikhism or the Sikh people. To that end, they have asked for public assistance in completing this inventory: …we are asking you to look through your child’s social studies textbook and find any mention of Sikhs or Sikhism. It does not matter if the information is true or false. We want to know EVERY mention of Sikhs in these […]

Categories: Education, Literature • Tags: Sikh Coalition, social studies, textbooks

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In a process that took 30 years, Sajjan Kumar, a leader in India's Congress Party, was recently acquitted in the case implicating his involvement in the anti-Sikh pogroms in 1984. Five co-accused were convicted.(source: Live Mint)

The Indian Disconnect

May 21, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

About two months ago, I observed the continuing engagement by representatives of the Indian government with the Sikh American community, which in that instance took the form of an exhibition on Sikh heritage in Atlanta, Georgia, sponsored by the Government of India. This exhibit has just recently been presented in Washington, D.C., as well, and it is consistent with increased engagement and activity related to the Sikh American community — be it directly, or through lobbying of US officials — […]

Categories: 1984, Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: 1984, 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Government of India, November 1984, Sajjan Kumar

Lieutenant Brian Murphy (source: WISN12)

Oak Creek hero to retire from police department

May 17, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Oak Creek Police Department’s Lieutenant Brian Murphy, who was the first police officer to engage the attacker during the mass shooting last August at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek, has announced his retirement next month in a letter to Police Chief John Edwards: “It took him a while to write it. And he just said it was a tough letter to write,” said Chief Edwards. Lieutenant Murphy sustained severe injuries after being shot more than a dozen […]

Categories: Hate Crimes • Tags: hate crimes, Lt. Brian Murphy, Oak Creek, retirement, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Wisconsin

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The "National Gurdwara" on Embassy Row in Washington, D.C. (source: Panoramio)

Washington, DC’s National Gurdwara to reopen

May 17, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The Sikh News Network is reporting that the National Gurdwara, the ill-fated Sikh house of worship located prominently in Washington, D.C.’s “Embassy Row”, will be reopening under new ownership after it was formally closed last year due to financial issues for several years. The closing of this Gurdwara in such a prominent location came to the dismay of many in the Sikh community. After several parties expressed interest, the Gurdwara has been purchased by the Jaswant Sawhney Irrevocable Charitable Trust, […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: Embassy Row, Gurdwara, Jaswant Sawhney Irrevocable Charitable Trust, Maryland, National Gurdwara, Pingalwara, Washington D.C.

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Pizza is prepared by members of Jakara Movement Fresno as part of community outreach in wake of attack on Sikh senior. (source: KSEE)

Pizza and kindness in Fresno, California

May 16, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In the wake of the apparent hate-motivated attack on 82-year-old Piara Singh near Gurdwara Nanaksar (a Sikh house of worship) in Fresno, California almost two weeks ago, members of Jakara Movement Misl Fresno are using pizza as means to engage with the local community in their “Know Your Neighbors” initiative: Local supporters will be sharing pizzas to local communities in appreciation of their support after the hate crime. The initiative is meant to get to know the neighbors better and […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Interfaith • Tags: California, Fresno, hate crimes, Jakara Movement, Piara Singh, pizza

American Turban

A compendium of the Sikh American experience.

Author Archives: Rupinder Mohan Singh

A community effort against hate crimes

What the President said, and didn’t say, about the Oak Creek, WI, shooting

Honoring Dalip Singh Saund

Piara Singh, 82-year-old assault victim, speaks about his attack

The Indian Disconnect

Oak Creek hero to retire from police department

Washington, DC’s National Gurdwara to reopen

Pizza and kindness in Fresno, California

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