Rupinder Mohan Singh |

The New York Times featured a story about Punjabi Sikh hockey announcers in Canada. (source: Simran Kaur)

Picture of the Day: Hockey Night in Punjabi

April 26, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On their front page today, the New York Times reports about the Punjabi-language broadcast of ice hockey games in Canada by the CBC, the public national network and one of the major broadcasters of NHL hockey games. The Punjabi version is announced by two Sikhs — Harnarayan Singh and Bhola Chauhan: Singh, 28, has developed a signature style tailored for his audience. A puck can be described as an “aloo tikki,” a potato pancake his mother makes especially well. When […]

Categories: Picture of the Day, Profiles • Tags: Bhola Chohan, Canada, CBC, Harnarayan Singh, Hockey Night in Canada, New York Times, Punjabi

Rep. Judy Chu speaks at the launch of the American Sikh Congressional Caucus. (source: Judy Chu Facebook page)

American Sikhs get voice in US Congress

April 25, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Yesterday, the creation of a new bipartisan group called the American Sikh Congressional Caucus was announced in Washington, D.C., the purpose of which is to “educate Members of Congress and the general public about Sikh American issues. It will also allow Members to strategize on how to support the Sikh American community.” For this session of Congress, the American Sikh Congressional Caucus is co-chaired by two House Representatives from California: Representative Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park, and advocate for the Sikh […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: American Sikh Congressional Caucus, David Valadeo, Judy Chu, United States House of Representatives, US Congress

"A view of the Nagar Kirtan (Khalsa Parade) at the Inauguration of Gurdwara Nishkam Seva, Irving, Texas, April 13, 2013." (source: SikhNet)

Picture of the Day II: A new Gurdwara in Texas for Vaisakhi

April 22, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Almost ten days ago, Sikhs in the Dallas, Texas, area celebrated Vaisakhi with the opening of their new Gurdwara in Irving on April 13, when the state recognized “Khalsa Day”. Read more at SikhNet, or at the Gurdwara Nishkam Seva website.

Categories: Events, Picture of the Day • Tags: Baisakhi, Dallas, Gurdwara Nishkam Seva, Irving, Texas, Vaisakhi

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Cartoon: "Click here to save the world" (source: Gwangju Blog)

Social media as a tool for the movement, not as the movement

April 22, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On the Amnesty International USA blog, Natalie Butz discusses the value of online/social media activism to their campaigns: Online actions aren’t promoting “slacktivism,” particularly when they complement and are reinforced by the power of Amnesty’s grassroots campaigning. They are just one of the tools we can use to help us in our fight for human rights. The promotion of causes through social media is often held to scrutiny because, beyond the click of a mouse, it is difficult to see […]

Categories: Reflections • Tags: Activism, Amnesty International, Be Proud Movement, Grassroots, Natalie Butz, Slacktivism

Boston bombing editorial cartoon. (source: Denver Post)

What, or who, is “terrorism” in America?

April 22, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In The Guardian, Glenn Greenwald compares the application of the word “terrorism” in the case of last week’s Boston Marathon bombing against recent previous acts of mass violence in the United States: It’s hard not to suspect that the only thing distinguishing the Boston attack from Tucson, Aurora, Sandy Hook and Columbine (to say nothing of the US “shock and awe” attack on Baghdad and the mass killings in Fallujah) is that the accused Boston attackers are Muslim and the […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes • Tags: Arizona, Barack Obama, Boston, Boston Marathon, Columbine, Connecticut, Glenn Greenwald, Guardian, Massachusetts, Newtown, Oak Creek, Salon, Sandy Hook, Terrorism, Tucson, Wajahat Ali, Wisconsin

Five young Sikhs representing the first five initiated members of the Khalsa in 1699, sing during Vaisakhi celebrations at the Sikh Temple of Utah yesterday. (source: Deseret News)

Picture of the Day: Sikhs in Utah celebrate Vaisakhi

April 22, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Yesterday, the Sikh community in Salt Lake City, Utah, celebrated Vaisakhi (one of the most significant celebrations on the Sikh calendar) at the Sikh Temple of Utah: “It was very touching thing for me. When I was his age, we were too busy struggling to survive (in India),” [Pritpal] Tib said. “Here in America, we have enough funds and we have enough time to do that for our son so he can take part in the religion.” Read more at […]

Categories: Events, Picture of the Day, Sikhism • Tags: "Washington, Bothell, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Utah, Vaisakhi

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A protestor holds up a sign during a "Free Bhullar" rally in San Francisco, CA, April 18, 2013. (source: Sikh Roots)

Picture of the Day: “Free Bhullar” rally in San Francisco, CA

April 19, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Yesterday, demonstrators assembled outside the Indian consulate offices in San Francisco and New York to protest the imminent execution of Professor Devender Pal Singh Bhullar in India. Devender Pal Singh’s conviction in the case of a 1993 assassination attempt in India was based on very questionable grounds, and while the judiciary seeks to execute him when he is deemed mentally fit, voices opposing the execution have been increasing within India and abroad.

Categories: 1984, Civil Rights, Events • Tags: California, Davinderpal Singh Bhullar, Devender Pal Singh Bullar, protest, San Francisco

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Still from "To This Day", a spoken word poem by Shane Koyczan.

Safe Schools Improvement Act reintroduced in US Congress

April 18, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

A recent post on the Hyphen Magazine blog shares the parallel experience of two Sikh American men who were bullied in their school years: For both Gurwinder and I, physical confrontation became a matter of daily course at school. Gurwinder recalled, “A kid in class came up from behind and started hitting me. There were six other kids with him; they had me on the floor, stomping on my arms and back.” It is a story not uncommon for many […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reports/Studies • Tags: bullying, Safe Schools Improvement Act, SALDEF, Shane Koyczan, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, To This Day

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On Monday, Sikhs in the United Kingdom demonstrated against the imminent execution of Professor Devender Pal Singh Bhullar in India.

“Free Bhullar” protests scheduled tomorrow in SF and NY

April 17, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Tomorrow, Sikhs in San Francisco and New York will be protesting outside the Indian consulate offices in each city at noon (local time) against India’s imminent execution of Professor Devender Pal Singh Bhullar . As mentioned on this blog last week, Professor Bhullar has been sentenced to death by hanging in India for a 1993 bombing even though the evidence convicting him and the judicial process thereof has been extremely questionable. Adding to the dubious nature of this case is that […]

Categories: 1984, Civil Rights • Tags: Capital punishment, Davinderpal Singh Bhullar, Devender Pal Singh Bullar, India, New York, protest, San Francisco

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Author Archives: Rupinder Mohan Singh

Picture of the Day: Hockey Night in Punjabi

American Sikhs get voice in US Congress

Picture of the Day II: A new Gurdwara in Texas for Vaisakhi

Social media as a tool for the movement, not as the movement

What, or who, is “terrorism” in America?

Picture of the Day: Sikhs in Utah celebrate Vaisakhi

Picture of the Day: “Free Bhullar” rally in San Francisco, CA

Safe Schools Improvement Act reintroduced in US Congress

“Free Bhullar” protests scheduled tomorrow in SF and NY