Rupinder Mohan Singh |

Oregon’s legacy of racial segregation

January 21, 2015 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The northwestern state of Oregon is known for its liberal culture and voting patterns, but this predominantly white state has a significant history in racial segregation and white supremacy. In an article published on Gizmodo by Matt Novak (via Jeremy Adam Smith), we learn of the explicit racist history that was pervasive in Oregon at the time of its establishment as a state and how that legacy would play out to the present day, in an attempt by some quarters to create a […]

Categories: Civil Rights • Tags: Astoria, Columbia River, exclusion laws, Gizmodo, Johanna Ogden, Matt Novak, Oregon, Racism, segregation, Sikh diaspora

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US Supreme Court recognizes inmate’s religious right to grow beard

January 20, 2015 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

A recent decision by the US Supreme Court about the religious rights of inmates in US prisons may have future implications on the rights of Sikh inmates who wish to maintain their uncut hair or other articles of faith. In its recent decision regarding a Muslim inmate’s challenge to the State of Arkansas Department of Corrections policy requiring inmates to shave their beards, the Supreme Court recognized the realities around security concerns and whether these justified the violations of religious […]

Categories: Civil Rights • Tags: Abdul Maalik Muhammad, Arkansas, Arkansas Department of Corrections, Gregory Holt, prison, prisoners, US Supreme Court

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Red, White, and Beard to make its internet debut on January 21

January 20, 2015 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The documentary Red, White, and Beard, featuring editorial cartoonist Vishavjit Singh’s (of Sikhtoons) experiment as the Sikh Captain America on the streets of New York city, is set to make its internet debut tomorrow (January 21). I had the opportunity to watch the film at the SikhLens Sikh Art and Film Festival last November in southern California. It is an entertaining view of Vishavjit Singh and his challenging of stereotypes as he engages people on the street. View the trailer above and find out […]

Categories: TV/Movies • Tags: Captain America, Red White and Beard, SikhLens, Sikhtoons, Vishavjit Singh

In tribute: Hari Simran Singh Khalsa

January 19, 2015 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

I want to take a moment to pay brief tribute to Hari Simran Singh Khalsa, who passed away earlier this month in an apparent hiking accident. I had the opportunity to meet and spend a short time with Hari Simran as he participated in the Sikh Coalition’s Sikh Advocate Academy last June. It became very apparent to me early on that Hari Simran was unique. He lived his Sikhi in a way that was harmonious with his reality — his spirituality […]

Categories: Profiles, Reflections • Tags: Hari Simran Singh Khalsa, Sikh Coalition

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"Mourning Chants" by cartoonist Vishavjit Singh. (Source: sikhtoons.com)

Picture of the Day: “Mourning Chants” by Vishavjit Singh

November 4, 2014 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Cartoonist (and often Captain America) Vishavjit Singh of Sikhtoons has created a cartoon documenting the timeline of the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom orchestrated by Indian government officials against Sikhs in New Delhi, India, and other places across the country. This week marks the 30th anniversary of the orchestrated genocide of Sikhs in which thousands of innocent men, women and children were slaughtered in the streets of New Delhi in a matter of just days, and for whom justice has been denied since. The phrase […]

Categories: 1984 • Tags: 1984, 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms, 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Sikh genocide, Sikhtoons, Vishavjit Singh

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1984 Living History Project to launch “Reclaim the Flames” campaign

October 31, 2014 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The 1984 Living History Project, a grassroots initiative that is creating a video archive of testimonials and experiences related to the events of 1984 in India, is embarking on a campaign in November called “Reclaim the Flames” (#ReclaimtheFlames): Thanks to the participation of volunteers and sangats around the world during this thirtieth anniversary year of 1984, #1984LivingHistory Project has collected powerful and diverse videos. Beyond the known facts of November 1984, what else do these accounts tell us? What else can we learn? […]

Categories: 1984 • Tags: #ReclaimtheFlames, 1984, 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms, 1984 anti-Sikh riots, 1984 Living History Project, Operation Blue Star, Operation Bluestar

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Photo: Reuters | DNA India)

Rajdeep Singh: address human rights during Indian PM’s US visit

September 26, 2014 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official state visit to the United States, Rajdeep Singh of the Sikh Coalition provides some perspective on the controversial figure who until recently was even denied a travel visa to enter the country: In 2002, while Modi served as Chief Minister of Gujarat, over a thousand Muslims were massacred in retaliation for the deaths of 59 Hindu pilgrims, who burned to death when a train they were traveling in caught fire. Muslims were […]

Categories: 1984, Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: 2002 Gujarat violence, Narendra Modi, Rajdeep Singh

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San Quentin State Prison, California. (Image: San Quentin News.)

Raising Sikh awareness — without and within

January 30, 2014 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Co-blogged with Sundari. The Sikh Coalition, a civil rights organization, was recently asked to present to a group of inmates at San Quentin State Prison in Northern California. Organized by the Asian Prisoner Support Committee, which has a weekly class inside San Quentin State Prison called SQ ROOTS (Restoring Our Original True Selves), the organization was asked to make a presentation about the Sikh community. The class is modeled after Asian American Studies courses, covering topics such as history, culture, […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reflections • Tags: California, San Quentin State Prison, Sikh awareness, Sikh Coalition, Sikh prisoners

An unexpected ad for the USA

January 17, 2014 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“Discover America” is a marketing program purposed to promote tourism to the United States from abroad. The program is a public-private partnership between the US Commerce Department and interests within the US travel and hospitality industry. In 2012, the program launched its theme song “Land of Dreams” performed by Rosanne Cash. The official video for the song remarkably portrays a rather multicultural image of America, and features (among other people) a Sikh tabla player (nod to @manish_vij for the link): The video is certainly unexpected, so […]

Categories: Music • Tags: Discover America, Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Author Archives: Rupinder Mohan Singh

Oregon’s legacy of racial segregation

US Supreme Court recognizes inmate’s religious right to grow beard

Red, White, and Beard to make its internet debut on January 21

In tribute: Hari Simran Singh Khalsa

Picture of the Day: “Mourning Chants” by Vishavjit Singh

1984 Living History Project to launch “Reclaim the Flames” campaign

Rajdeep Singh: address human rights during Indian PM’s US visit

Raising Sikh awareness — without and within

An unexpected ad for the USA