Rupinder Mohan Singh |

Michigan’s Gulshan Singh raps against bullying

November 18, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Sikh teen Gulshan Singh, from Michigan, took on bullying through rap and video: The video, titled “Let It Out,” sums up the emotions of a Sikh teenager who is harassed because he looks different. Mr. Singh said the video, which was recently showcased at the Sikh International Film Festival in New York, is not based on a specific person but on an experience shared by many Sikhs, including many of his friends. Turbans and beards, religious requirements, makes Sikhs stand […]

Categories: Hate Crimes • Tags: bullying, Gulshan Singh, Michigan, music

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Jon Huntsman, on breaking barriers

November 17, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“We’re breaking barriers in this country all the time. And when people say that because you come from a certain background, that you’re not able to get from point A to point B, I’d say nonsense. That’s not part of the American tradition. … People are worried about the real issues and less about someone’s heritage or background.” — Jon Huntsman, seeking to be the Republican candidate for President of the United States, comments during an interview on being a […]

Categories: News Bits, Politics • Tags: Jon Huntsman, Mormon, Republican, United States

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Religious rights defended in New York

November 16, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“In the past 20 years, New York state has become much more pluralistic. We have more diversity in religious practices,” Schneiderman said at an Anti-Defamation League luncheon Wednesday in New York City. “The growth of our Hassidic and other Jewish communities, of the number of observant Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists, has been staggering, and frankly, we need to adjust things in the office of the New York State Attorney General to deal with this new, more pluralistic reality.” — […]

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits • Tags: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, CDCR, Eric Schneiderman, John Kerry, New York, New York City, Religious Rights Initiative, Trilochan Singh Oberoi, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

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CA school district recognizes November as “Sikh Awareness Month”

November 14, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Fremont Unified School District Board of Education recognizes and acknowledges the significant contribution made by the Californians of Sikh heritage to our state and by adoption of this resolution, seeks to afford all Fremont residents the opportunity to better understand, recognize, and appreciate the rich history and shared principle of Sikh Americans, their religion and the tenets of their faith, and the important role that Sikh Americans play in furthering mutual understanding and respect […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: ACR 181, California, Education, Fremont, Fremont Unified School District, November, Sikh Awareness Month

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Happy Veterans Day!

November 11, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In the United States, Veterans Day has been commemorated in one way or another on November 11 of each year since the end of World War I in 1918: In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, […]

Categories: Events • Tags: Adolf Hitler, Bhagat Singh Thind, Free India Legion, Subhas Chandra Bose, Veterans Day, World War I, World War II

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Sikhs and the Occupy movement

November 10, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

As the Occupy movement – a general protest of the growing control of the financial sector over government – spreads across the country (and indeed, around the world), Sikhs are actively participating in protests around the United States, taking their inspiration from Sikh teachings. One Sikh from New York, Sonny Singh, describes his motivation, asserting that it behooves a Sikh to stand up for the poor by way of this movement (against “corporate tyranny”) based on the teachings of the […]

Categories: Politics • Tags: Basant Singh Khalsa, New York, Occupy Movement, Sonny Singh Brooklynwala

President Obama commemorates birth of Guru Nanak

November 10, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Today, Sikhs across the world are celebrating the birth of Guru Nanak (the founder of Sikhism and the first in a line of ten Sikh Gurus in human form), who was born in 1469. The Guru of the Sikhs today is the Sikh holy book called the Guru Granth Sahib, which contains over 970 of Guru Nanak’s verses. The religion that sprouted from his following became Sikhism, but Guru Nanak is highly regarded among Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist communities as […]

Categories: Events, Politics, Sikhism • Tags: Barack Obama, Guru Nanak, White House

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Rain of Roses: The Yuba City, CA Sikh Parade

November 8, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Last Sunday was Yuba City, California’s 32nd annual Sikh Parade, a nagar kirtan (religious procession) to celebrate the birth of Guru Nanak (the founder of Sikhism) in 1469. It rained during last year’s procession, and rained on Satruday, so there was some concern that it would do so again during the procession this year. However, the weather held on Sunday, and the only thing that fell from the sky were rose petals from a helicopter overhead: None compares in size or scope to the annual Sikh Parade […]

Categories: Events • Tags: California, Guru Nanak, Nagar Kirtan, Yuba City

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Picture of the Day: Yuba City, CA Sikhs prepare for Nagar Kirtan this weekend

November 3, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Starting this Friday, Sikhs in Yuba City, California will be holding festivities in celebration of the birth of Sikhism’s founder, Guru Nanak, who was born in 1469 in what is now Pakistan: Temple member Paul Purewal said preparations for the parade began four months ago but started in earnest about two weeks ago. About 20,000 people are expected to attend Friday’s fireworks, and 30,000 people are anticipated to attend Saturday’s event with between 40,000 and 60,000 people at the parade […]

Categories: Events, Picture of the Day • Tags: California, Guru Nanak, Nagar Kirtan, Yuba City

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Author Archives: Rupinder Mohan Singh

Michigan’s Gulshan Singh raps against bullying

Jon Huntsman, on breaking barriers

Religious rights defended in New York

CA school district recognizes November as “Sikh Awareness Month”

Happy Veterans Day!

Sikhs and the Occupy movement

President Obama commemorates birth of Guru Nanak

Rain of Roses: The Yuba City, CA Sikh Parade

Picture of the Day: Yuba City, CA Sikhs prepare for Nagar Kirtan this weekend