Civil Rights | | Page 19

When profiling begets more profiling

July 6, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Meeta Kaur writes an article about the scrutiny of Sikh turbans at our nation’s airports and the latest on the FlyRights app that allows submission of TSA-related complaints via a smartphone: [Sikh Coalition Director of Programs Amardeep Singh says] “When Sikhs are pulled aside for extra scrutiny in the most security sensitive area in the United States (airport security), that act by the federal government reinforces stereotypes that people already have of Sikhs. If the object that is most feared […]

Categories: Civil Rights • Tags: FlyRights, Meeta Kaur, Transportation Security Administration, TSA, Turban

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Sikh history and the legacy of American Independence

July 4, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On this day in 1776, the American colonies declared their independence from Britain: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. In this declaration, we see the seeds of what was to become the United States we know today. At this time, Sikhs were also claiming their autonomy in the northwestern portion of the Indian […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reflections • Tags: California, Declaration of Independence, Fourth of July, Ghadar Party, Independence Day, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Stockton

“Some of our greatest achievements will be seen after our lifetime.” ‪

June 27, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

At a recent TEDx Talk event entitled “Forces of Change” at Adams Morgan in Washington, D.C., Amardeep Singh, co-founder and Director of Programs of the Sikh Coalition, talks about his motivation in working for civil rights and social justice. What is especially poignant about this talk is that the very next morning, Amardeep Singh led a group of Sikhs to the first-ever policy briefing on Sikh civil rights issues at the White House. Forces of change, indeed.

Categories: Civil Rights • Tags: Adams Morgan, Amardeep Singh, Sikh Coalition, TED, TEDx

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Workplace Religious Freedom in CA takes another step forward

June 27, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

After recently being approved by the California State Assembly, the proposed Workplace Religious Freedom Act (AB1964) took another step forward yesterday on the path to becoming law when it was passed by the State Senate Judiciary Committee: Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada was joined Tuesday by representatives from the interfaith and civil rights community as AB 1964, the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2012, passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. AB 1964 strengthens the religious accommodation standard under the California Fair […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: AB1964, California, California State Assembly, California State Senate, California State Senate Judiciary Committee, Employment Discrimination, Mariko Yamada, Sikh Coalition, Workplace Religious Freedom Act, WRFA

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The Sikh civil rights struggle is about civil rights for all

June 19, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Just as we all have benefited from the victories of the African American Civil Rights Movement, future communities will benefit from the progress we make today. Any victory is a collective victory. Any progress is shared progress. — Simran Jeet Singh writes on the Huffington Post about the first policy briefing at the White House on Sikh civil rights issues. His reflection is poignant – in our own work to ensure Sikh civil rights in this country, we owe much […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reports/Studies • Tags: Huffington Post, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, NCAPA, Pew Forum, Simran Jeet Singh, The Rise of Asian Americans

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The Sikhs and the TSA, with a twist

June 13, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and their issues around apparent racial profiling of Sikhs has been a recurring topic on this blog, however, an interesting twist in the news came out recently where the TSA was found to be discriminating against a Sikh employee: Kulwinder Singh called it a violation of his religious rights, and took his case to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC determined that the Transportation Security Administration was wrong to have Singh hide his […]

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits • Tags: Discrimination, EEOC, Employment Discrimination, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Transportation Security Administration, TSA

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Pictures of the Day: Capital Sikhs – Washington, D.C & London, England

June 13, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

This past week provided an interesting reflection of the Sikh diaspora, as Sikhs on both sides of the Atlantic gathered in their respective capital cities to take up Sikh issues. As mentioned yesterday, Sikhs from all over the United States attended the first ever White House briefing on Sikh civil rights in Washington, D.C. last Friday: Meanwhile, on the other side of the pond, Sikhs in London, England came together in much grander scale this past weekend at Hyde Park […]

Categories: 1984, Civil Rights, Picture of the Day, Politics • Tags: "Washington, 1984, D.C.", England, Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom

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A jakara in the White House

June 12, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Last week was a historic moment for the American Sikh community, as the White House held the first-ever briefing to discuss Sikh civil rights issues: For those of us in the audience, it was a deeply moving moment – particularly when the briefing started out with Bole So Nihaal, Sat Sri Akal. Yes, a jakara in the White House! There was something symbolic in that moment. Once, a long time ago, Sikhs would have made the jakara call while raising […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Events, Politics • Tags: Sikh Advocate Academy, Sikh Coalition, The Langar Hall, White House

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MTA officially settles with Sikhs and Muslims on ‘brand or segregate’ policy

May 30, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Earlier this month and as a result of a seven-year long legal challenge, New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), which oversees public transit in the city, agreed in principle to eliminate the requirement that Sikhs or Muslims who wear religious head-coverings to affix a corporate logo on the head-covering, or be segregated out of public view. This policy was coined as “brand or segregate”. The settlement was officially filed in federal court today, and includes: Transit Authority employees will no […]

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits • Tags: brand or segregate, Metropolitan Transit Authority, MTA, Muslim, New York, Sikh, Turban, United States Department of Justice

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Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Category Archives: Civil Rights

When profiling begets more profiling

Sikh history and the legacy of American Independence

“Some of our greatest achievements will be seen after our lifetime.” ‪

Workplace Religious Freedom in CA takes another step forward

The Sikh civil rights struggle is about civil rights for all

The Sikhs and the TSA, with a twist

Pictures of the Day: Capital Sikhs – Washington, D.C & London, England

A jakara in the White House

MTA officially settles with Sikhs and Muslims on ‘brand or segregate’ policy