Interfaith | American Turban

"President Barack Obama speaks to members of the Muslim-American community at the Islamic Society of Baltimore." (Source: ThinkProgress.org)

Obama addresses cultural attitudes around Muslims

February 4, 2016 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Over his two terms, President Obama has recognized the Sikh community (and seems comfortable in doing so) perhaps more than any other US president in history. In his recent speech at the Islamic Society of Baltimore, he makes reference to the Sikh American community as victims of anti-Islamic bigotry in the United States. However, it was lacking in specific proposals to help counter America’s Islamophobia.

“If you tell me why you shave, I’ll tell you why I keep my hair”

September 16, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

After a Gurdwara near Riverside, California, was vandalized in late July with the word “terrorist” spray-painted on its walls, the Sikh community held an open house to engage with its neighbors in the area: Santokh Singh Sahi, 72, a member of the temple, Riverside Gurdwara, said the open house Tuesday night, Sept. 10, and the support the temple has received leading up to it decreased the apprehension temple members felt after the vandalism. “We feel more safe and secure because […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Interfaith • Tags: Antonio Arias, California, Graffiti, hate crimes, Jurupa Valley, open house, Riverside, Santokh Singh Sahi, Sikh Gurdwara of Riverside, vandalism

"Sharing a laugh at Turban Day in New York City." (Source: Huffington Post)

Picture of the Day: “Turban Day” in New York

September 10, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On Sunday, The Surat Initiative held its first ever “Turban Day” in New York to help raise awareness and understanding about Sikhs and the turban by tying turbans on to curious members of the community: The Surat Initiative organized its first Turban Day at Union Square in New York City this past Sunday. Volunteers came from all over the northeast and tied over 700 turbans on their fellow Americans. Hundreds of other New Yorkers stopped by to speak with young […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Events, Interfaith • Tags: New York, Surat Initiative, Turban Day

Jasjit Singh, Executive Director of SALDEF, addresses the audience during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. (Source: SALDEF)

Picture of the Day

August 28, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On Saturday, during an interfaith ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, Jasjit Singh of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) addressed the audience gathered at the Lincoln Memorial as a representative of the Sikh community: “From four girls in Birmingham to six worshippers in Oak Creek, from a bridge in Selma to a march on Washington: we stand with you, we march with you, we serve with you.” Read more from SALDEF.

Categories: Events, Interfaith, Picture of the Day • Tags: Jasjit Singh, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Martin Luther King, National Mall, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund

The secularism-religious freedom divide

August 20, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

To the north, Canada’s province of Quebec is seeking to prohibit religious symbols such as the wearing of the turban, yarmulke or headscarf by public employees in a political maneuver believed to be veiled in secularism. The move by Quebec’s provincial government follows in the footsteps of the Quebec Soccer Federation, who earlier this summer attempted to ban the wearing of the turban in amateur soccer in the province (the ban was lifted after national and international criticism and objection). […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Interfaith, Politics • Tags: Canada, freedom of religion, Immanent Frame, Kathleen Skerrett, Multiculturalism, Quebec, Religious symbolism, Secularism, soccer, Turban

"We are all Sikhs" t-shirt. (Source: Rootsgear Clothing)

Sikhs, through Jewish eyes

August 14, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On The Jewish Journal, Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin considers his Sikh American neighbors a year after the Oak Creek, Wisconsin mass shooting: Maybe they should consider modifying the turban requirement, and just make it optional? How American of me to think that. Sikh men simply know that they have to be at the airport that much earlier. That’s the price they choose to pay for walking a religious road with one foot, and keeping the other foot grounded in Western […]

Categories: Interfaith, Reflections, Sikhism • Tags: Jewish faith, Jewish Journal, Oak Creek, Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Wisconsin

"Expansive God." (Source: Art for God's Sake)

God, in the female

August 6, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On Patheos, Deborah W. Dykes questions the use of masculine pronouns when referring to God, and the implications this has for young girls: Questioning the use of male pronouns to refer to God is unimaginable for some people. Male language about God so permeates our thinking and our conversation we don’t even hear or recognize it. Obviously, none of us sets out to harm our children, anyone’s children. But, harm them we do. Today, most of us do not intend […]

Categories: Interfaith, Sikhism • Tags: Deborah W. Dykes, Sikh women, Women in Sikhism

A service by The Sikh Gurdwara of San Francisco. (Source: The Sikh Gurdwara of San Francisco Facebook page)

Bay Area synagogue opens doors to Sikh congregation

June 28, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The San Mateo Daily Journal provides a profile of The Sikh Gurdwara of San Francisco, a Sikh congregation in the West Bay area of greater San Francisco, California. The Gurdwara, having just celebrated its first year of existence, is unique: the congregation actually meets monthly in a space provided by a synagogue called Peninsula Temple Beth El: “We’re willing to make room for them whenever we can … until they expand or run out of space [for their services],” [Peninsula […]

Categories: Interfaith, News Bits, Profiles • Tags: Blair Brown, California, Mehar Singh Mahal, Peninsula Temple Beth El, San Francisco, San Mateo, San Mateo Daily Journal, The Sikh Gurdwara of San Francisco, West Bay

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

American Turban

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Category Archives: Interfaith