News Bits | | Page 15

D.C.’s National Gurdwara heading to the auction block

August 16, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The National Gurdwara, located on Massachussetts Avenue in Washington, D.C., is in dire financial straits. Built in 2005, the Gurdwara (Sikh house of worship) is located in the heart of D.C. – steps away from the National Cathedral and only a few miles away from the White House – and claims to be the only Gurdwara in Washington. However, despite its lofty goals, it seems that the Gurdwara has become too mired in politics and poor management to be able to […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: "Washington, D.C.", National Gurdwara, SGPC, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Washington D.C.

Sacramento Valley Charter’s first day of school

August 15, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Today marked the first day of school for many children. For most kids and parents, there’s always a sense of nervousness and excitement as students take on the next year of their education. For the Sacramento Valley Charter School – the first Punjabi charter school in the United States – the excitement coming from the side of staff and administrators would be understandable. It was their first day, too.

Categories: News Bits, Picture of the Day • Tags: California, Sacramento Valley Charter School, West Sacramento

Learning from the Sikhs of Southall

August 11, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

With the whole world watching the violence occuring in London, Sikhs in the United Kingdom and beyond have taken interest and inspiration by the actions of our brothers and sisters who, in the midst of that chaos, have banded together to protect their Gurdwaras and communities from the vandals and looters that have been running rampant across London’s streets. “Naujawani Sardar” offered his account of what has been happening on blog, The Langar Hall, and sees the promise for Sikhs in the […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: London, riots, Southall

Nikki Haley and race identification: If being “Asian” is wrong, is it right to write “White”?

August 9, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Academic and blogger Amardeep Singh offers his perspective on the issue of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley’s identification of herself as “White” on a voter registration card despite her South Asian and Sikh origins: Isn’t it fair that some South Asian Americans with little connection to South Asian culture or language would see themselves (and be seen as) “white” by others in their communities? Isn’t it possible to be of South Asian origin and “white” at the same time? Amardeep […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: Amardeep Singh, Nikki Haley, South Carolina

Elk Grove, California Diversity Pledge ad (source: elkgrovecity.org)

Scene of suspected hate crimes, Elk Grove, CA to promote its diversity

August 3, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The California city of Elk Grove has been the scene of two notable and suspected hate crimes this year: the shooting deaths of Sikh seniors Surinder Singh and Gurmej Atwal during their evening walk, and the beating of a gay man at a local bowling alley. In response to these tragic incidents, the Elk Grove’s City Council is launching its Diversity Awareness Campaign to promote the diversity of the city which is centered around its “Diversity Pledge“. According to Elk Grove’s Mayor: […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, News Bits, Politics • Tags: California, Diversity Pledge, Elk Grove, Gurmej Atwal, Sacramento, Steven Detrick, Surinder Singh

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley: first not a Sikh, now not even Asian

July 29, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“When she registers to vote she says she is white. She has developed a pattern of saying whatever is beneficial to her at the moment,” he said. “She can’t even tell the truth about her racial heritage.” — South Carolina’s Democratic Party Chairman Dick Harpootlian brings up Governor Nikki Haley’s inconsistencies in reporting her identity. Haley is often trumpeted in being the first female Indian American governor in the United States, and that from a Sikh family. She has openly used her […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: Dick Harpootlian, Nikki Haley, South Carolina

“Terror” does not equal “Turban”

July 28, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

It amazes me how quickly and easily the media points to the turban when acts of terror are committed across the globe, even when the individuals who performed these acts do not themselves wear a turban. In the case of Norway’s horrendous attack, the perpetrator was a cleancut, white male. There was one person involved who does wear a turban: a young Sikh woman, who witnessed the shooting and was lucky to escape from the killer’s rampage. And yet, the conversation in the media would […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, News Bits • Tags: Canada, Cape Breton Post, Muslim, Oslo, Racial profiling, Terrorism

Police officer cleared in shooting death of Jagtar Singh Kang

July 27, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

As previously mentioned on this blog, 72-year-0ld Jagtar Singh Kang was shot and killed by police in Yuba City, California, after driving his car at individuals in his neighborhood who were celebrating July 4th with fireworks. The Sutter County District Attorney in California has now completed his investigation of the shooting and has cleared the officer involved of any wrongdoing: Deputy Zachary Berg shot Jagtar Singh Kang during a “course of bizarre and dangerous behavior” by Kang, including driving his […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: California, Jagtar Singh Kang, Yuba City

Sikhs protest Bhullar death sentence at United Nations

July 26, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Yesterday, in New York, Sikhs held a rally (organized by Sikhs for Justice) outside the United Nations to protest the death sentence of Professor Devinderpal Singh Bhullar in India. American Sikhs have now joined their counterparts in India and around the world in objecting to the miscarriage of justice that could lead to the judicial killing of Devinderpal Singh. Devinderpal Singh’s sentence has not only been objected to within India, but it has also garnered international attention as other governments and world […]

Categories: News Bits, Picture of the Day • Tags: Amnesty International, Capital punishment, Davinderpal Singh Bhullar, Devender Pal Singh Bullar, Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, judicial murder, New York, United Nations

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

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