News Bits | | Page 5

In defense of izzat

October 29, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Tragic news came out of Yuba City, California, over the weekend, in which a Sikh woman — six months pregnant — was arrested for the murder of her 68-year-old mother-in-law: Baljinder Kaur was arrested about 2:30 p.m. Friday at the Sutter County Sheriff’s Department following a whirlwind, two-day investigation, Sheriff J. Paul Parker said. Kaur, 37, is the only suspect in the death of Baljit Kaur, whose body was found around noon Wednesday at the home in the 1900 block […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: Baljinder Kaur, Baljit Kaur, California, izzat, NAPA, North American Punjabi Association, Yuba City

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“Please rebuild your place of worship.”

October 17, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In a letter to her local newspaper, Jan Asai writes to the local Sikh community in Vancouver, Washington, who lost their place of worship to a fire last week: My heart goes out to the entire Sikh community. Please rebuild your place of worship. Our diversity makes our community richer, stronger and more vital. You have friends and neighbors here willing to offer you encouragement and hope for the future. Read her entire letter here. More about the fire that […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: "Washington, fire, Gurdwara, Guru Ram Das Church, Guru Ram Das Gurdwara, Jan Asai, Vancouver

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Picture of the Day: Planned Gurdwara in Vancouver, WA burns to the ground

October 12, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In Vancouver, Washington (not to be confused with Vancouver, BC, Canada), an athletic club that was in the process of being renovated for use as a Gurdwara burned to the ground early this morning: VANCOUVER, Wash. – Fire swept through a Sikh temple and school that was under construction in Vancouver early Friday morning. Two workers who were asleep in the complex escaped without injury. The Guru Ram Das Church essentially burned to the ground. The building is located on […]

Categories: News Bits, Picture of the Day • Tags: "Washington, Gurdwara, Guru Ram Das Church, KATU, Vancouver

Sikh Human Development Foundation provides $210K in scholarships to Punjab youth

October 9, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The US-based Sikh Human Development Foundation recently announced a record US$210,000 in funding of scholarships for needy students in Punjab, India, and surrounding areas: Washington based Sikh Human Development Foundation has given a helping hand to needy students pursuing higher education in Punjab and other Northern Indian states. It has given scholarships to 504 students in 159 institutions/colleges totaling about $ 210,000 for the academic year ending in 2012. “This number is up from 412 of the last year” said […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: India, Punjab, scholarships, Sikh Human Development Foundation

NJ resident Sukhvinder Singh, 33, missing since September 18

September 28, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Sukhvinder Singh, a gas station attendant in Winslow Township, New Jersey, has been missing since Tuesday, September 18: Singh is 5-foot-7 and weighs 170 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue turban, blue and red shirt, black pants, black sneakers and a silver bracelet. Winslow Township Police are investigating. If you have any information about Singh call investigators at 609-561-3300. Prayers for his safe return. Read more information here or at the Winslow […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: missing person, New Jersey, Sukhvinder Singh, Winslow Township

City Spoonful highlights the religious significance of langar

September 7, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

City Spoonful, a New York-focused food culture website, visits the Gurdwara in Staten Island, New York, looking beyond the menu to talk about the religious significance of langar – the community meal served at every Sikh house of worship: The meal itself exemplifies two of the most important tenets of Sikhism: equality and community service. That egalitarian philosophy is emphasized by the custom of eating langar on the floor, where everyone literally sits at the same level. Often, langar is […]

Categories: News Bits, Sikhism • Tags: City Spoonful, Langar, New York, Staten Island

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More crimes against Sikhs Americans, but not considered hate

September 4, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Since the murder of Dalbir Singh outside of his convenience store in Oak Creek, Wisconsin (in what is being called a robbery attempt) more attacks on and murders of Sikhs in the United States are coming to light. Prior to the shootings in Oak Creek, a 72-year-0ld Sikh man in New Jersey was severely beaten – and then arrested by police – in an altercation with a neighbor: On July 26th, Avtar Singh Ji went to Edward Koscovski’s shop to […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, News Bits • Tags: Avtar Singh, California, Fresno, hate crimes, Kashmir Singh, New Jersey, Paterson

Local Sikh to give Invocation during Republican National Convention on Wednesday

August 26, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

What if the Republicans or Democrats had a Sikh from WI offer their convention's invocation? What an amazing gesture to the world! #fantasy — American Turban (@americanturban) August 10, 2012 According to CNN, Ishwar Singh, President of the Sikh Society of Central Florida, is to offer the Invocation on Wednesday night during the Republican National Convention. Given the recent discussion about perceptions of Republican voters towards Sikhs, and my own sense (expressed on Twitter above) that having a Sikh provide the Invocation at […]

Categories: Events, News Bits, Politics • Tags: Ishwar Singh, Republican National Convention, Republican Party, Sikh Society of Central Florida

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Oak Creek’s “person of interest” and the stigma of suspicion

August 23, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Shortly after the shooting at the Oak Creek, Wisconsin Gurdwara on August 5, the photo above of a man who was at the scene after the shooting was circulated by law enforcement as a “person of interest”: The tall, muscular man, with a tattoo on his biceps and wearing a pair of dark shades seemed out of place — even suspicious — to some, as he briefly watched and even videotaped the aftermath of the shooting, which left six dead. […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, News Bits • Tags: Gurdwara, hate crimes, Oak Creek, profiling, Wisconsin

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Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Category Archives: News Bits

In defense of izzat

“Please rebuild your place of worship.”

Picture of the Day: Planned Gurdwara in Vancouver, WA burns to the ground

Sikh Human Development Foundation provides $210K in scholarships to Punjab youth

NJ resident Sukhvinder Singh, 33, missing since September 18

City Spoonful highlights the religious significance of langar

More crimes against Sikhs Americans, but not considered hate

Local Sikh to give Invocation during Republican National Convention on Wednesday

Oak Creek’s “person of interest” and the stigma of suspicion