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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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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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CA Workplace Religious Freedom Act passes Assembly vote

May 29, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

This afternoon, California’s proposed Workplace Religious Freedom Act (AB 1964 – mentioned previously here), introduced by Assemblymember Mariko Yamada, passed through the State Assembly: SACRAMENTO, Calif.—The state Assembly has approved a bill that would add more protections for religious freedom in the workplace, specifying that discrimination laws also apply to religious clothing and hairstyles. Lawmakers on Tuesday approved AB1964 by Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada. The Davis Democrat says she was upset to learn that Sikh and Muslim workers continue to face […]

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

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CA Sikhs to launch American Sikh Political Action Committee

May 29, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Sikhs in California are launching a political action committee (known as a “PAC”) under the name American Sikh Political Action Committee to support the political efforts of California’s Sikh community. According to OpenSecrets.org, at the federal level: Political Action Committee (PAC) — A popular term for a political committee organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. Most PACs represent business, labor or ideological interests. PACs can give $5,000 to a candidate committee per […]

Categories: Events, Politics • Tags: American Sikh Political Action Committee, California, PAC, Political Action Committee, Sacramento

A recent tweet by Phil Bailey, a political director of South Carolina's Senate Democratic Caucus (source: buzzfeed.com)

Nikki Haley as “the Sikh Jesus”. Who should be more offended?

May 18, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The saga involving one-time Sikh Nikki Haley, Governor of South Carolina, and the perceptions of her ethnic and religious history still continues: Who should be more offended at the mockery: Sikhs or Christians? Phil Bailey is a political director in the state of South Carolina’s Democratic Party, and made the comment above publicly on his Twitter account: The political director of South Carolina’s Senate Democratic Caucus labeled Nikki Haley the “Sikh Jesus” after she intervened to aid the Republican primary […]

Categories: News Bits, Politics • Tags: Jake Knotts, Nikki Haley, Phil Bailey, Sikh Jesus, South Carolina, Twitter

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CA Workplace Religious Freedom Act heading to Assembly vote

May 17, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The proposed Workplace Religious Freedom Act (AB1964) in California (discussed previously on this blog), sponsored by the Sikh Coalition, cleared its third milestone when it was approved by the California Assembly Appropriations Committee yesterday. AB1964 makes more clear the requirement of employers to accommodate the religious articles of faith of employees, and is meant to reduce discriminatory practices in the workplace. This issue has a direct bearing on Sikhs, who often face employment discrimination based on their articles of faith […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: AB1964, California, California State Assembly, Mariko Yamada, Sikh Coalition, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

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President Obama cites Dalip Singh Saund, first Sikh and Asian-born Congressman, as ‘trailblazer’

May 10, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

At the recent Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies gala in Washington, DC on Tuesday, President Obama acknowledged ceiling-shattering Americans of Asian descent who were elected to federal office. Among these, the President specifically recognized Dalip Singh Saund, who was the first Asian-born and only Sikh to serve in Congress: “They were trailblazers like Dalip Singh Saund – a young man from India who, in 1920, came to study agriculture, stayed to become a farmer, and took on the […]

Categories: News Bits, Politics • Tags: APAICS, Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, Barack Obama, Dalip Singh Saund, United States Congress

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Those pesky Sikhites

May 9, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Near Chicago, Illinois, former Republican candidate for President of the United States, Herman Cain, speaks at Northwestern University about the foreign oil crisis: NU College Democrats Co-President Lauren Izaak said although she found Cain’s dismissal of global warming troubling, she took particular issue with his skewering of some sensitive words. While discussing the foreign oil crisis, Cain seemed to purposely mispronounce the religious follower names “Sikh” and “Shiite,” quickly adding, “Yeah, I said it,” when the audience gasped. “I definitely […]

Categories: News Bits, Politics • Tags: Chicago, Herman Cain, Illinois, Muslim, Northwestern University, Shiite

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Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Category Archives: Politics

Workplace Religious Freedom in CA takes another step forward

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

A jakara in the White House

CA Workplace Religious Freedom Act passes Assembly vote

CA Sikhs to launch American Sikh Political Action Committee

Nikki Haley as “the Sikh Jesus”. Who should be more offended?

CA Workplace Religious Freedom Act heading to Assembly vote

President Obama cites Dalip Singh Saund, first Sikh and Asian-born Congressman, as ‘trailblazer’

Those pesky Sikhites