Category Archives: Politics

California Rep. Mike Honda Questions FBI Director on the need for additional categories in the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics Act data collection mandate. (source: C-SPAN, via SALDEF)

According to US Department of Justice, most hate crimes not reported

March 26, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

While the FBI reports hate crimes based on voluntary reporting by law enforcement agencies (a database which is rife with issues) around the country, the most recent study by the US Department of Justice based on the National Crime Victimization Survey (a survey of victims of crime) continues to shed more light about the nature of hate crimes in the United States. According to the new report issued by the Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, a quarter of a million […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Politics, Reports/Studies • Tags: FBI, FBI Hate Crime Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, hate crime, Hate Crime Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey, United States Bureau of Justice Statistics

Harmeet Kaur Dhillon campaign sign at the California Republican Party convention this past weekend. (source: KCRA)

Harmeet Kaur Dhillon wins CA Republican post amidst strong support

March 4, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“In any group of 1,600 delegates, you’re going to have a few crazy people and bigots,” [Harmeet Kaur] Dhillon told KCRA 3. — Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, who this weekend was elected as the Vice Chairman of the California Republican Party, comments after facing bigotry from members of her own party, and even during the California Republican Party convention this weekend. With strong support by membership and leaders, Harmeet Kaur has become the first Sikh and woman to be elected to […]

Categories: Politics • Tags: California, Harmeet Dhillon, Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, Republican Party

Picture of the Day: Ravi Bhalla receives prominent support for another run in NJ

March 1, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Two years ago, Ravinder “Ravi” Singh Bhalla, a city councilor in Hoboken, New Jersey, came up short in his bid for a seat in New Jersey’s State Legislature. Since that time, he has continued to serve on Hoboken’s city council, including a term as President of the City Council. He is now considering another run for the New Jersey State Legislature. Last night, at a fundraiser for his campaign, he received the support of US House Representatives Mike Honda and […]

Categories: Picture of the Day, Politics • Tags: Ami Bera, Cory Booker, Hoboken, Mike Honda, New Jersey, Ravi Bhalla, Ravinder Singh Bhalla

San Francisco, CA, Sikh politician faces racist smears from own party

February 28, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, a Sikh attorney and politician in San Francisco, California (and, who last fall ran an unsuccessful bid for a California State Senate seat), has reportedly been the target of racist smears by members of her own party as she now runs to become the Vice Chair of the California Republican Party. The bigoted comments were circulated on social media, according to the SF Gate: “I was told by one of Harmeet’s friends that because of her religion, […]

Categories: Politics • Tags: Ann Coulter, California, Harmeet Dhillon, Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, Republican Party, San Francisco

An editorial cartoon comparing accessibility of mental health and guns.

Profiling the mentally ill in the gun violence debate

February 22, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Yesterday, in a speech delivered at a conference in Connecticut about gun violence, Vice President Joe Biden issued a challenge to Americans to take on the issue: “There’s a moral price to be paid for inaction,” he said. We have certainly seen significant debate around what action to take in addressing America’s gun violence epidemic. From universal background checks to regulation of video games, and from arming teachers to banning assault-style weapons, there are no shortage of proposals nor sides […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: Adam Lanza, Anders Breivik, Aurora, Balbir Kaur Singh, Chris Dodd, Colorado, Concetta Falcone-Codding, Connecticut, Daryl Johnson, gun violence, hate crimes, Joe Biden, mental health, Michael Denzyl Smith, Motion Picture Association of America, Newtown, Oak Creek, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Sikholars, Wade Michael Page, White supremacy, Wisconsin

President Barack Obama delivers his 2013 State of the Union address on February 12. (source: Muck Rack)

President Obama, the State of the Union, and the Americans of Oak Creek

February 13, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Last night, it was likely for the first time in the history of State of the Union addresses that the word “Sikh” was uttered by the President of the United States when speaking to a joint session of Congress about his legislative agenda. In his State of the Union speech last night, President Obama paid tribute to Oak Creek, Wisconsin, hero Lieutenant Brian Murphy: We should follow the example of a police officer named Brian Murphy. When a gunman opened […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Politics • Tags: Barack Obama, Lt. Brian Murphy, Oak Creek, President of the United States, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, State of the Union, Wisconsin

Gunman opens fire in Oregon mall (source: CNN)

No solution to gun violence without meaningful discussion

December 12, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

After yet another mass shooting in the United States — this time at a mall in Portland, Oregon yesterday — Congressman Eric Blumenauer made a statement today in the House of Representatives about the plague of gun violence that has now victimized residents of his home district: Mr. Speaker, one is haunted by these events—we had one in Aurora, Colorado in the theater where there were twelve people killed, sixty wounded;, six people killed at the Sikh temple this summer; […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, News Bits, Politics • Tags: Eric Blumenauer, gun violence, Oregon, Portland

Illinois House of Representatives (source: Chicago Tribune file photo)

IL state legislature passes anti-hate resolution

December 10, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Making reference to the August mass murder of Sikhs in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and subsequent attacks on mosques in the United States, the Illinois state legislature recently passed a resolution called HR 1193-Encourage Religious Tolerance to denounce hate crimes and encourage participation and civic engagement of minorities and immigrants (via @sepiamutiny): The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Daniel Biss, (D-Skokie), is more of a statement against anti-Asian bigotry than a legal measure. But it has impact because it comes on the […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Politics • Tags: Ami Gandhi, Daniel Biss, HR 1193, Illinois, Illinois General Assembly, Illinois House of Representatives, Oak Creek, Rajinder Majo, SAAPRI, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, South Asian American Polity and Research Institute, Wisconsin

On Friday, December 7, 2012, the White House held a ceremony to commemorate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. (source: Gautam Raghavan)

Picture of the Day: The White House celebrates the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak

December 7, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

As mentioned yesterday, the White House invited Sikhs from across the country to Washington, D.C. to commemorate the 543rd birth anniversary of Guru Nanak today, as it had in 2009 and 2010. Read more here.

Categories: Events, Politics • Tags: gurpurab, Guru Nanak, White House

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