Reflections | | Page 10

Amardeep Singh with President Barack Obama

Amardeep Singh: What the Obama administration has done for the Sikh community

November 6, 2012 by American Turban Guest Contributor

Amardeep Singh is long-time Sikh activist, who is known in particular for his work with the Sikh Coalition. This piece however is written in his personal capacity. On this election day in the United States, Amardeep has graciously provided a few thoughts for consideration.You can follow Amardeep on Twitter at @amarhoboken. Dear Sikh Friends, In case there is any Sikh American voter left to be persuaded, I just wanted to share this quick but comprehensive list of what the Obama Administration […]

Categories: Politics, Reflections • Tags: 2012 elections, Amardeep Singh, Barack Obama, President of the United States, SikhVOTE

Picture of the Day: Ghadar Party Printing Press

October 14, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On Saturday evening, I attended the Centennial festivities at the Stockton Gurdwara Sahib in Stockton, California, which, founded in 1912, is considered the first and oldest Gurdwara in the United States. In many ways, for Sikh Americans, this Gurdwara represents our first formal foothold in this country. Saturday’s event enjoyed a celebratory atmosphere that brought out many local, state and federal politicians and officials, and many of the who’s who within the Sikh American community. During this celebration, it was […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Picture of the Day, Reflections • Tags: California, Ghadar, Ghadar Party, Indian independence movement, printing press, Stockton, Stockton Gurdwara Centennial Celebration, Stockton Gurdwara Sahib, The Ghadar

Reflecting on Sikhism as a “peaceful” religion

October 2, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In a thought-provoking article, Jodha, at the blog The Langar Hall, discusses the recent framing of Sikhism as a “peaceful” religion: My point isn’t whether Sikhs are peaceful or not, individuals come in all shapes and colors. The level of violence against women, against female fetuses, and often against one another, doesn’t seem to me that we are a particularly ‘peaceful’ people and should be so glib with our descriptions. Moving from Sikhs to Sikhi – I hope we never […]

Categories: Reflections, Sikhism • Tags: Guru Gobind Singh, Guru Hargobind, Khalsa, Kirpan, Sikhism

A recent Facebook conversation joking about using hate crimes as a response to violence in the Middle East.

Living post-eight-five

September 27, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Recently, I was engaged in a polite online conversation with a friend about the attacks on the US embassies in Libya and Egypt, when a third person interjected to proclaim that the Middle East should be “taken over” and bombed (as if not already happening in several places in the region, but commentary on this is beyond the purview of this blog). The conversation ended when this individual then indicated that he was “ready to commit some hate crimes” as […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Reflections • Tags: Balbir Singh Sodhi, Japanese internment, Libya, Oak Creek, Wisconsin

More than just ethnic bigotry: Sikh articles of faith and women

September 27, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Much has been written recently about the case of Ohio college student Balpreet Kaur. When her photo was surreptitiously taken and posted to the website Reddit as an object of mockery, her response to this demonstrated so much grace and eloquence, that she instead became an inspiration to many — so much so that even the person who originally posted the photo apologized. Balpreet Kaur is an inspiration, and her situation provides a learning for many of us Sikhs and […]

Categories: Reflections • Tags: Balpreet Kaur, beauty, Facial hair, Inderpal Kaur, Reddit, Turban, uncut hair, Women in Sikhism

Leave a comment

NBC Bay Area news footage of the Sikh Coalition's 5K for the 5Ks fundraising event on Saturday, September 22, 2012 (source: NBC Bay Area)

Thoughts on attending the Sikh Coalition’s “5K for the 5Ks” event

September 25, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Last Saturday, I was in the Bay Area to attend the Sikh Coalition’s “5K for the 5Ks” fundraising event in Sunnyvale, California. It was a very enjoyable event, and I was happy to meet in person many people I’ve seen online or in other forums. It was friendly atmosphere among the participants and organizers. I was particularly taken by the display of the variety of talent in our community during the event. Many thanks to the Sikh Coalition, their staff, […]

Categories: Art, Events, Reflections • Tags: 5K for the 5Ks, California, Chardi Kalakari, Kalakari Collective, Sikh Coalition, Sunnyvale

California’s Workplace Religion Freedom Act rights the wrongs faced by our parents

September 19, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

When my Sikh father immigrated to America in 1970 to practice architecture, employers told him that he could have a job only if he removed his turban and shaved his beard. He refused to abandon his faith and took his first job as an office boy, sharpening pencils and making coffee for his fellow architects. For decades, Sikh fathers like mine and countless religious minorities around the nation have been offered a similarly false choice between religious freedom and self-fulfillment […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reflections • Tags: AB1964, California, National Public Radio, NPR, Rajdeep Singh, Sikh Coalition, StoryCorps, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

Leave a comment

Jusleen Kaur talks about attending the Democratic National Convention

September 18, 2012 by American Turban Guest Contributor

Jusleen Kaur is a Sikh American and community activist who attended the Democratic National Convention earlier this month, working on the Specialty Media Team focusing on South Asia. She has graciously offered to document and share her experience. You can follow Jusleen on Twitter at @JusSodhi. Two weeks ago, I made the trip from our nation’s capital to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Charlotte, North Carolina. With each Obama bumper stickerthat I passed, I became more excited about what […]

Categories: Events, Politics, Reflections • Tags: Democratic National Convention, Harpreet Singh Sandhu, Jusleen Kaur, Sikh delegates

Leave a comment

The bullying-hate crime link and the role of schools

September 17, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“When we think of how we might prevent the tragedy that occurred at the Sikh gurudwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, we must look to the harassment endured by Sikh-American children in schools,” said Assistant Attorney General, Thomas E Perez, at a bullying prevention conference in California. He was referring to the August 5 attack on a Wisconsin gurudwara in which six Sikh worshippers were killed. “Here in the Bay area, according to a 2010 survey, three quarters of Sikh-American boys […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Reflections, Reports/Studies • Tags: Bay Area Civil Rights Report 2010, bullying, California, Education, hate crimes, SB1540, Sikh Coalition, Texas, Thomas Perez

Leave a comment

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Category Archives: Reflections

Amardeep Singh: What the Obama administration has done for the Sikh community

Picture of the Day: Ghadar Party Printing Press

Reflecting on Sikhism as a “peaceful” religion

Living post-eight-five

More than just ethnic bigotry: Sikh articles of faith and women

Thoughts on attending the Sikh Coalition’s “5K for the 5Ks” event

California’s Workplace Religion Freedom Act rights the wrongs faced by our parents

Jusleen Kaur talks about attending the Democratic National Convention

The bullying-hate crime link and the role of schools