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A writer reflects on her experiences with Sikhs

August 22, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

His metal bracelet caught the sun as he gestured toward a bearded, but much taller and quieter man wearing a powder blue turban. “My friend, Mohinder. And I am Cocky Singh. Tomorrow we will go on this adventure, shall we?” The Australian, my husband and I stood, mouths opened, our eyes darting like confused ping pong balls. — In the wake of the August 5 shooting of Sikhs in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Cynthia Inman Graham reflects on her encounters with […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Reflections • Tags: Cynthia Inman Graham, Gurdwara, hate crimes, kara, Oak Creek, Wisconsin

Reader: Education is pivotal to combat prejudice and discrimination

August 22, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Navjot Kaur, educator and author (who has been featured on this blog before), responds to yesterday’s post “The Oak Creek, WI shooting: education is needed, but so is pursuit of justice“: I agree with the article as a whole yet I still believe education has a pivotal role to play in opening mindsets to differences. When studies show that children learn to stereotype and form prejudice as early as two years of age, those ideas will only become more concrete with […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Politics • Tags: Education, hate crimes, Navjot Kaur, Oak Creek, Sikh Coalition, Wisconsin

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US First Lady to visit Oak Creek, Wisconsin victims

August 21, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

This Thursday, First Lady Michelle Obama will be visiting the families of the victims of the shooting at the Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Her visit is scheduled almost three weeks after the murders of six innocent congregants at the hands of a white supremacist: Tejpreet Kaur, a Sikh Coalition community organizer, called the first lady’s visit a “necessary step.” Victims and their families needed to have the events of Aug. 5 and the loss of family members “recognized at […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Politics • Tags: Barack Obama, Gurdwara, hate crimes, Michelle Obama, Mitt Romney, Oak Creek, Wisconsin

“Letters Home” by Preeti Kaur

August 17, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Writer Preeti Kaur pens “Letters Home”, a poem in tribute to the victims of the Oak Creek, Wisconsin shooting. An excerpt: america: enter the gurdwara door is open our bare feet like cracked glass our covered heads bulletproof from ego we turn our backs on bellingham build our gurdwaras from post traumatic cinder of bombed birmingham black church nina simone sings tera bhaana meetha laage to tune of mississippi goddamn gunpowder lines noses of children left behind wailing mummy papa […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Literature • Tags: Gurdwara, hate crimes, Oak Creek, Poetry, Preeti Kaur, Wisconsin

Murdered Sikh in armed robbery was member of Oak Creek, WI Gurdwara

August 16, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Still grieving and recovering from their attack less than two weeks ago, another tragedy has reportedly befallen the Oak Creek, Wisconsin Sikh community: Multiple media outlets are reporting that a 50-year-old man fatally shot during an armed robbery attempt in Milwaukee was a member of the Oak Creek Sikh temple. Dalbir Singh, 50, was killed about 9 p.m. during a robbery at the Harmony Food Store near 38th and Locust, according to Patch’s media partners at Fox 6. The shooting […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, News Bits • Tags: Dalbir Singh, Gurdwara, hate crimes, Milwaukee, Oak Creek, Santokh Singh, Wisconsin

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Reflecting on the week that was

August 13, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

This time last week was the day-after of the Oak Creek, Wisconsin Gurdwara shooting, and I found myself still processing through what had happened the day before: It was only yesterday that I was randomly switching channels to watch my one of my favorite cable news shows, but was instead confronted with bold headlines sprawled across the screen: “WISCONSIN,” “SIKH,” “SHOOTING,” “TEMPLE.” It would take me a few moments to absorb. Innocent Sikh men, women and children were being attacked […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Reflections • Tags: Gurdwara, hate crimes, Oak Creek, Totella, Wisconsin

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Picture of the Day: Sikh children in CA reach out to WI Gurdwara victims

August 13, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Sikhs in San Jose, California, held an art therapy event for Sikh children at the Sikh Gurdwara Sahib San Jose on Sunday. Read more about the motivation behind the event to help children express their feelings about the tragedy.

Categories: Art, Hate Crimes, Picture of the Day • Tags: art therapy, Children, Gurdwara, hate crimes, Oak Creek, San Jose, Sikh Gurdwara Sahib San Jose, Wisconsin

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Reader: Sikhs should abolish the turban

August 12, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

A reader writes: SSakal – The question of the turban as an identification mark of a Singh/Sikh is the key. Guru Gobind Singh created Khalsa and gave them 5 ritual markings to carry as an identification: K – Kes (long hair) K – Kanga (comb) K – Karah (bangle) K – Kashera (underwear) K – Kirpan (dagger) Here lies the Truth. The Guru has never dictated, advocated or commanded His followers to wear a sixth article: T – Turban D […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Sikhism • Tags: Dastar, Gurdwara, Guru Gobind Singh, hate crimes, hukamnama, Oak Creek, Rajdeep Singh, Sikh Coalition, Turban, Washington Post, Wisconsin

Helping children understand the WI Gurdwara tragedy

August 11, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

During the week, I was interviewed by the editor of masalamommas.com Anjum Choudhry Nayyar, in which she discusses the use of social media by mothers to help children deal with the tragic shooting last week at the Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin: Many of us, as moms, can play a role in raising awareness about different cultures and tolerance right here in our own homes. While time isn’t always on our side, common sense is. If we can arm our […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Resources • Tags: Gurdwara, hate crimes, Masala Mommas, Oak Creek, resources for children, Sikh Coalition, Wisconsin

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Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: hate crimes

A writer reflects on her experiences with Sikhs

Reader: Education is pivotal to combat prejudice and discrimination

US First Lady to visit Oak Creek, Wisconsin victims

“Letters Home” by Preeti Kaur

Murdered Sikh in armed robbery was member of Oak Creek, WI Gurdwara

Reflecting on the week that was

Picture of the Day: Sikh children in CA reach out to WI Gurdwara victims

Reader: Sikhs should abolish the turban

Helping children understand the WI Gurdwara tragedy