Racial profiling |

The day I racially profiled myself

September 26, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Upon booking my flight for a recent vacation, it was a routine consideration that I would need to make sure I gave myself enough time to check in at the airport, because I knew I would be subject to extra screening. As a turban-wearing man of Indian descent, I have heeded the notifications and have become used to added scrutiny and inspection when I travel through the country’s airports, which usually consists of additional pat-downs, turban inspections, and a review of my travel […]

Categories: Reflections • Tags: Airport security, Post-9/11, Racial profiling, Transportation Security Administration, TSA

“Terror” does not equal “Turban”

July 28, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

It amazes me how quickly and easily the media points to the turban when acts of terror are committed across the globe, even when the individuals who performed these acts do not themselves wear a turban. In the case of Norway’s horrendous attack, the perpetrator was a cleancut, white male. There was one person involved who does wear a turban: a young Sikh woman, who witnessed the shooting and was lucky to escape from the killer’s rampage. And yet, the conversation in the media would […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, News Bits • Tags: Canada, Cape Breton Post, Muslim, Oslo, Racial profiling, Terrorism

The Sikh Coalition faces racial profiling, cont’d

April 5, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

It was at this moment that I realized we were being profiled and that what made us “suspicious” in the eyes of some misinformed bigot were our turbans. I clarified to the 3 officers that we are actually from South Asia; requested their business cards; and told them that we would “be in touch.” At long last, we made our way to the Capitol Visitor Center, where Gurwinder delivered an excellent presentation with poise and incredible grace, only moments after […]

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits • Tags: "Washington, D.C.", Gurwinder Singh, Racial profiling, Rajdeep Singh, Sikh Coalition

The Sikh Coalition faces racial profiling

April 4, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

From the Sikh Coalition’s (one of the first national Sikh-focused civil rights organizations in the country) Facebook page today: The irony speaks for itself, and I’m very much interested to hear more details.

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits • Tags: "Washington, D.C.", Facebook, Gurwinder Singh, Racial profiling, Sikh Coalition

When the TSA “drops the ball”

December 9, 2010 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

It had come to my mind the other day that I hadn’t seen much more fallout from the TSA’s new aggressive screening procedures. And then today, I receive this news in my inbox: December 9, 2010 (Washington, DC) – The Sikh Coalition filed a formal complaint this week with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on behalf of Mr. Daljeet Singh Mann, a business traveler, who was forced to remove his dastaar (Sikh turban) on two separate occasions within a span of only […]

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits • Tags: Air travel, Airport security, Daljeet Singh Mann, Racial profiling, Sacramento International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, SFO, Sikh Coalition, SMF, Transportation Security Administration, TSA, Turban

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: Racial profiling