Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund |

Washington, DC Police to accommodate observant Sikhs

May 16, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. will soon make an accommodation to allow observant Sikhs to serve: The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund says [D.C. Police Chief Cathy] Lanier will announce an executive order Wednesday that eases uniform and appearance rules for Sikhs. Observant Sikhs generally wear turbans and do not cut their hair, and a policy change will permit them to maintain their appearance. Despite the long history of Sikhs serving in military and law enforcement […]

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits • Tags: "Washington, Cathy Lanier, D.C.", Jasjit Singh Jaggi, Metropolitan Police Department, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund

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A look at America’s Sikh advocacy organizations

May 15, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

A recent study called “Lobbying for the Faithful” from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life provided a survey of religious advocacy organizations in Washington, D.C.: The number of organizations engaged in religious lobbying or religion-related advocacy in Washington, D.C., has increased roughly fivefold in the past four decades, from fewer than 40 in 1970 to more than 200 today. These groups collectively employ at least 1,000 people in the greater Washington area and spend at least $350 million […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reports/Studies • Tags: "Washington, D.C.", Pew Forum, religious advocacy, SALDEF, SCORE, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Coalition, Sikh Council on Religion and Education, Washington DC

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Sikh Americans campaign to end racial profiling and protect workplace religious freedom

April 17, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Two Sikh American organizations are currently engaged in campaigns to help protect the religious freedoms of Sikhs and other minorities in this country from discriminatory practices: SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund) is working for the passage of the federal End Racial Profiling Act. The Sikh Coalition is undertaking a campaign to have the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2012 passed in California. Both of these organizations are seeking public support to help pass these laws.

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: AB1964, California, End Racial Profiling Act, HR3618, Labor and Employment Committee, Mariko Yamada, S1670, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Coalition, Workplace Religious Freedom Act, WRFA

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Member of Sterling, VA Sikh family, victims of death threat, describes history of harassment

March 7, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“‘We will kill you, we will sell your children in Cuba, and tie up your women with your turbans,’” he says. “It was hard on us.” — a member of the Sikh family in Sterling, Virginia, who recently received a death threat accusing them of being a member of the Taliban, recounts the previous threats made against them in the past which also included spraying graffiti on their home.

Categories: Hate Crimes • Tags: hate crime, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sterling, Virginia

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Picture of the Day: Sikh family in VA receives death threat letter in apparent hate crime

March 2, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

According to SALDEF (the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund), a Sikh family in Sterling, Virginia received a death threat in the mail this week. The anonymous letter accuses this family as being members of the Taliban: “Our People in the neighborhood have been closely watching your activities and figured out you are a close associate of a secret Taliban movement on the US Soil. We ask you to leave the country as soon as possible otherwise one of […]

Categories: Hate Crimes • Tags: hate crime, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sterling, Virginia

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Bringing WRFA to California

February 28, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

As discussed often on this blog, employment discrimination is still a challenge for many religious and visible minorities (such as Sikhs, who fall under both categories). According to the Sikh Coalition (a US-based Sikh advocacy organization): Sikhs suffer high levels of workplace discrimination because of their Sikh identity. Many are told to shave their beards; others are told to remove their turbans; some are told that they can only work out of public view. If enacted, WRFA would make it […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: 1964 Civil Rights Act, California, John Kerry, Mariko Yamada, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Coalition, Title VII, Workplace Religious Freedom Act, WRFA

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Gurdwara in Sterling Heights, MI, vandalized in apparent hate crime

February 7, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) alerts us to vandalism of a Gurdwara completing construction in Sterling Heights, Michigan: According to reports directly from the gurdwara management committee, the vandalism happened between the evening of Feb 5th and the morning of February 6, 2012. The graffiti included vulgar language, racial epithets, the use of what appears to be a cross, a large drawing of a gun, and references to the attacks of September 11th. The new site […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, News Bits • Tags: Graffiti, hate crime, Michigan, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sterling Heights

SALDEF’s summer internships on Capitol Hill for Sikh college students

February 3, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

For the second consecutive year, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) is soliciting applications from Sikh college students for its Congressional Internship Program: The SikhLEAD Internship Program partners with congressional offices and federal agencies to provide Sikh American college students with enriching internship experiences. Through this program, students are afforded first-hand perspective into the functioning of the federal government and legislative process. SikhLEAD Internships seek to develop leadership skills, encourage political and civic engagement, and foster interest […]

Categories: Resources • Tags: Capitol Hill, Congressional Internship Program, Internship, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund

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The Golden Temple: where the rich live

January 20, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

US Sikh organization SALDEF alerts us to an excerpt of Jay Leno’s opening monologue on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where Darbar Sahib (aka the Golden Temple) is depicted as Republican candidate for US President Mitt Romney’s home. I’m not sure if SALDEF was highlighting this in a positive or negative light. Romney’s wealth and social status have been an issue in the campaign and he is often accused of being out of touch with much of America. I’m […]

Categories: Humor, Politics, TV/Movies • Tags: Darbar Sahib, Harmandir Sahib, Jay Leno, Mitt Romney, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund

Washington, DC Police to accommodate observant Sikhs

A look at America’s Sikh advocacy organizations

Sikh Americans campaign to end racial profiling and protect workplace religious freedom

Member of Sterling, VA Sikh family, victims of death threat, describes history of harassment

Picture of the Day: Sikh family in VA receives death threat letter in apparent hate crime

Bringing WRFA to California

Gurdwara in Sterling Heights, MI, vandalized in apparent hate crime

SALDEF’s summer internships on Capitol Hill for Sikh college students

The Golden Temple: where the rich live