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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 1:08 p.m. ET: As details emerged from the scene of a shooting at a Sikh temple in southern Wisconsin, Sikhs around the country mourned the loss of their fellow believers, saying they are misunderstood minority.
"We are pretty sure that this is a hate crime because there is so much ignorance and people mistake us either being Taliban, or being part of Bin Laden’s network, or al-Qaida because of our turbans and beards," Rajwa Singh of the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation in Rockville, Md., told NBCWashington.com. The center held a special prayer Sunday for those killed in Wisconsin.
In New York, Sikhs gathered Sunday evening to mourn and try to make sense of the murderous attack.
"You cannot imagine how we loss, how we suffer," Gurdev Singh Kang, president of the Sikh Cultural Society in Richmond Hill, Queens, told NBCNewYork.com.
Kang said the uncle of the society's chairman was among those killed in Wisconsin, where a gunman opened fire Sunday morning at a temple outside Milwaukee, killing six people and wounding at least three others, including a police officer.
Alleged gunman, 'Jack Boot,' led neo-Nazi punk band
A police officer called to the scene killed the gunman before he could fire on even more worshipers.
The alleged gunman was identified Monday as Wade Michael Page, 40, a military veteran who served in the Army from April 1992 through October 1998. Page is the former leader of a neo-Nazi music group called End Apathy, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Sikhism, which emerged in central India and the Punjab region of India in the 16th century, dubs itself a "progressive religion." The Sikhs stress the oneness of God, emphasize the full equality of women and reject distinctions of creed, race or sex. Community service is also an integral part of Sikhism. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives, there are about 612,560 adherents in North America.
Male Sikhs grow thick beards and cover their heads with turbans. They are often misunderstood, labeled terrorists or mistaken for Muslims. Harassment against them has grown since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Jeffrey Phelps / AP
A gunman opened fire Sunday morning at a Sikh temple outside of Milwaukee, killing six people and wounding at least three others, including a police officer, before being shot to death, authorities said.
Shortly after 9/11, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh gas station owner in Mesa, Ariz., was killed apparently because of his turban and his faith by an assailant who associated him with the terrorist attacks.
The Sikh Coalition, a community-based organization tackling discrimination, was founded in New York City on 9/11 as a response to the backlash violence experienced by Sikhs around the country. According to the organization’s website, an elderly Sikh and two teenagers were attacked in Queens that same night in “reprisal” attacks.
In a 2011 report to Congress on school bullying, the organization noted that "roughly half to over three-quarters of Sikh students" are targeted for bullying, harassment, or violence in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area.
New Jersey resident Prabhujeet Singh, a software programmer, said several children have called him "Osama," NJ.com reported, and a drunk man confronted him in a grocery store, calling him the same name and growing violent.
Photoblog: Sikhs at the Golden Temple, their holiest shrine
"That turban has tragically marked us as automatically suspect, perpetually foreign and potentially terrorists," Valarie Kaur, a filmmaker who has chronicled attacks on Sikhs in the 2006 documentary "Divided We Fall," told the AP.
"We are experiencing it as a hate crime," she added. "Every Sikh American today is hurting, grieving and afraid."
Authorities said they were investigating the Wisconsin temple assault as an act of domestic terrorism. Sikh leadership condemned the attack, adding that U.S.-based adherents should consider adopting increased security measures at their places of worship, called gurdwaras.
"It is a highly unfortunate incident which has taken place in America leaving six innocent devotees dead. This is a security lapse on the part of U.S. government," Giani Gurbachan Singh, the head priest of Akal Takht, the highest Sikh temporal seat, told The Times of India. A delegation was sent to the United States to investigate the attack, he added.
According to The Associated Press, India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also a member of the Sikh faith, called the assault a "dastardly attack."
"That this senseless act of violence should be targeted at a place of religious worship is particularly painful," he said in a statement, according to the AP.
New York police said they would be deploying critical response vehicles as a precaution in addition to stepping up patrols at Sikh temples.
"That was miles and miles away," Gursharan Bharth said outside a temple in Flushing, Queens. "For a cop to come here and check on us to make sure we're okay, just kind of shows me that we live in New York and New York is a place where yes people rub shoulders and don't get along all the time, but we stand together still."
NBCWashington.com and NBCNewYork.com contributed to this report.
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Just to clear things up the Sikhs are a religious group and community. Just like Christians, Jehovah Witnesses, Hindus, etc. They are a peaceful group and mean no harm to no one. Do your research on the group before you jump to any conclusions!
Aren't all religions peaceful? There are loons in all religions.
Sikhism is an extremely progressive religion. I'm very saddened to see this happen to their community.
That's bs. If they're so progressive, why do they wear beards and turbans? Ha ha.
the Turban and the beard are part of their RELIGION......like a rosary or the bible or the cross are to other religions.....is that really too hard 4 u 2 understand??
never mind.....don't answer that!!
I understand. All I am saying is that it's not progressive like MSpielman said.
Do you have arguments for disliking them other than "because they look funny?"
It's religious differences that are to blame. Subtract religion from the equation, and much of the tension goes away. It is an unnecessary evil.
No, it is bigotry, paranoia, and intolerance that is to blame.
Religion is an excuse, not a cause.
Think Josef Stalin. Pot Pol.
In the 1960's when I was in college, there was phrase sometimes used to describe America at that time: "The sick society." I don't think we were nearly as "sick" then as we are now.
We were just as sick. The targets were just different.
It was just a bad in the 60's depending on where and who you were, we used to to sic dogs on black protesters, wouldn't let them eat at lunch counters, fired water cannons at peaceful demonstrators, arrest peaceful anti-war groups, I'd say we are about the same just new targets.
I agree with the two of you above who responded to my post. I hadn't thought about in in quite that way.
I posted this earlier but the comment under which I placed it was collapsed.
We are prone to take the words or deeds of an individual and apply them to whatever group the individual is affiliated with. There is some merit in this, especially where religion is concerned, but once again, labeling entire groups based on the action of an individual or a small group is a lazy way to reconcile what we don't understand. labeling entire populations or countries, or religions, or races, or sexes, this way is the very heart of ignorant, hateful behavior, like racism, or sexism.
We owe it to ourselves and the rest of civilization to try to be more watchful of the way we form our opinions. It is easy to jump to conclusions when we are anxious to gain perspective, but patient consideration and study can bring understanding.
One other thing we all tend to do is become defensive of our considered opinions. Defending our thoughts will many times cause us to become ever more staunch in our beliefs. While standing our ground can be appropriate, we all should try to open our minds and really listen to different opinions. There is NO shame in rejecting a belief we hold if we become convinced our original conclusion was incorrect or hastily reached.
Hate, has its origins in ignorance, and stubborn adherence to opinions formed in haste or adopted from so called experts who, quite often, haven't done their homework before promoting their opinions. Consider certain radio talk-show hosts or political pundits who speak authoritatively while ruminating in front of a microphone or camera. Listeners or viewers tend to buy in to the views expressed, especially when the views align with their own. We all should seek to understand just how educated the talk-show host or pundit is on the subject he or she is addressing before we blindly accept their ideas.
Individualism should be our mantra, judge, label, reject or accept individuals based on their behavior.
My heartfelt condolences to those who follow the Sikh religion, and to the families and friends of those whose lives were senselessly taken by a hateful, ignorant, evil man!
Becoming defensive of ones opinion is very easy to do when that opinion is mocked, belittled or otherwise marginalized. It's hard to change someone's mind when the first thing they read in opposition is how stupid they are.
Brian,
Agreed. I never meant to convey that any of what I advocate is easy, or that I'm somehow above some of the behavior. Much of it is human nature. I do wonder though, whether our information saturated world leads to hastily formed opinions. We must, after all, assimilate the knowledge we consume so we must some how categorize the information. When we are inundated with information at every turn, we don't have the luxury of time to consider what is put before us.
I still think we owe it to ourselves to try to make time to really think and if possible research what is promoted before accepting any idea as fact. I absolutely DO believe that ignorance is in large part due to lazy minds and that our tendency to paint entire groups with a broad brush is at the heart of racism, sexism and a whole host of other hurtful, destructive and dangerous behavior.
sighber -
Unfortunately we're talking about a society that grew up on 10 second sound bites and thinks a blog about someone's interpretation of another's work is a source document.
So true.
Brian,
I totally agree!
Our hearts mourn for these Americans and our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of the victims. This is a senseless crime regardless of religious belief. No one should be gunned down in cold blood while attending their place of worship.
So the shooter was a teabagger?
I'm not surprised.
is this an attempt to spin this into a political thing, stop it. it is insanity
these people don't understand and most Americans are unwilling to say if these people would assimilate into American style, and culture, they would not be appearing like the enemy, this guy was a wacko, but if I came to America I would try to look American, and not like a Taliban,
Quote, you are truly a moron. Get a picture of just any Taliban leader off the internet. Then Google an image of a Sikh male. Do you see the difference? It is not a subtle one. It is easy to see. Everyone does not have to look like John Boehner in order to be an American and deserve a chance to live.
@Quote : Moron , I am more worried about all white dudes with a tattoo now because they were involved in this shooting as well as the one in Colorado and oh I forgot...columbine massacre...and Oklahoma bombings..
this is america why should they have to assimilate to live?...further more we have a constitutional right to dress and worship as we see fit as long as we don't harm others....also what exactly is american assimilation....is that code for do as white people do?
A police officer and other innocent individuals shot multiple times by a white supremacist with a semi-automatic weapon in a state that recently passed a law permitting carrying of concealed weapons. Thank you Scott Walker, thank you Sean Hannity, thank you Rush Limbaugh, thank you Glenn Beck - the only people more pathetic than those individuals, are those who listen to them and think they make sense.
I am for all kinds of gun control. It will never, ever happen. The Supreme Court has ruled, and that is an end to it. We would need an act of Congress (literally) to change that--and there is exactly zero chance of it happening. Much as I want gun control, we had best get to enforcing what is on the books (until it is overturned) and quit whining.
SIKH worship one GOD ...so do Muslims worship the same GOD. Christian's prophet is Jesus, Muslim is Mohammed. The Jews worship the same GOD but don't believe in either's prophet. The Taliban a radical fundalmentalist group the Bush/Reagan called freedom fighters and on the CIA's payroll. The al Qaeda was CIA'S making of. We are taught to hate Muslims and their clothing atire, but the Sikh is the same , but that is acceptable. Nuns wore a habit that covered all but their hands and face, Muslims are critisized and poked fun of. The truth will be told one day it was not the Muslims/Arabs who did 9/11 and blamed on Muslins. If not for that lie all the millions, especially children, and our troops would still be alive, and what happened yesterday would not have. More of the hate, and members of the KKK have come about since the Tea Party.
I detest Reagan but, to be fair, the Taliban wasn't violent when Reagan accepted them. They were an expression of the indigenous religion.
In the eyes of these psychos, anyone who isn't of European descent is Taliban.
It's more base than that. Many hispanics are of european decent. Even our president is half-white. These psychos don't even look as deep as ancestral descent. They can't look past the surface and what one looks like.
Let us not be fooled:
Sikh Terrorism
Description
Sikh terrorism is sponsored by expatriate and Indian Sikh groups who want to carve out an independent Sikh state called Khalistan (Land of the Pure) from Indian territory. Active groups include Babbar Khalsa, Azad Khalistan Babbar Khalsa Force, Khalistan Liberation Front, and Khalistan Commando Force. Many of these groups operate under umbrella organizations, the most significant of which is the Second Panthic Committee.
Activities
Sikh attacks in India are mounted against Indian officials and facilities, other Sikhs, and Hindus; they include assassinations, bombings, and kidnappings. These attacks have dropped markedly since 1992, as Indian security forces have killed or captured a host of senior Sikh militant leaders. Total civilian deaths in Punjab have declined more than 95 percent since more than 3,300 civilians died in 1991. The drop results largely from Indian Army, paramilitary, and police successes against extremist groups.
Strength
Unknown.
Location/Area of Operation
Northern India, Western Europe, Southeast Asia, and North America.
External Aid
Sikh militant cells are active internationally and extremists gather funds from overseas Sikh communities. Sikh expatriates have formed a variety of international organizations that lobby for the Sikh cause overseas. Most prominent are the World Sikh Organization and the International Sikh Youth Federation.
So this guy was really doing us all a favor?
Pete, Colorado-301015 that only fool I see here is YOU mate!!!
Open your eyes, how about looking up the facts and reading instead of just looking at the pictures - try to increase that thing they refer to as IQ, and also I am not YOUr mate!!!
And your source for this information is... what? You can't just say things as truth without facts and citations. Otherwise you're no better than Fox News.
Pete - your information may be a little out of date.
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/publication/nightsoffalsehood/index.html
@Pete, Colorado-301015 : Yes sikhs have taken up arms to fight against injustices in the past.
When you talk about Sikh extremism in the 1980's (which is clearly in the past) you would do well to remember the govt. attitude towards Sikhs at that time. Sikhs at that time were ridiculed , made fun of and generally mistreated. Add to that the desecration of Golden temple , fake police encounter deaths , torture etc and what do you expect ?
Sikhs will roll over and allow themselves to be crushed ?
That however has got nothing to do with millions of sikhs worldwide who are doing well in all fields. and your statement is nothing but dangerous stereotyping that many indulge in.
that was over two decades ago and the sikh extremist have been isolated and jailed remember flight 182 in 1987 I can assure you sikhs have not participated in any domestic terrorism of any kind in many years
This is so sad. I personally don't know much about the Sikh religion, other than what it is mentioned in the article, but I distinctly remember the day after 9/11 that Sikh cab drivers were driving around with signs posted on their cab windows saying 'We are Sikh, not terrorists'. Sad that they need to defend themselves because of so much ignorance.
you call it ignorance, i call it ignorance the other way around. so we are at a stale mate. i should not have to educate myself on every friggin religion that is in this country so i can tell who is friend or foe. i should not have to tolerate ones religious symbols that i find offensive in ways that no man should ever relate to a religion. you see it how you want but in my eyes wearing blue jeans in a baseball cap is a better choice in a country that has defended, given thier lives and thier childrens lives for you to make a choice. sad you just don't see we are still fighting for your rights and are still in mourning for not only 9/11 but for the loss of those that gave thier lives for you. just the sight of a man or women especially a women with that crap, sends my mind in places it should not be. i immediately, get angery and find feelings of not trust when i see those items. you can't tell me i am alone in having these feelings. these feeling i have are similiar to what i have when i see a picture of hitler. you can not tell me i am alone with that.
@what!-3337813 : Have you tried some anti anxiety medication ? Perhaps that is your problem.
I think many Americans are just tired of immigrants, period. Many new immigrants here contribute nothing to society, except screaming for special benefits and privileges, and insisting that everyone else learn their religion and language. What most immigrants bring to America today is an entitlement mentality.
no i am sure that it is just the result of watching hours of horrible tv on 9/11 and the loss of 3 of my family members to this @!$%#. it could also be hearing about what women go thru in those countries or the fact that india is the biggest trash bin in the world and the people there see coming to american as a way of life instead of of an honor. no not anxiety just pissed pretty much generally. yeah i'd say just pissed.
Sikhs are not terrorists. Is it OK to shoot white kids at the mall because their underwear shows? Kind of offends me. If America is sick of immigrants, it is sick of itself. We are almost all pretty recent immigrants. My granny wore a Dutch hairstyle until she died. You want us to shoot people like her, too?
please get some therapy what!-3337813.......thanks!!!
Janika Yladvik :
With a name like Janika Yladvik where did you come from ?
@what : you do understand that sikhs had nothing to do with 9/11 right ?
In fact your US army would have been better off allowing Sikhs into infantry and airforce because then the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan would have been fought better .
Too bad the US military is still clinging to a racist past as well.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba9jqcZMoyA" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba9jqcZMoyA"> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba9jqcZMoyA
my thoughts of support goes out to these families in the time of their loss. may your religion give you the guidance and support you will need to see your way to get through these days ahead.
in response to the comments on this feed, i find this content really hard to believe in these remarks. first of all. if you don't like America get out and well you are at it take a couple million people with you that are here illegally cause its such a horrible place no one wants to be here any ways, ignore that fact that people die in attempts everyday to get to America. as far as the whole religion thing, conform to American ways yes, sorry you are the one that wants to be here so conform or go back to you own country if they will even take you back. America is based on conformity sorry to tell you. you still have the right to practice your religion but face facts most Americans really don't care what religion you are just allow me the right to live my life free to not be witness to yours unless i want to. sorry to tell you but to most American, true blood and not crazy, you folks that walk around with that crap on your head are kind of being insitive and arogant. what ever you have the right to do it here, so you should be ass happy you can. wear what ever you want but realize we Americans tend to get a little pissed off when we allow our children to fight for your rights and you come over here and do the very things we were trying to protect you from. so yeah we kind of hate any religion right now that makes you look like a screaming idiot about to hit the towers. sorry if we are being insitive to you needs and religious freedoms but that is pretty much what it comes down to. this is my personal feelings after reading the comments above and in no way am i ok with what that crazy man did. if you all hate America so bad then get out, believe me no one will miss you.
"If you don't like America, get out." Well, my people have been here for coming up on 400 years, so I think I will stay. Listening to you, I think Mr. Singh is a lot more American than you...you are an aberration caused by failure and probably erectile dysfunction. "Insitive and arogant"? Wow. Can you ever show your stupidity to advantage.
Well, the Native American part of me would like to ask you for papers that prove you are not the descendant of an immigrant. & the English part of me (Jamestown, 1620) would like you to conform to my cultural standards and STFU. We are mostly of immigrant descent in this country and every new wave is resented by the previous wave of immigrants. It is not okay to demand that Sikhs conform to your standards of dress, or maybe you want Joan Rivers' job on the Fashion Police.
@What : Seriously people like you should take medication. It's a lot cheaper than buying a handgun and blowing people up.
Hey what!-3337813 why should they have to give up their culture to please you?....who cares what you don't like its a free country and if you don't like freedom for all citizens it is you who should leave
The shooting is senseless and deplorable. However, Sikh people can do things to make themselves a lot more acceptable in the US by cutting their hair, shaving their beard and getting rid of the turban. I have known of professional firms that won't hire Sikhs because they aren't sure their clients will be receptive of an attorney/accountant/consultant in a turban, even if they wear a suit. Most of us probably won't feel comfortable having a doctor/dentist/teacher in a turban either. Whether they like it or not, the turban and the beard incite fear in many people. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Americans do not wear turbans. If Sikhs want to be accepted they need to dress more like everyone else, change their looks to suit the 21st century, otherwise, stay in India.
It seems to me they have a right to dress how they want as long as they don't create some sort of health problem. America is meant to be a melting pot.
Jane, finally someone who says it like it is. If you wear religious attire in America, whether you're a Jew or a Sikh or Muslim, be prepared to be excluded.
holy freaking moly.......the Turban and the beard are part of their RELIGION...why can't peeps understand that....I love seeing them express their faith like that and to NOT hire them because of how they look is called: DISCRIMINATION!!!
Jane, if you as a woman travelled to the middle east you would respect their customs and wear a head scarf, not because you are a muslim but just to respect your host country and you would be more accepted even though the know that you are American. I agree with what you said and it's true, if you come to America then conform to the American society. I am Black (some say African but I do not since I have never been to Africa) American, I nor my family or friends feel the need to dress in African robes and headdresses, that is not the norm in this country and I would unwittingly open the door for some stupid loon like the one who shot the Sikhs to possibly bring harm to me.
I don't think I am being prejudiced at all, I think America is so hung up on catering to EVERYONE except true Americans who were born and raised here is the problem. I am sorry for what happened to these people but why do they have to wear that Turban and long mustashe? If I went to their country I would try to respect their culture and dress somewhat similar to what they are wearing out of respect. I'm done here so let the comments fly.
Jane : You been watching Fox news too much !
Yes the distinct identity does make sikhs a target but it does not justify the act of the killer who was white. Our Gurus taught us to not to bow before injustice. Why don't you get rid of your dress because I find it offensive or change your accent to suit my tastes ?
That is grounds for lawsuit and not acceptable. If you have "known such firms" kindly provide the names.
LOL , Did you mean most of "us white americans" ?
Is America Rome ? Does America want to end up like Rome ? White Americans will eventually become a minority ..so then what will your "Rome" look like ?
Some white americans do wear turbans as well. Keep the rest of your racist rant to yourself. Sikhs have served gloriously throughout history and do not fear fighting for anything against even insurmoutable odds.
Make no mistake about it.
Vikramjit, Sikhs are free to wear what they want, but don't be surprised if they're socially shunned for their choice of religious attire. I for one would not want to be working with a person who is so full of himself that he must overtly proclaim himself religiously 24x7. Don't be surprised if they're not hired.
AB...is there some way I could make sure you socially shun me? It would help my quality of life.
Buffaloes Roam, you're nothing but an oppressor of law-abiding people, of their freedom to defend themselves, with your quest for gun control. For each terrorist shooter, there are a million law-abiding gun owners who do not massacre innocents. I also see you're emotionally upset now. Try green tea. If I haven't shunned you, it's probably because I don't know you well enough yet.
You didn't read what I wrote about gun control, did you? Just the first sentence. Hilarious.
AB & Jane: Do you blame women for being raped because they wore tight jeans (or whatever you find provocative)? We have freedom of religion in this country. Yes, if I were to visit a traditional theocracy like certain Middle eastern nations, I would wear a head scarf. Of course, I live in America where we do not legislate dress codes.
People like you are the reason there is division in America and lawsuits . You don't know jack about Sikhs you keyboard ninja. LOL
and I wouldn't want to work with someone who is a closet racist like you either. BTW new research proves that racism is a mental illness. maybe you should try some meds.
If a sikh is not hired because of appearance alone then a lawsuit will come handy to allow that sikhs to make all the money he needs for the rest of his life. Be ready for that too :)
@lyneth : American women who come to India are not expected nor mandated by any rule to dress up as Indian women. Many are quite shocked to come and see Indian girls wearing Jeans and T shirts to work.
Vikramjit Singh, prove that racism is a mental illness. It is simply a personal preference, and people are entitled to their preferences. You yourself might be biased against Pakistanis, for example. It is almost impossible to prove in a court of law that a person was not hired because of their turban. There are usually multiple reasons for excluding someone - the interviewers have a lot of leeway in this regard. Also note this - if the candidate files a lawsuit and loses the case, which is very likely, it opens the door to a counter-suit for which victory is almost guaranteed. I respect Sikhs who don't wear turbans - they work in my company.
@AB : google it and you'll know. perhaps you may get insights into your own self. LOL
Racism can be proved and sikhs have won lawsuits in many predominantely white nations. This is only the start. Expect more lawsuits till you guys comply and behave.
Its not that difficult even if you may seem to have alternative reasons for justifying a decision ..which is normally the case for many racists to hide their racist leanings. Do you think a jury or a judge is stupid and can't see through that ?
I would only say that with an attitude of a racist that you are depicting you can get into legal trouble. It's all about that one slip you make. so be careful.
Vikramjit Singh, I am never hiring anyone with a turban - you hear that loud and clear? If I can help it, I am never working for one either. Racism is a personal prejudice that is not grounded in mental illness. Don't you know that psychiatrists love overdiagnosing mental illnesses? Moreover, it's not about racism at all. I already told you I work with shaved Sikhs whom I respect. It's more about simple aesthetics.
@AB 1981 : Are you a skinhead or part of a neo nazi group ? Racism is beyond personal prejudice. Are you dumb or what ? what work do you do besides shotting your dumbass mouth off? Care to provide me your company information.
VS, you've crossed the lines of discipline for this forum. You should know when to stop. Do you see other people here badmouthing each other? I am not a racist. Beards and turbans are simply ugly, and you are too.
Crossed a line ? I think that applies to racists on this forum. I am sure you find blacks , muslims , gays and other groups who are not white ugly . give me your company information and I'll contact you.
BTW what's uglier than a white neo nazi skinhead who goes killing people ?
Hiding behind a fake name on a forum and thinking you can't be IP traced down is childish.
p.s. I work with law enforcement so better keep a lid on it .
Vikramjit Singh, please go screw a turban. You've no idea what you're doing here.
racist and ignorant. just like that michael wade guy. If you planning any copycat crimes I can send the cops to your place. Let me know.
Vikramjit Singh, stop harassing people here already. I am not a criminal or even racist. The person who did the shooting is dead already. Go get a real job and leave us the hell alone. You don't belong on this board.
AB-1981 : Ok I'll leave you alone but if you write anymore mildly racist crap or say things that encourages racism , I will have to report your ID to the cops and you to your company because some of the things you have said are blatantly racist.
VS, why is it so difficult for you to mix aesthetics with racism? Sikh beards and turbans are hideous - shaved Sikhs are not. There is a sense of professionalism that is to be maintained at the office. Most workers are required to shave and get a haircut regularly - why do you think this is?
Go screw yourself now in your preferred place of worship. Even if I was racist, there's nothing illegal about one's point of view. Your threats are meaningless. I have done nothing illegal. On the contrary, you've engaged in libel against many people here, opening you up for multiple lawsuits.
you can have your own preference but some of your comments are racist and eventually people similar to you do something stupid with weapons in hand like that Michal Wade loser who shot 6 in Wisconsin
Being a racist is not illegal but if you openly proclaim that you won't hire someone due to their religion etc..then you are advertising your racist behavior. This can at least cause you to lose your job.
The defense of it being about aesthetics is a weak defence of a racist. Not good enough .
Please tell me the name of your company and I will contact them if they are indulging in discriminatory practices as that is ILLEGAL .
VS, are you an idiot? Why on earth would anyone tell an annoying person like you anything? Get a brain.
I told you that I will never hire a turban-wearer in the same way that I will not hire a homeless person off the street, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. You're the sore loser here. Rest assured, my company is very diverse, and I already told you that we have Sikhs working for us. You can go take your ridiculous whining to Manmohan Singh. I don't give a f u c k what you think is good enough or not. From the impression I am getting, turban wearing Sikhs are on the dumber side. Quit your haggling and inbreeding - maybe your children will turn out smarter.
Mensa
you are just annoyed because I pointed out to you that you are racist and openly proclaiming it.
Racist discrimination is against the law and the law is made just for people like you.
Please provide me name of your company and I will email them about your remarks. Diversity is not about lip service or pressurizing people to blend in to "look white" .
I am not whining. I am pointing it out to you that you are making racist comments and proclaiming hatred for a specific religion. Michael Wade probably also started out by hating one group or the other.
LOL. Again racist stereotyping and assumptions.
We can see how smart that Michael Wade guy turned out :)
VS, from the looks of it, you're an abject failure on Newsvine because you really cannot relate to the way Americans think, or the concepts in their mind. Yes, you can gain sympathy for the loss of lives, but you personally do not even deserve it. How dare you go about trolling people on here with multiple replies to them, making fun of their name, even? How low can you get? Why don't you go solve the world's problems with your Mensa skills, if they are worth anything? It's more likely you're a shade of autistic and are unable to relate to people in the real world either. Shaving a beard is not about looking white - it's common decency. There are white people with beards too - don't you know. The problem on this forum is an internal American problem about a crime that happened within the USA. You QUIT YOUR TROLLING. I am now unsubscribing.
Oh judgement is passed again. Say what..why don't you worry about the way YOU THINK.
Tell me your name . Hiding behind initials is the making of a coward.
Again stereotyping....
Duh duh..duh.. do not say that to someone who keeps a beard for religious reasons. you could end up in legal trouble. watch it.
It is not an American problem anymore. It is an international embarrassment and a diplomatic issue as well. Wake up and smell the coffee Mr. Intolerant.
Instead of blaming American's for discrimination against the Sikhs how about blaming the true culprits who started all this hatefulness and confusion in the first place, clearly the Taliban are the instigators here.
They are the ones who started this campaign of hate against us by murdering 3000 people and bringing down half the freaking city in the process. It's time we place the blame where it belongs for a change instead of blaming the victims.
Al Qaeda are not Taliban.
ok idiot so every minority out there should pay the price for ignorance of white supremacists ?
If tomorrow some armed sikh takes out 7 white guys in a church I am sure you will sing a different song and scream "terrorist"
the taliban didn't kill those people the neonazi did....not defending the taliban but...your statement infers that if it wasn't for the taliban people wouldn't hate brown people as much, and thus these sikhs wouldn't be dead...thats scary innate logic
The SIKHS are not even close to muslims extremists, its an entirely different country, religion and way of life. They have a rich heritage of fighters and have worked for both the U.S. Military and British Military's very honorably.
You would have to be the lowest denomination in the trailer park to confuse a SIKH with a taliban/muslim.
not every one lives in your trailor park obviously. most nationality and religions have been in our military its one of the ways to get citizenship, if they were in our military then you would think they would understand a little more as to why we kind of hate the head gear on both men and women. unless they were doing it for thier own reasons. whatever try getting citizenship then fighting for your country then i would be more likely to believe you were doing it for the love and respect for our country.
speak for yourself some people can actually see past clothes and skin color
The reluctance of the FBI to classify it as a "hate crime" and instead classify it as a "domestic terrorism" shows that the FBI and law enforcement do not still understand that Sikhs are unique and are targeted because of their Turban and appearance. This problem has to be dealt by firstly recognizing it as a problem specific to the Sikh community due to its distinct identity.
This is a HATE CRIME and there are many such haters out there still and I can bet that none of these cowards would take on an armed sikh in one on one combat.
Vikramjit, okay the US is not Paradise....we know that. Tell us about hate in India or YOUR DOMESTIC TERRORISM against the Dalits? When you point a finger at America 3 fingers are pointing back to yourself, explain to the people here what Dalits are and how GREAT they are doing in India and then get back to us about your complaints about American society. We are waiting.
HarleMan-3167142 HOLD ON BRO.....your post while worthy of a discussion has NOTHING to do with what Vikramjit is saying......j/s!!
Believe me the US is NOT PARADISE and can be quite a pain to live in if you are not White.so you got that right.
Indian society is divided along caste lines but we don't see fatal gun crime or hate crime on a daily basis. Most violence in India is political violence. Rising economy is making that also more difficult and sooner or later India's political system is going to be cleansed.
bla bla bla. Set your house in order because the world and Indian media is shaming America on a daily basis and the US embassy in India is forced to issue clarifications. Don't be surprised if Indians start moving more towards europe or stay on in India and the US economy takes a further hit...With the kind of economic mess you guys are in..perhaps you should mellow the attitude.
Jane, if you as a woman travelled to the middle east you would respect their customs and wear a head scarf, not because you are a muslim but just to respect your host country and you would be more accepted even though the know that you are American. I agree with what you said and it's true, if you come to America then conform to the American society. I am Black (some say African but I do not since I have never been to Africa) American, I nor my family or friends feel the need to dress in African robes and headdresses, that is not the norm in this country and I would unwittingly open the door for some stupid loon like the one who shot the Sikhs to possibly bring harm to me.
I don't think I am being prejudiced at all, I think America is so hung up on catering to EVERYONE except true Americans who were born and raised here is the problem. I am sorry for what happened to these people but why do they have to wear that Turban and long mustashe? If I went to their country I would try to respect their culture and dress somewhat similar to what they are wearing out of respect. I'm done here so let the comments fly.
nicely said. you know if you went to thier country and did not do it proably the same thing would happen to you, you do realize that.
We have to tell it like it is, for all their tolerance since I am a black American I probably would be treated badly no matter what I wore in India. They have State sanctioned racism against darker skinned indians in their own country. Let me start again, if I went to live or work in India I would make sure to assimilate into the India culture as much as possible and respect their culture as much as possible so that I don't make myself a target.
WTH...traveling to an Islamic country and LIVING in the USA are NOT the same thing.....u are comparing apples and oranges....we aren't CATERING to anyone...it's called living how our constitution grants us the rights to live by........PLEASE TURN IN YOUR US of A CARD RIGHT NOW....thanks!!
why are you getting mad at us, we pretty much are saying the same thing, but just so you know i am sure they feel the same way when you put it that way.
It depends. There are countless african students and africans living in India. It is very rare for them to be involved in any sort of trouble. Most are very comfortable and do not feel pressured to dress up a certain way. Pressure to blend in mainly exists in USA due to influence of TV and mass ignorance of Americans.
You need to visit Indian cities / villages and many regions to really understand . Right now you are only imagining.
so any young lady wearing a tight skirt or showing a little cleavage is just asking to be raped this...you have one thing right this is america people shouldn't have to give up their heritage, culture, or traditional dress to appease you or anyone else, and they certainly shouldn't have to give up those things to remain alive....hey guess what I'm a black man to I live in brooklyn, originally from the mississippi delta...you embarrass me but I don't particularly believe you're black...probably just a cover to rant because you think blacks get a free pass on stuff like that
Wow, bin Laden was not Taliban either. What's your point?
As far as I can tell, the Sikh's are relatively peaceful, at least in the US. Maybe in India, Pakistan, and elsewhere, there is violence among the different relgions, classes, and sects. I don't know. I do know that in some of these countries, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Khasmir, there are armed groups who forment hatred and war. In the US, it is more of an individual thing, where an individual of a group or belief goes off the deep end and these hate groups claim innocence, saying they never said to ACTUALLY GO OUT AND DO IT but have no problem getting someone so fired up as to push a not-so-together individual into acts of violence. Kind of like the right wing hate radio and TV shows where they marginalize everyone not to their liking. Just like the guy who drives the get a way car is guilty of murder IF his partner in the story kills someone, these groups are just as guilty in my book.
Doesn't matter if these people were Muslim or not, white people think all others should be killed or banished from America. Whose going to save US from these gun crazed white folks?
BTW, more guns is not the answer. Also the military isn't to blame here. Politicians who call for war after war after war is to blame.
Wow if this guy thought that hindu was islam he was a really fool along with a bad person... wow how sad....
ignorant people in this world...
tony - Sikh isn't Hindu.
Wow, when were these people convicted of anything? I never read any news of the trial. Nor have I ever heard a single word about an act of terrorism committed by these people. Sometimes I think we forget the values under which the country was created. What happened to freedom of religion? There are many Mennonites around these parts. They dress funny as well, and some even use 19th century transportation. Yet I don't see anybody taking an AK and popping rounds at them.
And now what are we suggesting? That they don't wear a beard? I see tons of beards all over the place. They should not cover their heads? No veils? Whoa, we going to tag the catholics or other religious groups on that one as well? I truly hope the population of this country wakes up soon to see that religion is not the problem here. When we all begin to understand that our only hope for survival is to begin working within this new law of interdependence we are being shown exists between us, we will be able to come out of this.
My heart felt condolences to the families and friends of these innocent people.