Sunny Hundal Traitor To Sikhs?

[TavPrasad Singh]

Reality check! Its a thread about a crap journalist.

Sunny exploits his Background to get up the career ladder. Journalists like him over exaggerate issues within their communities for shock value, keeping the white reader in mind.

Same with you Prem, you have taken the thread into a totally different direction. Yes we do expect members of OUR community to promote the right stuff. Sunny doesnt do that, in fact he does the complete opposite and Sikhs are constantly bashed on his websites.

These websites are where negative perceptions are created about Sikhs, and filtered down to our own community. This website spoke about flag burning at trafalgar square and didnt even want to mention genocide in Panjab. The website made us out to look like hooligans out to cause trouble in London!

These websites reach more people than a posting by Sikh Supreme on Sikh Sangat :TH:

Prem journalists like Sunny create the fear you currently have about Sikhs being termed as Mini Muslims.

When Sikhs protest about just causes they are portrayed as wrong. People within our community also are quick to label their fellow Sikh as fanatics, is the term of the time.

Death threats, riots, violence??? How many times has anything about the Sikh Community come in the mainstream papers?? I think you need to put things in context an stop over exaggerating things.

Our identity will be lost because the press & wider society paint us with the same brush, to them we are all Muslims!

[sikh supreme]

I was making people aware of journalists who particularly target the sikh community. These people think they can malign the whole Sikh community in the media by using sensationlist cheap shot stories to gain their own fame and name. I'm making people aware of these people in our midst, which helps us to counter their arguments and helps us look into their image/character.

If sunny, kim bolan and others write sensible unbiased articles (two sides of the story) with issues to do with Sikhs then we can respect him and others for it. But when these people just spread lies in the media, innocent Sikhs suffer from prejudice, discrimination and eventually racist attacks, because of negative protrayals created by these <edit>.

And Prem you might aswell be sunny hundal for all I know, because you certainly write like him.

[buddasingh]

Mr. Prem when referring to religious fanatascism can you avoid using the world Muslim

Why? Muslim fundamentalists are the most prominent group of fanatics currently operating in the UK and like it or not, we live in their shadow. And whenever we act in a way that mimics their ethos and methods, Sikhs as a whole get portrayed in that light.

It adds to the problems of misrepresentation and fear we already face.

I DO NOT WANT SIKHS PORTRAYED IN THAT LIGHT

Do you?

Some good points Prem, albeit with a bit of a fundamentalist fervor.

Curious, do you think Sunny Hundal is fair in his articles?

[singh_comradz]

Sunny Hundal has some good journalistic traits but to be honest the negative issues overshadow the good.

He monitors this forum from time to time so maybe he could mention some more positive elements (or get someone else to do so) but for now this is all I can think of.

Good points

1. Representation of Asians in media and closer coverage of issues affecting the Asian community such as Race attacks on Sikhs, Muslims etc

Bad points

1. Sadly lacking in knowledge about the Sikh faith and making damaging comments out of total ignorance.

For instance:-

When the Behzti incident happened I think it was Mr Hundal who was interviewed on channel 4 news. As far as I remember he portrayed the Sikh community as being frustrated for not receiving enough media coverage post 9/11 and therefore some people resorting to violence, like at the rep theatre (without understanding or respecting the justifications).

On a recent TV programme on channel 4 he referred to Sikh extremism, including the kharkoos.

In particular he regularly talks about the rise of Sikh 'extremism' in the UK.

He comments on the R4G campaign by calling them a 'rescue squad' and further slanders them.

He argues that ppl can look after the Guru Granth Sahib however they wish.

As far as I see it, he doesn't have a clue (like many other ppl) about how many sacrifices ppl have made to defend Sikhi and Sikh ideals. He makes proud comments like how Sikhs are a peaceful community and hardworking but fails to realise that Sikhi revolves around the Guru. Sunny Hundal, it seems, believes that the ideals of Sikhi and the sanctity of Guru Granth Sahib Ji can be compromised in order to fit in with the rest of society. He just makes his own biased opinions and is far from being a professional journalist, maybe he should work for the News of the World.

bhul chuk maaf

[GurSa Singh]

Looks like we are being watched! LOL!

http://www.barficulture.com/community/curr...2919/index.html

It’s amusing that when Sikhs express an opinion it’s dismissed as "crazy", "immature", “fundamentalist”, “fanatical” etc.

But as mentioned in this thread these breed of Asian journalists are ever ready to pick up on negativity and exaggerate the situation to portray the message the white media want to read. This is the only wahy they will get up their chosen career ladder.

This thread is bait for some like Sunny Hundal as he can now (and probably will) portray himself as someone who has Sikh enemies as he’s outspoken about the Sikh community. Wannabe journalists like Sunny Hundal come and go. Let him write his stuff, people get bored easily and forget the next day.

[randip singh]

"Sunny Hundal is the editor of the online magazine Asians in

Media. He also manages the group blog Pickled Politics, covering global current affairs and politics from a progressive standpoint. As a journalist and commentator he has written for the Guardian, the Independent and the Financial Times on media and race-related issues.

An ardent environmentalist and liberal, he is a vegetarian and cares strongly about the oppression of people and the degradation of nature." - source

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/sunny_...al/profile.html

"cares strongly about the oppression of people" <<-- this made me laugh. He claims to come from a Sikh family yet everything he has ever said is always against Sikhs and even his articles and posts about 1984 has always been anti-sikh and in support of his Indian circle of bum chums. So much for "cares strongly about the oppression of people". He was the same twat who defend that wench gurpreet bhatti (the playwritter of bezthi) after the bham theatre protests. This man is a disgrace and a jumped up, irrelevant gimp who strives for some stories, which he can sensationalise with his contacts in the media. In my opinion he is nothing more than a punjabi version of Kim "racist twat" Bolan. He and his like create more problems than solves for the Sikh, Asian and wider UK communities.

Oh and he posts and monitors this website also, so I won't be suprised if he replies to this thread or comments about it on his on sites (http://www.pickledpolitics.com, http://www.barficulture.com, http://www.asiansinmedia.org/)

No He is Not a Traitor......he is entitled to his own view. Although I disagree on many issues with him.

As for Behzti, the only people who brought Behzti upon themselves were the entire Sikh Community, by the way we handled it. Those images in the media made us Sikhs look like fanatical terrorists, and in the mind of the average thicko Gora akin to Muslim fundamentalists. I hated Behzti the play, I think Gurpreet Bhatti has some issues she needs to deal with and is a talentless <banned word filter activated>...........however WE as a Sikh community handled it so badly. Then we had idiots go on late night news programmes calling Paxman and <banned word filter activated>.........these so called representatives of the Sikh community made us look even more stupid. The few young individuals that did appear in the media (Midlands News etc) and did a brilliant PR job had their work undone by fools.

Before we point the finger....lets get our own house in order. A brother......don't hide behind and alias like "Sikh Supreme" when you are going to flame someone........you willl give amunition to the otherside.

I am sure Sunny is laughing his head off reading this post.

[KharkooSingh]

As for Behzti, the only people who brought Behzti upon themselves were the entire Sikh Community, by the way we handled it. Those images in the media made us Sikhs look like fanatical terrorists, and in the mind of the average thicko Gora akin to Muslim fundamentalists. I hated Behzti the play, I think Gurpreet Bhatti has some issues she needs to deal with and is a talentless <banned word filter activated>...........however WE as a Sikh community handled it so badly. Then we had idiots go on late night news programmes calling Paxman and <banned word filter activated>.........these so called representatives of the Sikh community made us look even more stupid. The few young individuals that did appear in the media (Midlands News etc) and did a brilliant PR job had their work undone by fools.

Before we point the finger....lets get our own house in order. A brother......don't hide behind and alias like "Sikh Supreme" when you are going to flame someone........you willl give amunition to the otherside.

I am sure Sunny is laughing his head off reading this post.

I think the Hundals of this world would have been ready to sensationalise the issue whichever way the Behzti play was handled. My personal opinion was that it was a no-win situation. The playwright offended the Sikh community and the white media really expected us to get over it. It's funny when you have freedom of speech you also have freedom to protest; it's a 2 way thing. We were already getting adverse publicity days before the little brawl erupted at the Rep theatre.

There is an inherent prejudice when portraying a Sikh or Muslim male in the media and journalists like Hundal exploit and enhance the prejudices. The fact that we have a long beard, wear a turban, carry a "dagger" and have a militant religious history is enough for some journalists to amplify a fanatical image. Maybe we are naive to assume that a journalist from a Sikh background would attempt to portray both sides of the story.

[TavPrasad Singh]

Do not expect a journalist, whether asian or not to show Sikhs in a good light. Journalist rarely have their own view. They keep readership, sensationalisation and personal career in mind.

Dont forget we all might have differing views about whether the Bezti outcome was right or not but it was the key that got over 50,000 christians ringing BBC to stop the showing of Jerry Springer the Opera. People did understand the Sikh sentiments.

[AK47 JATHA LION]

Please give examples of the "fundamental" acts that these Sikhs carry out. They must be pretty bad as you seem to be comparing them to 'Mini Muslims' (whatever that is).

So what's a fundamental act? Please elaborate?

Yeh ive heard a few people talking about him being homosexual. He is not a sikh. He just hijacks the "sikh name" and talks bollox to the media. It makes sikhs look silly and extreme. He never misses an opportunity to ruin the sikh reputation. Someone should off this <admin-profanity filter activated>.

[randip singh]

I think the Hundals of this world would have been ready to sensationalise the issue whichever way the Behzti play was handled. My personal opinion was that it was a no-win situation. The playwright offended the Sikh community and the white media really expected us to get over it. It's funny when you have freedom of speech you also have freedom to protest; it's a 2 way thing. We were already getting adverse publicity days before the little brawl erupted at the Rep theatre.

There is an inherent prejudice when portraying a Sikh or Muslim male in the media and journalists like Hundal exploit and enhance the prejudices. The fact that we have a long beard, wear a turban, carry a "dagger" and have a militant religious history is enough for some journalists to amplify a fanatical image. Maybe we are naive to assume that a journalist from a Sikh background would attempt to portray both sides of the story.

Ok.

Here is how I would have handled the situation.....no we don't just get over it we attack so called "intellectuals" like Miss Bhatti with the cream of the crop Sikh intellectuals. Not with letting off firealarms in the REP theartre.

1) Had placards outside REP saying how play was racist and UNfairly maligned Sikhs generally.

2) Distributed Pakora's (Langaar) to passers by with leaflets and people from our community had been offended by the play.

3) Had all sorts of Sikh's there i.e Turbanned, and non-turbanned to show the Sikhs were united on this. The media played this point, that it was an othodox Sikh (i.e. turbanned), and "modern" Sikh issue (i.e. mona), when the reality was that ALL Sikhs were hurt by Miss Bhatti's innacurate portrayal of Sikhs.

4) Have a media or ganisation (like SALDEF in the USA), that can send articulate young Sikhs to speak to the media, and not some of the dimwits, like those who appeared on Newsnight.

We have to be able to play them at their own game. Just like they used the media to make us look bad, we must be able to use it to show our point of view. We didn't and we failed miserably.

Please give examples of the "fundamental" acts that these Sikhs carry out. They must be pretty bad as you seem to be comparing them to 'Mini Muslims' (whatever that is).

So what's a fundamental act? Please elaborate?

Yeh ive heard a few people talking about him being homosexual. He is not a sikh. He just hijacks the "sikh name" and talks bollox to the media. It makes sikhs look silly and extreme. He never misses an opportunity to ruin the sikh reputation. Someone should off this <admin-profanity filter activated>.

This is exactly what I mean will play into their hands. So what if he is a homosexual? Are homosexuals bad people? NO. Does Sikhism see them as bad people? NO. Some Sikhs's may not agree with their lifestyle, but to blanketly use statements like this is what the media want Sikh's to do, so we can look intolerant.

We have got to raise the game brother and talk more maturly or we don't deserve any respect.