A Concern

[Ambrosia]

Waheguru ji ka khalsa, Waheguru ji ki fateh,

I was talking with a veerji who is a gora just the other day, and he said something that really disturbed me... the only thing i could think is share it with sangat and try to find a solution?

He came into Sikhi some years ago. He told me that he's sick of having punjabi sikhs assuming he belongs to 3HO cause he's white. He says he's Just a regular Sikh of the Guru, doesnt want to belong and does not belong to any Jatha, and that it insults him when sikhs ask him if he knows "yogi bhajan, and yoga" and stuff. He respects 3HO, (not that its bad being 3HO or anything... they're ok... says they're all cool, but doesn't like people to assume that he subscribes to it himself, just because of his colour?

It made me think; do we assume white sikhs are 3HO? Is this DISCRIMINATION? we can't just assume someone is ____ cause of their colour or something.

any solutions?

[Mehtab Singh]

People (not all of but many) discriminate everyone based on something or another whether Sikh or non-Sikh. Religion, caste, jathebani, you name it, they do it.

[Ambrosia]

People (not all of but many) discriminate everyone based on something or another whether Sikh or non-Sikh. Religion, caste, jathebani, you name it, they do it.

I agree. But just like sikhs dont like being called muslims... and all browns being called pakis... all people don't like being judged/assumed upon, based on their colour, or what. Because we do it, doesn't mean we should... and there are ways to atleast educate people into changing their ways?!

Is there a way... to reduce discrimination among sikhs, and between sikhs and non-sikhs etc... to make a more peaceful, tolerable, loving world (as Heera Singh's "Where's the Love" post)...

When will the day come, when a sikh is a sikh is a sikh... and a human is a human is a human? and a soul is a soul is a soul?

[Khalsa_Girl_1]

Waheguru ji ka khalsa, Waheguru ji ki fateh,

I was talking with a veerji who is a gora just the other day, and he said something that really disturbed me... the only thing i could think is share it with sangat and try to find a solution?

He came into Sikhi some years ago. He told me that he's sick of having punjabi sikhs assuming he belongs to 3HO cause he's white. He says he's Just a regular Sikh of the Guru, doesnt want to belong and does not belong to any Jatha, and that it insults him when sikhs ask him if he knows "yogi bhajan, and yoga" and stuff. He respects 3HO, (not that its bad being 3HO or anything... they're ok... says they're all cool, but doesn't like people to assume that he subscribes to it himself, just because of his colour?

It made me think; do we assume white sikhs are 3HO? Is this DISCRIMINATION? we can't just assume someone is ____ cause of their colour or something.

any solutions?

whats a 3HO? :wub:

[Bored]

wat more can u do...everyone judges

he shudnt get angry at this ....words shudnt hurt u

i thought i didnt judge...but i do...although i try not to.

[buddasingh]

It is possible that people who ask your friend these questions are a mix of innocent, racist, insensitive, and sensitive. Much depends on the environment and background of the person asking the questions.

When it comes to taking offence, I would give much more leeway to curious questions about my race or religion from an 80 year old person from a small town than I might to a 20 year old living in New York.

There are some beautiful punjabi people who operate in the punjabi culture, who judge no one in their hearts, but may ask apparently blunt questions because it is culturally appropriate. However, they are the minority. There are far too many young and old punjabi’s who are RACIST.

YES we do discriminate and YES in ways that are largely against the teachings of sikhi. We have ugly remnants of being proud of our jattism or punjabiat which are RACIST!! We mask it as preservation of cultural pride. It is an illness.

What we can do about is exactly what you are doing here. We should boldly identify it and speak about it.

Racism, Brahmanism and Jattism are all the same. The first step is to admit, at least a bit, that we are racist. Then we need to acknowledge that we can not rid ourselves of the disease by logic. It was something programmed into our subconscious and something that we must reflect on repeatedly over time in the reverse direction.

Sikhi offers us so much. Yet, I find our caste based racism disgusting and unfortunately find that the machismo stupidity of a superior sense is prevalent amongst youngsters raised entirely in the west.

[Mutheeaa]

whats a 3HO? :wub:

http://www.3ho.org/

[Khalsa_Girl_1]

whats a 3HO? :wub:

http://www.3ho.org/

i see

but why do ppl dislike the 3HO thing?

its basically described as:

a Healthy, Happy, Holy Lifestyle

theyre amrit-dhari sikhs right?

[Guest Guest]

Waheguru ji ka khalsa, Waheguru ji ki fateh,

I was talking with a veerji who is a gora just the other day, and he said something that really disturbed me... the only thing i could think is share it with sangat and try to find a solution?

He came into Sikhi some years ago. He told me that he's sick of having punjabi sikhs assuming he belongs to 3HO cause he's white. He says he's Just a regular Sikh of the Guru, doesnt want to belong and does not belong to any Jatha, and that it insults him when sikhs ask him if he knows "yogi bhajan, and yoga" and stuff. He respects 3HO, (not that its bad being 3HO or anything... they're ok... says they're all cool, but doesn't like people to assume that he subscribes to it himself, just because of his colour?

It made me think; do we assume white sikhs are 3HO? Is this DISCRIMINATION? we can't just assume someone is ____ cause of their colour or something.

any solutions?

The reason is that Yogi Bhajan brought alot of Goray into Sikhi. Most Goray Sikhs in America where inspired by him. There are also those who come into Sikhi by themselves. I think it is Punjabi Sikhs are still getting used to seeing white sikhs around. I think in a couple of years time we will see white, black etc sikhs as a norm.

[Bored]

hi