What Do Americans Really Think Of Us?

[Mehtab Singh]

I got an email from Sikh Coalition this morning. Here are comments from several American online posters on 3 different message boards.

http://www.topix.net/forum/source/newsday/TMKOKB8I0H5A0LQHL

http://www.hoboken411.com/?p=10378&cp=2#comments

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=161_1201890603

What I find particularly disturbing is that 6 and a half years after 9/11, a good number of Americans still have no idea about who Sikhs are and what the turban means to Sikhs. The way they see it, security aboard an aircraft is a higher priority than a Sikh's right to wear his/her turban. I am not saying security is NOT a priority, it sure is, but all I saw in these comments was

• Go back to your country if you want to wear your turban
  
• Very offensive comments against the turban and the Sikh identity
  
• Blaming Sikhs for 9/11 by mistaking their appearance as Islamic
  

Take a look at the comments. I am really surprised, and now it makes me think, that the average American I see on the road, who sometimes stares at me, sometimes smiles at me, sometimes passes as insulting comment or shows an offensive gesture (you know which one) while driving past me, what exactly is in their mind. Of course not all Americans are as messed up as a handful of individuals posting online. But Sikhs have always stood for everyone's right, would anyone stand up for a Sikh's right JUST to maintain his/her Sikh identity?

I really wonder...

What do you guys think?

ps: And I know for a fact who is going to jump and start defending the American attitude.

[Guest fordcapri]

we also ned to break away from the term asain.

[Surinderjit]

Before you label all ameircans as this way.. I was sitting in a library with just a patka on and a african american male in his early 30s with long braided hair called me a muslim well. Even though i have white skin, people just assume i am indian - in fact, i prefer if they think I am.

I just wnated to clear up thats its kala as well as gora that do this.

fateh.

[Kharku]

is it true that there going to make a university in new york naming it after Guru Nanak.

so people get to know the difference.

[Kharku]

Before you label all ameircans as this way.. I was sitting in a library with just a patka on and a african american male in his early 30s with long braided hair called me a muslim well. Even though i have white skin, people just assume i am indian - in fact, i prefer if they think I am.

I just wnated to clear up thats its kala as well as gora that do this.

fateh.

only way to solve this problem is if a Singh finds bin laden, knock him the */%^ out, and hands him over to the americans.

[Guest peacemaker]

Who can read that stuff? It's just too negative. I know problems don't go away, but it is just too much filth to read all those comments. Let them think it in their head, but 99% of them would never say any of that stuff to your face, so let it wash off of you.

[Pheena]

This country is racist and ignorant towards its citizens and it has been for some time. Perhaps even more ignorant of the history of how this country was started by immigrant and further more the blood that these so called 'Americans' spilled of its Native residents to call this place their home.

No matter how much voice of tolerance, peace and equality you speak some people are not going to change. There will always remain ignorance.

You can't convince this country as a whole, but perhaps you can change the views of one voice so they may stand beside you when no one else does.

[Mehtab Singh]

You said

Before you label all ameircans as this way..

I said

Of course not all Americans are as messed up as a handful of individuals posting online.

[Mehtab Singh]

99% of them would never say any of that stuff to your face, so let it wash off of you.

99% of them not daring to say such things on face isn't the solution to the problem. The naked truth is that such a mindset exists, and it takes just one unfortunate incident to blow things out of proportion. What happened in November 1984 in New Delhi was not sudden. It was a combination of an attack on Sikhs planned by the Congress, plus hatred inside non-Sikh Indians (mostly Hindus) who wanted to take it out on Sikhs but didn't dare to earlier on.

[Guest peacemaker]

^^^^

You copy and pasted everything after the first sentence from the other site, lol.