Offer Me A Solution!

[Akal Purkh Ki Fauj]

I see so many intelligent posts about how sikhs are facing problems from both internal and external forces, however I very rarely see singh/kaurs offering viable solutions to deal with the problem.

can I make a suggestion that when we post a problem or issue we offer some sort of thought on how to tackle the issue or maybe what our understanding of Gurbani tells us to do about it otherwise all were gonna end up with is a defeatist complex. what do you guys think??

[Tejvir]

I like it.

Problem : Leadership among the youth.

Solution: There should atleast be one youth in every Gurdwara council and a strong Sikh Woman.

[Mehtab Singh]

Problem: caste system

Solution: Amritdhari Singhs and Kaurs from different castes getting married (who is gonna behead me now?)

Problem: Drugs

Solution: education and employment

Problem: Alcohol

Solution: Gursikh sangat

Problem: female foeticide

Solution: education and women's empowerment

Problem: gender inequality

Solution: women doing keertan seva, seva as Panj Pyaare, and other leadership roles in the Panth

Problem: people calling Shaheeds as terrorists

Solution 1: create awareness

Solution 2: slap them

Problem: no one bothered about the Panth and Kaum

Solution: education and creating awareness

Problem: Mehtab Singh

Solution: you think I am crazy?

[Into the Light]

Problem: 25years have past but still we have no justice

Proactive steps we should take:

the anthropologist Cynthia Mehmood that wrote the book 'Fighting for Faith and Nation' has listed what proactive steps Sikhs need to take 25 years on

http://www.worldsikhnews.com/10%20June%202...20s%20heads.htm

she writes of 6 proactive steps Sikhs should take:

First, it would be necessary to conduct a series of well-thought-out workshops on the question of how the Sikh religion intersects with Punjabi culture. Sikhism is a universal faith, of course, yet we all know plainly that most gurdwara services are conducted in Punjabi, that Punjabi cultural values permeate everything Sikh. There are so many valuable things about this heritage. But, on the language issue especially, the continued use of Punjabi mono-lingually at events such as this one, at which one is trying to approach non-Sikhs who clearly do not understand the language, cannot be of help to a movement that is serious about its aims. In this age of technology, simultaneous translation running on a screen behind the speaker is easily possible; I’ve seen it among Kashmiris, who are way ahead of the Sikhs in terms of professionalization of a movement.

Second, I think it is time that the community hire on a permanent basis a small team of top flight international lawyers, who can be at the ready for opportunities like alien torts (through which, for example, an Indian human rights abuser could be sued in a Canadian court), who could approach UNESCO on the World Heritage Status of the Golden Temple Complex, who could be called upon on issues regarding the international humanitarian laws of war. This team could proactively work to ensure recognition of Sikh rights in every country where Sikhs live, instead of waiting for individual cases to react to. It could work on what the notion of self-determination actually means, in this 21st century, and explore other options for representation of sub-state collectivities.

Third, the community should hire real lobbyists, professional lobbying firms, in Washington, Ottawa, and London. Not just a few Sikhs with the passion for a cause, but a professional firm trained to advertize and push through an agenda. This is exactly what the government of India has done, and it is what you must do, as well. The sense of mistrust for non-Sikhs is antiquarian, and must be gotten over. Simply expect to hire and pay for the best. They will come to know well the environments of the capitals, know which bills should be supported and how to support them, and be able to think through how the assertion of Sikh rights, or a potential Sikh state, could benefit others.

Fourth, there should be a rotating youth initiative, perhaps set up as internships, to keep track of how the community is being perceived on the internet and to push the Sikh agenda electronically. Likewise, this group of young people, being unattached, could spring into action when opportunities presented themselves such as organizing aid to flood victims in New Orleans. Or, for example, I just found out tonight that the Council of Bishops in the Catholic Church have a firm principle that places of worship are inviolable. Young people, find out such a fact and having grown up here, more familiar with other faiths, could approach the Bishops and find out how to perhaps use this principle to protect the Golden Temple,perhaps to mobilize Catholics around the Sikh cause.

Fifth, the Sikh diasporan community must set up its own academic foundation. This foundation would fund scholarly research and writing projects on the Punjab conflict, human rights, and Sikhism in order to make sure that the tragic episode of the past two decades cannot be ignored in the historical record. It could also conduct workshops to help Punjabi scholars learn the standards of international academic publishing, and perhaps help link Western scholars to Punjabi scholars for entrée into Punjab. Most important, its financial support would enable the subaltern or nonstandard Sikh Studies, which views matters from the ground up rather than from New Delhi down, to continue to function and flourish.

Finally, the community must define and support the development of an archive and museum along the lines of the holocaust museums of the Jews. For this type of enterprise, one must be serious; one must hire a professional archivist and expect to spend money on restoration and preservation of artifacts. But doing this centrally will in the end cost less than every gurdwara having its own little library, as is now the case. Such a central archive and museum can also be accessible electronically worldwide, if the decision is made to locate the original outside of India.

i recommend everyone read the whole article

[Akal Purkh Ki Fauj]

Into the light jeeo, this is exactly what i am taking about. thanks for sharing.

Guys look at Cynthia's answers to the problem she see's, we need more than 1 line solutions. we need to study and debate the issues from all angles so that we can not only physically but mentaly duck, wieve, stand, counter against anything that is thrown our way. Lets become the movement people, its time for change.

[saint-soldier]

problem: lack of knowledge about sikhs in the west

solution: give out pamphlets about sikhi in places where sikhs are in very small numbers. you give out 50 pamphlets in a day, about 10 of the people will actually read it, 7 of them will understand it. thats 7 less cases of sikhs getting mistaken for muslims.

Commitees in gurudwaras need to do something about it too, i have heard about people not knowing about sikhi in places where we have the biggest gurudwaras. we need to start some programs/ workshops with only one aim, tell non sikhs who sikhs are. have something like sikhi awareness month/week, where we help other communities in one way or another. we will be doing seva and also get them to learn a little something about who sikhs are.

[AmarjitKaur]

Making others aware of sikhi.

My 2 cents on it.

I think before we go reach other communities to teach them about sikhi, we need to first start from our own homes. Our own kids/youth/adults are not clear about many facts/beliefs/marayada etc .

I have seen/discussed/argued/heard people close to 60 years of age and still asking why marayda is necessary. I kind of get irritated more by 60yrs olds as compared to 16 year olds.

I see that people don't wanna follow set of rules but they do want benefits, they do wanna be called sikhs even if they cann't count even 10 Gurus on fingertips. They wanna be called sikhs, even when they sit in Saloon every week and see their kes katal. This is where I have problems. And people are looking for quick answers/fixes. I think SIKHI is just like any other degree you work for in life. I usually take example of Medical professional. To be doctor, you have to spend 7-8 years in School. Follow set of rules, discipline, practice and live it for the rest of your life. You do get called DOCTOR and you do get the pay of a doctor, but its your hard earned benefits.

But on the other hand, SIKHI, we don't consider we should really work for it. We just want the stamp of SIKHI on back/forhead/hand wherever those people wish to.

This is the misconception we have to get rid of. SIKHI is earned not just given to you by taking birth in Sikh family. And I also do think that every human is SIKH by birth, its afterwards that how parents raised you which makes you hindu/muslim/christian/catholic/parsi/budhist. I had this statement yesterday too under another topic. Somebody messaged me for clarification.

I think it this way. Before a child is born, Gurubani says human birth is given to that soul to meditate on GOD and unite with GOD. Fetus is doing meditation in mother's womb. Its afterwards that slowly slowly depending upon what parents introduce to child that we move far and far away from our connection from GOD. Other fact supporting my statement is that Gurubani says to keep all your body parts the natural way as you were born. If we do that we are sikhs by one measure (of course nam japna is important too). But other religions don't put any restrictions on you for keeping your hair intact and ur private body parts the way they r given to you. Its as far as I know only sikhism which says that (I may be wrong, as I know a very little about other religions).

As I said sikhi starts from our own homes. We do need to work on it. Everyone should pledge that they would educate themselves more and more and at the same time educate their children and other near and dear ones as well.

[AK-47]

Problem: 25years have past but still we have no justice

Proactive steps we should take:

the anthropologist Cynthia Mehmood that wrote the book 'Fighting for Faith and Nation' has listed what proactive steps Sikhs need to take 25 years on

http://www.worldsikhnews.com/10%20June%202...20s%20heads.htm

she writes of 6 proactive steps Sikhs should take:

First, it would be necessary to conduct a series of well-thought-out workshops on the question of how the Sikh religion intersects with Punjabi culture. Sikhism is a universal faith, of course, yet we all know plainly that most gurdwara services are conducted in Punjabi, that Punjabi cultural values permeate everything Sikh. There are so many valuable things about this heritage. But, on the language issue especially, the continued use of Punjabi mono-lingually at events such as this one, at which one is trying to approach non-Sikhs who clearly do not understand the language, cannot be of help to a movement that is serious about its aims. In this age of technology, simultaneous translation running on a screen behind the speaker is easily possible; I’ve seen it among Kashmiris, who are way ahead of the Sikhs in terms of professionalization of a movement.

Second, I think it is time that the community hire on a permanent basis a small team of top flight international lawyers, who can be at the ready for opportunities like alien torts (through which, for example, an Indian human rights abuser could be sued in a Canadian court), who could approach UNESCO on the World Heritage Status of the Golden Temple Complex, who could be called upon on issues regarding the international humanitarian laws of war. This team could proactively work to ensure recognition of Sikh rights in every country where Sikhs live, instead of waiting for individual cases to react to. It could work on what the notion of self-determination actually means, in this 21st century, and explore other options for representation of sub-state collectivities.

Third, the community should hire real lobbyists, professional lobbying firms, in Washington, Ottawa, and London. Not just a few Sikhs with the passion for a cause, but a professional firm trained to advertize and push through an agenda. This is exactly what the government of India has done, and it is what you must do, as well. The sense of mistrust for non-Sikhs is antiquarian, and must be gotten over. Simply expect to hire and pay for the best. They will come to know well the environments of the capitals, know which bills should be supported and how to support them, and be able to think through how the assertion of Sikh rights, or a potential Sikh state, could benefit others.

Fourth, there should be a rotating youth initiative, perhaps set up as internships, to keep track of how the community is being perceived on the internet and to push the Sikh agenda electronically. Likewise, this group of young people, being unattached, could spring into action when opportunities presented themselves such as organizing aid to flood victims in New Orleans. Or, for example, I just found out tonight that the Council of Bishops in the Catholic Church have a firm principle that places of worship are inviolable. Young people, find out such a fact and having grown up here, more familiar with other faiths, could approach the Bishops and find out how to perhaps use this principle to protect the Golden Temple,perhaps to mobilize Catholics around the Sikh cause.

Fifth, the Sikh diasporan community must set up its own academic foundation. This foundation would fund scholarly research and writing projects on the Punjab conflict, human rights, and Sikhism in order to make sure that the tragic episode of the past two decades cannot be ignored in the historical record. It could also conduct workshops to help Punjabi scholars learn the standards of international academic publishing, and perhaps help link Western scholars to Punjabi scholars for entrée into Punjab. Most important, its financial support would enable the subaltern or nonstandard Sikh Studies, which views matters from the ground up rather than from New Delhi down, to continue to function and flourish.

Finally, the community must define and support the development of an archive and museum along the lines of the holocaust museums of the Jews. For this type of enterprise, one must be serious; one must hire a professional archivist and expect to spend money on restoration and preservation of artifacts. But doing this centrally will in the end cost less than every gurdwara having its own little library, as is now the case. Such a central archive and museum can also be accessible electronically worldwide, if the decision is made to locate the original outside of India.

i recommend everyone read the whole article

FANTASTIC ARTICLE!

must read for everyone!

[AvnitK]

seriously nice article lol

[kuthaman]

I see so many intelligent posts about how sikhs are facing problems from both internal and external forces, however I very rarely see singh/kaurs offering viable solutions to deal with the problem.

can I make a suggestion that when we post a problem or issue we offer some sort of thought on how to tackle the issue or maybe what our understanding of Gurbani tells us to do about it otherwise all were gonna end up with is a defeatist complex. what do you guys think??

There is a need for youth converts that are outside of the faith. Some of the most powerful leaders are usually of non Sikh birth. They adopt it in later life. Seek out people that are naturally leaders and began introducing them to Sikhi.