Impact Of 9/11 On Sikhs

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

There was a well attended event in Slough last night on the impact of 9/11 on Sikhs. BBC Asian Network will be holding a discussion/call in 1-2pm today.

Please ring in, email, text etc.

[KEERPA]

9-11 had a major/huge impact on Sikhs. But I can say from personal experience that it also showed many people what Sikhi even is after comparison analysis of islam. Many people think anyone wearing a turban is muslim because taliban wear latapati turbans but there also are people who know 99% of people that wear turbans in USA are Sikhs now that they have been given facts instead of media bias showing Sikhs as muslims. A news report about 6 years ago filmed Sikhs at the Gurdwara(my area) and called it a mosque and "on the news". What lies :o They never came back with a follow up story saying "ohh yeah we are stupid and misleading we called this SIKH Gurdwara a mosque on accident, Im sorry to the Sikhs whom were targeted as a muslim for our stupid news story that was a lie trying to make Sikhs look like some taliban infiltrators and we are also sorry to the general public for you trusting us when we dont even report the truth and youll take our word for it whether its a lie or truth because we know you general public folk take the news as biblical scripture" :wacko:

[Paneer Monster]

:huh:

... self edit

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

Jagdeesh Singh from Slough who organised the event looking at the impact of 9/11 on Sikhs that led to the news item and discussion has written and circulated the following:

9-11 and Sikhs : Sikhs criticised for asserting their case independently - Sikhs reject 'Asian' mould

Dear Dabinderjeet Singh jee:

Many thanks and appreciation for your participation at yesterday's key PUBLIC DIALOGUE on 9-11 Impact on Sikhs, and your positive representation of the same on today's BBC Asian Network debate.

In my opinion, the whole Asian Network debate was interesting and alarming, at the same time, in terms of the range of comments made. Notably, the particular emphasis on why the Sikhs had organised this event and that Sikhs should confine themselves to 'Asian' and not act 'divisively'. Clearly, the debate heard the widespread case-studies from Sikh callers, of the nasty, hate experiences directed at them because of their turbans and beards post 9-11. That provided a vivid and undeniably picture of the substantive Sikh experience. Indeed, an experience not shared by all 'Asians'.

The comments made in today's Asian Network debate, provide us Sikhs with a lot of food for thought. They gives a further prompt to reflect about our role and place in the 'Asian' mould. May I share the following further thoughts, and copy these to fellow Sikh activists.

The majority of 'Asian' communities do not have turbans and beards. So, whilst they may sympathise with our experience, they certainly do not share it. Perhaps, in the past, we have been a little quiet about ongoing racism against Sikhs. Now with the 9-11 incidents thrust upon us, we have become a little vocal and assertive about our experience. We have begun to speak up for ourselves. It has evidently caused some ripples across 'Asian' minds, who would have us remain within the single 'Asian' box.

Yesterday's event (9-11 Impact on Sikhs: Listening to Sikh Voices) was clearly a very empowering and positive experience for not just the Sikh community, but for many non-Sikhs who participated; including Christian and English. The event was widely circulated as a PUBLIC DIALOGUE, with invites to all sections and communities; including Jews, Muslims, Hindus, English, Christian, Gurkha, Rastafarian, Tamil and more. The total attendance of 174 persons, clearly reflected the widespread Sikh enthusiasm for the event and the wide-ranging participation of other groups, like Quaker Concern for Animals and the Vegan Society. The information we displayed consisted of a wide range of subjects covering Environmental action, animals rights, Christian Aid, etc; aswell about Sikh history and ethics.

We endeavoured to apply Sikh principles of 'SARBAT DA BHALLA' throughout the event; in using recycled folders and pens and having vegan food and refreshments.

Many of the English and Christian participants commented that, they not only thoroughly enjoyed the event; but found it positively enlightening and their awareness both about Sikhs and their 9-11 experience has been greatly raised.

The multiple Sikhs participants, over 140!, were all extremely impressed; expressing positive comments of inspiration and forward action from the event. The seva behind organising the event, was an enjoyable aswell as stressful endeavour; which bore fruit in the substantial turn-out and the quality of the content. Sikh participants felts empowered, and inspired by the landmark TURBANOLOGY documentary; and by the various discussions and suggestions that followed around raising public awareness and profiling of the turban and beard and its integration into the mainstream British psyche.

We are extremely thankful for your conveyance of the above, in today's BBC Asian Network discussion. This landmark event has generated much media attention, across the BBC, not just at the Asian Network.

What was extremely notable from today's hour long discussion on the Asian Network, was the continuous questioning, as to why Sikhs were presenting their case in an independent way and why they were 'separating' themselves from 'Muslims' and 'Asians'. Rather than focussing on the positives of yesterday's event, and its positive emphasis on awareness raising and engagement between sikhs and wider society; todays Asian Network debate seemed to descend and confine itself to the Sikhs and the 'Asian' and 'Muslim'.

There was a repeated opinion expressed that, Sikhs should fix and confine themselves to the 'Asian' box; and, that, by asserting their specific 9-11 experience they were automatically 'shifting blame to Muslims'. This was clearly a gross misconstruction and diversion from the core message of yersterday's bouyant and informative event. No where did we, seek to undermine Muslims, Asians or any other community in the event. We positively acknowledged 9-11 attacks on Jews and Muslims, and made a postive point of expressing our abhorrence towards that hatred.

That Sikh attempts to speak up for themselves should be treated with such cynism and repugnance, is highly revealing and sinister. It is being suggested that, Sikhs should not have a voice of their own?

As a community, we have always treated other communities as equals; and never sought to impose block labels like 'we are all asians' on them. We welcome the diversity of communities like Gujarati, Tamil, Bengali, Panjaabi, Pathan, Kashmiri. These represent the rich and vibrant mixture of South Asia as a continent. Suggestions that they should all be treated as one single 'asian' bloc are plainly absurd, and implicitly discriminatory against their existence as a social-ethnic group. All these aforementioned communities, deservedly, have a life within themselves and in terms of their relations with other communities. They deserve to be recognised, not subsumed into an oblivious mish-mash of 'Asian'.

Why the continuous emphasis of 'Asian' upon Sikhs, whenever they seek to assert their concerns and aspirations? Are Sikhs bound and confined to 'Asian' issues alone? Do all 'Asians' share the same life experiences as Sikhs? Are Sikhs tied by an umbilical cord to the Muslim world? Are only Muslim allowed to talk about hate and discrimination issues (i.e. Islamaphobia), and not Sikhs? Do Sikhs not have a right to express their concerns and aspirations in an independent and self-determined way? We Sikhs are told we are being 'divisive'.

As a community, we have contributed and participated in many things as part of 'Asian'. However, we are equally clear that, we are not fixed and limited to 'Asian'. We have a life beyond that. We have a vision beyond the limited and sectarian 'Asian' and non-Asian thing. As a community we are building positive ties with English, Scottish, Christian communities in Britain. We want to be part of a cohesive, engaging society. Indeed, our lifestyles, attitudes and social interaction already reveal a community which mixes, interacts and lives alongside English, Italian, Greek, Christian, Scottish, English neighbours, aswell as 'Asian' neighbours. Sikhs are not going to be shackled to 'Asian'. It has served us little practical or tangible purpose in being a community. 'Asian' is an artificial label, which has imperial origins and imperial purposes in confining and fixing a diverse mass of peoples into a single bureucratic bloc. Like the nations and peoples of Europe, we deserve to be treated as equally different, and equally recognised. I would urge those obsessed with being 'Asian', to get a life too!

Rhetoric of 'we are all asian', may serve the outdated, dysfunctional purposes of old-time 'anti-racists'; but it certainly does not reflect the purposes of an expanding, growing, aspirational set of communities originating from South Asia and now settled and actively moving into the thick of British society.

The monotous, repetition of the 'Asian' label on BBC Asian Network may provide this special BBC unit with some moral justification for its existence and, in turn, funding from the BBC bosses. However, its provides communities like Sikhs with no more than divisive and unequal restrictions. Indeed, what is 'Asian'? It is nothing more than a indeterminate mish-mash of diverse peoples bundled together under one officious, bureucratic, media repeated label. South Asia is a geographical region, just like Europe. The diverse peoples of both areas, share many things in common and equally share many diverse lifestyles, languages and aspirations. Like Britain with its diverse nations of Scots, English, Welsh and Irish, we can express our difference as part of greater Britishness and not be subsumed into a empty singularisation. British is strong and robust because of its diverse nations and its empowerment of this diversity! A powerful point which the centralising, domineering India state (with its INDIANISING policies) would benefit from.

It is good to see that, Sikhs yesterday voted with their feet and attended this hugely significant PUBLIC DIALOGUE; way beyond our expectations. All the evidence is that, as Sikhs we are a forward moving, spirited community (with many internal imperfections and difficulties of course). We have a positive desire to integrate and contribute to the British life we are proud to be part of. We do not wish to be restricted to artificial and sectarian boxes like 'Asian', and certainly do not find it respectful nor ethical when everytime we seek to voice our position on 9-11 we are told we should be somehow aligning ourselves with the Muslim population first.

Indeed, do we ever question the Muslim population when it talks about its own distinct form of discrimination, called 'Islamaphobia'? Should Muslims drop this label, and stick with 'Asian'? Ask them, and you'll certainly find out. In the past, some Muslim groups have treated the legal acceptance of Sikhs as "more than just a religion" as a full-fledged ETHNIC group (entitled to protection under the Race Relations Act 1976); unlike Muslims, as a form of unacceptable discrimination. Rather, than accepting and supporting the legal empowerment of Sikhs, these Muslim voices have cited the Mandla v Dowell Lee legal recognition as an unacceptable 'special treatment'. Has BBC Asian Network questioned that divisive approach? As Sikhs, we never single out Muslims with criticism, for vocalling their issues and causes. We may disagree wth their issues and causes, and agree with some. But, either way, we certainly respect their right to present their distinct case, and express their aspirations. Why then do not for Sikhs? Today's Asian Network dialogue, and not for the first time, was certainly puzzling, revealing and alarming, all in one.

Attempts to undermine the Sikhs with 'ASIAN-I-FICATION', will only invigorate the Sikhs further to assert their existence as a people and community. The uncomfortability with this tired, bland, out-dated concept, is already widely across across Sikh grassroots. Moreso, as things have are significantly changing and developing since the days of migrant 'Asians' all be treated as the same old 'Pakis'. Personally, this suffocating ASIAN-I-FICATION inspires me personally to step up the work on cohesion with Britain's 'white', 'non-asian' communities, which is already underway in Sikh circles.

Well done, Dabinderjeet Singh, with robustly presenting the Sikh perspective on today's debate. May waheguru give you continuing sava lakh strength in the ground-breaking work you are undertaking through the Sikh Federation to progress Sikhs issues in the UK and at an international level in the European Parliament and UN. Such work is an inspiration to the Sikh masses, and provides many like myself with a joy that we are finally rising like a phoenix out of cultural and political oblivion.

jagdeesh singh, slough

[rupinder singh]

Well done guys. An excellent representation. More articulate voices like Jagdeesh Singh and Dabinderjeet Singh are required within our kaum.

[Hoshiarpuria]

Bhai Dabinderjit Singh of Slough is a very intelligent Singh who is a credit to the Panth.