News Play A Part In Sikh Hate Crimes?

[Singh559]

The news groups have an obligation to have a decent social/reigious knowledge and address implications that the portrayal of some images could have on a community. Since when does wearing a turban relate to muslims AND 'radicalization'? The turban isn't even a religious or spiritual item for Muslims. Some muslims wear it, but the majority don't. Either way even if muslims do wear it, it's still wrong that they're attaching the image like that. If I hadn't known better, i'd say it was intentional:

Found on the sbc/yahoo homepage.

[VanHelsingh]

I think the media does it as a way of singling Muslims out. They could easily show a picture of a person with a brown face, but there's so many of us (lol), that it would be kind of generic. A way to crystallize the focus, as it were, is to latch onto a symbol of some sort, i.e. a turban. It is very careless (and the conspiracy theorist inside me finds it suspicious) but I agree with you.

What can you do? Are we going to say "Sikhs own the trademark to the turban - Don't it associate with Muslims?" Well, you know what people will say to that.

[Singh559]

I think the media does it as a way of singling Muslims out. They could easily show a picture of a person with a brown face, but there's so many of us (lol), that it would be kind of generic. A way to crystallize the focus, as it were, is to latch onto a symbol of some sort, i.e. a turban. It is very careless (and the conspiracy theorist inside me finds it suspicious) but I agree with you.

What can you do? Are we going to say "Sikhs own the trademark to the turban - Don't it associate with Muslims?" Well, you know what people will say to that.

I don't really think it's a conspiracy at all, what they're trying to do is associate terrorism with an image. It's impossible to do! Do you honestly think profiling someone based on having a turban is effective?

They say Muslim radicalism which automatically makes americans think of radical islam and in effect terrorism. I have never, ever seen a Muslim who wears a turban in the states...

[VanHelsingh]

I have never, ever seen a Muslim who wears a turban in the states...

Yes. That's what annoys me too.

[dalsingh101]

I remember when the war against Afghanistan started and everyday the tv would have clips of bearded and turbanned men, some of whom, frankly, looked similar to Sikhs (see image below for example). I think this played a big part in reinforcing preconceptions myself? Not that this excuses the rampant ignorance that emanates from certain quarters mind you.

[Singh559]

I remember when the war against Afghanistan started and everyday the tv would have clips of bearded and turbanned men, some of whom, frankly, looked similar to Sikhs (see image below for example). I think this played a big part in reinforcing preconceptions myself? Not that this excuses the rampant ignorance that emanates from certain quarters mind you.

True. I may just be being touchy to an extent.

[dalsingh101]

True. I may just be being touchy to an extent.

You're not. You have every right to be peed off with it.