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The British and the Sikhs


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1 minute ago, Ranjeet01 said:

How do I explain this to in a language you understand.

If someone does you wrong and you are traumatised, you recognise what has been done to you, good. That is the first step.

However, you keep going on and on about what has happened to you, you will never get out of step 1 and move to step 2.

If the quam is ever going to recover, it needs to get to step 2. But you have to get out of step 1.

Going to step 2 does not mean that you are ignoring what is happening in step 1, you are still acknowledge what has happened in step 1. Going to step 2 does not mean that subordinating yourself to your abuser.

But we need to get out of step 1 and move forward.

You need to understand too. This wrong may not just be historical but ongoing. That's what you don't clock. 

If that's the case, putting distance from yourself and the source of manipulation, so you are out of it's insidious reach, is the first step. You possibly can't see the thing for what it is. 

It's not complicated.  

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1 minute ago, dallysingh101 said:

You need to understand too. This wrong may not just be historical but ongoing. That's what you don't clock. 

If that's the case, putting distance from yourself and the source of manipulation, so you are out of it's insidious reach, is the first step. You possibly can't see the thing for what it is. 

It's not complicated.  

There is a lot of things that happening that we do not know, That will always be the case.

What you have to recognise is that there are things that are under our control and things beyond our control.

You cannot do much with what is beyond our control and we should focus on what we do have control over.

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9 minutes ago, Ranjeet01 said:

There is a lot of things that happening that we do not know, That will always be the case.

What you have to recognise is that there are things that are under our control and things beyond our control.

You cannot do much with what is beyond our control and we should focus on what we do have control over.

Okay, I think that we have very divergent ideas of what our potential  'agency' is in shaping things (in Bandura's lexicon). 

I think I believe we can have potentially more impact that it appears you believe? 

There have been a lot of things that have happened recently that we now know of. When you acknowledge them, it doesn't look like Sikhs being 'attacked' by the british is something simply historical, and confined to some bygone era of colonialism.  

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https://www.kentonline.co.uk/gravesend/news/sikh-war-heroes-honoured-in-memorial-service-254896/

Memorial service in Gravesend honouring Sikh soldiers held at statue of Squadron Leader Mahinder Singh Pujji

 
 

Published: 15:38, 30 September 2021

 | Updated: 15:47, 30 September 2021

 
  • A memorial service honoured Sikhs who have fought and continue to serve in the Armed Forces.

The ceremony was held in St Andrew's Gardens, Gravesend, next to the statue commemorating Squadron Leader Mahinder Singh Pujji and all those who have served alongside Britain.

The service was held at the statue of Sqn Ldr Mahinder Singh Pujji. Picture: Jagdev Singh Virdee The service was held at the statue of Sqn Ldr Mahinder Singh Pujji. Picture: Jagdev Singh Virdee The service was attended by The Defence Sikh Network and members of the Sikh community. Picture: Jagdev Singh Virdee The service was attended by The Defence Sikh Network and members of the Sikh community. Picture: Jagdev Singh Virdee

The Defence Sikh Network, an organisation which acts as a focal point for serving Sikhs and consisting of members in the UK Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence, met with others in the community to pay tribute.

Those in attendance representing the Armed Forces, police, air cadets, the Gurdwara, Gravesham council and family members of the late Sqn Ldr laid wreaths in remembrance and to honour those in service.

The statue was unveiled in 2014, four years after he died, with the inscription: "To commemorate those from around the world who served alongside Britain in all conflicts."Sqn Ldr Pujji was an Indian-born RAF fighter and one of the first Sikh pilots during the Second World War. His bravery earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross.

The hero said he never felt like an outsider during the war but later noticed that non-white people's efforts were largely ignored and campaigned for the recognition of Sikh contributions.

Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP laid a wreath. Picture: Jagdev Singh Virdee Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP laid a wreath. Picture: Jagdev Singh Virdee Statue of Sqn Ldr Mahinder Singh Pujji in Gravesend. Picture: Jagdev Singh Virdee Statue of Sqn Ldr Mahinder Singh Pujji in Gravesend. Picture: Jagdev Singh Virdee

At the event, Wing Commander Manjeet Singh Ghataora spoke about the importance of memorial services in raising awareness, and motivating the next generation to consider serving as a career path.

He joined the RAF as an engineering officer in 1999 and has gone on to become the highest ranking Sikh in the British Armed Forces currently serving, following in the footsteps of his father, Flight Sergeant Avtar Singh Ghataora.

Talking of his career highlights, the Wg Cmdr noted serving as a senior engineering officer in 99 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton, responsible for maintenance and servicing of the UK C-17 fleet.

He oversaw the squadron's junior officers and technicians in the UK and overseas, and made decisions to ensure safe and serviceable aircraft were ready for operational tasks including bringing troops back from Afghanistan and bringing home Ebola patients amongst other humanitarian missions.

The service ended at the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend. Picture: Jagdev Singh Virdee The service ended at the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend. Picture: Jagdev Singh Virdee The Mayor of Gravesham, Councillor Lyn Milner laid a wreath. Picture: Jagdev Singh Virdee The Mayor of Gravesham, Councillor Lyn Milner laid a wreath. Picture: Jagdev Singh Virdee

Wg Cmdr Ghataora was joined by other personnel of the forces such as Flying Officer Rajinder Singh Chawala, Midshipman Gurkamalpreet Singh, on behalf of the Royal Navy, and Warrant Officer Balbir Singh Nagra MBE who is now retired.

Approximately 130,000 Sikh men fought in the First World War, a total of 83,005 Sikh soldiers gave their lives during both the First and Second World Wars, and in 2019, around 130 Sikhs were serving in the British Army and another 70 across defence.

The memorial will now be held annually coinciding with the anniversary of the Battle of Britain and the death of the Sqn Ldr Pujji to remember the Sikh heroes in service.

 

 

 
 
 
 
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https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/09/03/sikh-man-raj-grapples-with-identity-royal-navy-recruitment-ad

 

Sikh man Raj grapples with identity in Royal Navy recruitment ad

Creative Works
By John Glenday - September 3, 2021
navy.jpg?w=940&ar=2:1&fit=crop&crop=face
 

The Royal Navy has deployed its latest recruitment campaign to explore the complexities of what it means to be British in the 21st century through the eyes of one fresh-faced recruit.

Raj’s Story recounts the collision of worlds represented by one boy’s unlikely journey from the streets of West London to the high seas, combating racial prejudice every step of the way.

Powered by Engine Creative, the TV recruitment campaign personalizes the armed forces by focusing on the background of Lt Raj, a serving officer in the Royal Navy’s submarine service. Recreating his childhood and the difficulties of reconciling his Sikh religion with a Western lifestyle, compounded by the disapproval of his family, the piece cuts to the present day with Raj proudly tying his turban before presenting for duty.

Made in the Royal Navy’ seeks to demonstrate that serving a higher cause can help individuals to better understand their own identity when growing up as part of a minority ethnic group. ?

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1 hour ago, MisterrSingh said:

Dally will be very disappointed. ?

Look, in the end of the day, my position stems from the fact that if we're ever going to get our act together, and form a strong cohesive community that is robust to outsider influences - which essentially weaken us psychologically (i.e. make us mentally subordinate to others, constantly aiming to please them), we have to do away away with the loyal sepoy mentality, and not indirectly promote it to newer generations like has been happening for well over a century now.

It's not complicated.  It seems like this idea is very disappointing to you? 

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