Don't hate the turban, hate the violence
A Sikh family walks in northern India. Photo by Thomas Schoch, public domain photo from Wikimedia Commons
Most Afghans prefer a darker shade of turban. You can see a piece of fabric trails down from this man’s turban, a clear way to distinguish between a traditional Afghan style of turban and Sikh turbans. Photo by Steve Evans from Citizen of the World, public domain photo from Wikimedia Commons
Osama bin Laden sometimes wore a white turban in the traditional Afghan style. Photo by Hamid Mir, public domain photo from Wikimedia Commons
When I was 8 years old, I was walking into Café Latte in St. Paul with my dad. A white woman, who looked to be about 70 years old, was exiting the restaurant as we were walking in. As a kind gesture, my dad told me to open the door for her.
I opened the left door, but I guess she was planning on exiting through the right door. My dad told me people tend to open the right door in America, whereas people in Asian and African countries open the left door. I was young and didn’t know about this, so I was surprised by what happened next.
After she passed us, she turned around and said something I would never forget: “If you don’t know which door to open, go back to your country.”
I was shocked. First of all, I was born in the United States. Secondly, why did she say this to me, especially when I was an 8-year-old who was just trying to help?
My dad told me that she probably thought we were Muslims since this was a few years after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. After the attacks, there was a backlash against Arabs and Muslims, including hate crimes.
According to an annual FBI report on hate crimes, in 2000, there were 28 hate crimes against Muslims. In 2001, the FBI reported 481 hate crimes against Muslims.
But Sikhs were also attacked. By February 2002 following Sept. 11, the FBI had already investigated 318 hate crimes against Arabs, Muslims, and Sikhs.
The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fun receives about 10 complaints a year from Sikhs – most report being denied service at restaurants and bars for wearing a turban, said Amrita Singh, the organization’s legal and legislative affairs associate.
The Sikh faith is a religion that started in India, not the Middle East. It’s common to wear turbans in both those areas of the world. The majority of Muslims don’t wear turbans, but some do, like Osama Bin Laden, who wore a white turban in the traditional Afghan style.
When most people think of terrorists, I think they think of bin Laden, and then they think of white turbans and long beards, which is how a lot of Sikh men also look.
You can teach people about Sikhs, Muslims and other South Asians, but you can’t teach people to not hate others. You can’t really change someone’s opinion on different races or ethnic and religious groups.
The number of incidents when people have been kind to my family far outnumbers the times people have been ugly to us.
What is Sikhism?
Sikhism originated in the Punjab region of modern day India in the late 15th century. It is a monotheistic religion that believes in ten “Gurus” or prophets. Sikhs believe that the essences of the ten Gurus reside in our holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. An estimated 27 million Sikhs live all over the world today.
Some basic Sikh tenets:
- Many Sikhs keep their hair unshorn to live as naturally as possible.
- Sikhs wear turbans to show respect toward God and others.
- Many Sikhs are vegetarian to show respect for animal life.
- Baptized Sikhs keep the 5 “Ks”: unshorn hair (kesh), a small, wooden comb worn under the turban (kanga), a simple iron bracelet (kara), a specially designed white undergarment (kachera), and a small sword (kirpan).
Amolak Singh
A driver hit my brother while he was biking two years ago. The culprit drove off and left him there. Right away, another family stopped, made sure he was OK, and drove him home.
The family asked if he was Muslim and where he was from, which was perfectly OK. I don’t actually care if people assume I’m Muslim. I care when they think all Muslims are potential terrorists.
Some people say education can stop hate crimes. But education can end ignorance, not hate.
People are going to hate. But I want them to hate the right thing – the line that people from every background have crossed in the name of beliefs: killing others for a cause.
Sikh terrorists have blown up planes, killing hundreds, because they want an independent Sikh state in India. I, and the majority of Sikhs, abhor these crimes. They crossed that line: they killed innocent people for a cause.
Recently, an eight-year-old orthodox Jewish girl who was on her way to school in Israel was spit on and insulted by ultra-orthodox men for being immodest. Basically, she was dressed modestly – in a long skirt and long-sleeved T-shirt – but not modestly enough for the stricter beliefs of ultra-orthodox Jews.
These actions are also unacceptable. These men crossed a line: they harmed a young girl for their belief system.
After that woman yelled at me, I realized that some people weren’t going to know I was Sikh, not Muslim, and those people were going to react to me in a hateful manner just because of that resemblance.
That incident didn’t change me into an overly wary person. But it did show me that this woman was OK with hating me for no reason. After all, haters are gonna hate.
People of all backgrounds have killed innocents in the name of a belief. This woman’s mistake of grouping me with people who’ve done terrorist attacks is not just wrong; it’s dangerous.
If that woman keeps associating people by their race or looks with a small, evil group of people, she won’t be able to spot the real threats in the world. Terrorists don’t have a “look,” but they all have a couple things in common: hate and violence.
Comments
As the article above is message of hate, just like the victim, I don't support hate coupled with violence...if someone is evil to me i walk away.
But ignorance about the false message that true Sikhs who allegedly bombed a plane and killed innocent in India, are actually defenders of the crime of hate is very inaccurate, as she has not done her research about the oppression in her homeland.
I am not from India and witnessed the oppression by police and killing of innocent by police, who really are the perpetrators of hate, and not Sikh heroes who are only really Robinhoods risking their own lives and families to defend the innocent, poor, and oppressed in India.
Please do spread hate if you are ignorant of the facts. Do your research as you are obviously not a devoted Sikh, sadly, to go against your own.
May Gurujio enlighten you and your family about the truth about the human rights violation in India!
about the plane crash bombing, it is actually the Indian government plot to blame it on Sikhs...so please really contemplate on why you remain a Sikh if you support maya/ evil?
Read Gurbani, Sukhmani Sahib, and Asa Di Var and really contemplate on the message, then ask yourself where does your loyalty lie, towards evil oppression, or Godly defense against human rights violations?
Such a wonderful piece of writing by a 14 years old student. Good job young man. The writing do raises interesting questions for Sikhs. Mr. Amolak Singh states in his opinion that "education" can inform but does not erase hate. Only love, forgiveness and may be able to transform, only if there is a Higher Blessing. He also touches a sensitive nerve for which he was awarded more brickbats than accolades. That, "Sikhs" can do no wrong, never. It is always someone out there is responsible for our problems, whether in India or abroad. To my simple understanding, if that is the case, then we all are enlightened, and will travel to Guru Maharaji's Lotus Feet. The response to Amolak Singh has been ironic, sad and unfortunate. And then we whine and complain that Sikh youth has gone haywire. Because, encouragement with a precondition is a trade deal, I only encourage one if s/he agrees to my point of view.
Nanak's Divine Sikhi is beyond and above Maanmat, intellectually created barriers of race, ethnicity, religion, color, caste, age, gender, nation, country, region, ideologies, Sampradas, groups and what not!
I admire this young teenager for raising a very contemporary and conventional issue of turban in a very unconventionally manner. I pray to WaheGuru for him.
I am a middle aged, white, christian, mid-western American woman. I cannot comment on the accuracy of the young writer's theology or philosophy. But I think his article does a terrific job of telling his experience and his thoughts/understanding of the subject. I wouldn't look to a 14 year old to educate me on all things Sikh, Muslim, etc. But I do very much appreciate his sharing his personal experience and bringing to light the importance of our words and actions to one another. Kindness matters. Thank you Amolak.
First of all an amazing article by a 14 year old man, Great Job Amolak!
As for the part about Sikh terrorists have blown up planes is FALSE and here's why: this trial has been one of the biggest conspiracies in Canada. There is and has been a lot of evidence in the past 30years that the Indian gov't had a lot to do with this bombing. Indian Gov't Agents were witnessed bribing Sikh and Punjabi Media stations to run their media agenda on certain topics about Sikhism. There is also proof that the Canadian Government was not allowed to investigate the Indian Gov't involvement or any of their agents at any time. Francois Lavigne - a respected intelligence analyst says the major commission into the 1985 Air India bombing suffered from the "fatal flaw" of not being allowed to investigate the role of the Indian Government on the attack. You can watch videos on youtube with proof of this and there are many great articles to read as well. To find the truth we need to dig pretty deep but eventually we find it. The media does a great job of distracting the people who are glued to their (TV) and believe every little thing their gov't tells them. Air India bombing was an inside job by the Indian Gov't, and 9-11 was an inside job by the American Gov't. There is a lot more facts and evidence to go with that but i'll let the people do their own research who live in this age of information. I just wanted to make my point and make people think. I hope most people can see past all the lies from the media and do their own research. Anyone can read and study sikh history and know who and what we are really about, and that is Love, Truth, Justice, Freedom, and Equality for the whole human race. Any human being can trust us, we are Gods Army and we will fight for truth and justice for any human being on earth, doesn't matter what color you and will stand by you side by side until the end. We are for the truth and Sikhism is a light brought by Guru Nanak for this dark age. People are starting to wake up and realize all the corruption about their governments. All the lies are coming out all around the world and there is a massive awakening happening world wide. There are protests happening in China and India and many other countries around the world. This is the age of truth. It is the age of Khalsa and Sikhism. We were born for this very purpose and we will deliver with God on our side. Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh! (Khalsa belongs to God, Victory belongs to God)
intelligent article, to fight stupidness we all must be educated about these issues. I have done a huge amount of backpacking around the world and even one of my friends is a Sikh. Everyone I've met including him have been just really really really nice people!
Post new comment