Twister brings divided Alabama community together
CREDIT: CBS Atlanta
The Public Opinion reports that a twister that devastated the Alabama neighborhood of Kikpatrick in March has helped to bring the community together.
Sikh
Community supports gay politician following assault
CREDIT: Advocate.com
Oklahoma’s first openly gay state politician is receiving vocal support from his community following an assault which he says was motivated by hate. Jim Roth, a Democrat who served on the Oklahoma Cortwas assaulted outside a bar by three men who called him anti-gay slurs during the attack, according to Policymic.
"Dialogue does not mean everyone at the ‘table’ will agree with one another. Pluralism involves the commitment to being at the table—with one’s commitments." —The Pluralism Project at Harvard University
The California legislature designated November as Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month
By Amrit Kaur Sidhu
My 5-year-old Sikh-American brother came home from his local public school wearing a headband of paper feathers that adorned the top of his patka (small turban). He proudly showed me his ‘magical’ macaroni necklace, as he told me that he was dressed as a Native American. Struggling to react to this inherent irony, I was once again reminded of how I had been taunted as a Sikh-American in elementary school for being a ‘dot-Indian’ or a ‘feather-Indian’. Not only was his school perpetuating a stereotype, but was also blatantly misappropriating the culture of an indigenous community that has systematically and historically been bullied.
Harpreet Singh Saini is sworn in before testifying. Photo Credit: AP
“I want to tell the gunman who took her from me: You may have been full of hate, but my mother was full of love,” said Harpreet Singh Saini, who lost his mother in the tragic hate crime killings at a Sikh gurdwara in Oak Creek Wisconsin on Aug. 5.
Photo: Katie Sokoler/Gothamist
Lights have been rising throughout the community of Oak Creek and beyond in commemoration and honor of the fallen - six individuals shot last Sunday at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin.
Since the tragic killings, mourners of diverse backgrounds and religions have united in a number of candlelight vigils, from the immediate Sunday and then Tuesday night vigils in Oak Creek, to the vigils across the nation, of which more than 100 took place this week alone. A memorial service was held Friday morning for the six victims.
Friday's service took place at Oak Creek High School and drew hundreds of attendees wearing scarves over their heads in honor of Sikh tradition. Six coffins adorned with flowers stood in the gym, next to large, framed portraits of the deceased. A video projection commemorated the dead and wounded.
From the Chicago Tribune: Candlelight vigil for victims of Sikh temple shooting in Wisconsin at Palatine Gurdwara in Palatine, IL on Aug. 6.
Communities nationwide join together to honor the victims of the Oak Creek, Wis. Gurdwara massacre on Aug. 5 that left six dead and three wounded. The nationwide invitation is organized by the Sikh Coalition, Sikh leaders and organizations.
"A crime like this should be condemned, regardless of what ethnic or religious group is targeted. The shooting is no less or more reprehensible if it was directed against Americans attending a mosque, synagogue or church. This type of attack is not attack on one community; it's an attack on us all," said Sikh Coalition Executive Director Sapreet Kaur.
Offer Help & Support to the Oak Creek Sikh Community
Our hearts and thoughts are with the community of Oak Creek, Wisconsin today, after yesterday's tragic shooting at a Sikh temple that claimed seven lives—including the gunman—and left three wounded.
The Sikh community has been a target of hate since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and often mistaken for Muslim. Yesterday's tragedy reminds us of the two Sikh grandfathers who were shot during their daily stroll in Elk Grove, Calif. in March 2011. We joined the community seven days after the shootings and documented their interfaith vigil, and again, for the community's Sikh Solidarity Day, detailed below.
This piece is an example of community solidarity with the Sikh community and law enforcement leadership.
One of the community leaders in Elk Grove was Amar Shergill, a West Sacramento attorney who is a board member of that city's Sikh temple and the American Sikh Political Action Committee. He spoke about Oak Creek, Wisconisin's tragedy with the local Patch.
From SacBee.com: Navi Kaur, granddaughter of shooting victim Surinder Singh, said "our grandfather wore his turban proudly. Our community will continue to wear their turbans proudly... . It is not acceptable to target anyone based on their appearance, religion or color of their skin." Read more.
Elk Grove, Calif. residents of multiple faiths will come together for a prayer vigil this Friday at the intersection of East Stockton Boulevard and Geneva Point Drive, where two elderly Sikh friends were gunned down during their routine afternoon walk last Friday afternoon.