Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Wisconsin Shooting Rampage Isn't Just A Sikh Issue, Harpreet Singh, Simran Singh

Simran Jeet Singh

The recent massacre in Wisconsin has brought about a mix of emotions for the Sikh community in San Antonio. While we have been deeply saddened by the loss, we have been touched by the support of our neighbors.

These acts of kindness remind us that this is not just a Sikh issue. The shooter violated basic human dignity and fundamental civil rights, and we must respond as a united community.

Our responses should be guided by our ideals, and our Sikhi tradition offers a few basic messages that inform a Sikh response to the massacre.

The Rise Of Hate Crimes Can Be Tied Directly To Hateful Speech, Hansdeep Singh, Simran Singh

Simran Jeet Singh

Attorney General Eric Holder described the recent massacre of Sikhs in Oak Creek, Wisconsin as “an act of terrorism, an act of hatred, a hate crime.” Four days later, anti-Semitic graffiti was found at Brooklyn Holocaust Memorial Park, and throughout the month of August, a number of mosques have been attacked and desecrated around the country. Official statistics on hate crimes evidence a steady rise of violence against religious communities over the past five years. Although there are flaws in the FBI’s method of tracking and monitoring hate crimes, their statistics provide a consistent framework to analyze trends. For example, …

Revisiting The Victim Narrative, Simran Singh

Simran Jeet Singh

After a white supremacist opened fire at a Sikh gurdwara in Oak Creek in August, significant media resources have been devoted to describing, analyzing and attempting to explain the event. A few of the prominent themes have included buzzwords such as "unprecedented," "victimization" and "suffering" endured by Sikhs in America. Although these buzzwords rightfully point to the challenges faced by Sikh Americans, they fail to aptly capture the spirit and attitude with which Sikhs have embraced such challenges throughout history.

Conversations, Simran Singh

Simran Jeet Singh

Oak Creek Wisconsin: yet another tragic shooting, yet another mass murder, yet another horrific scene played out in the American landscape. But something sets this one apart: this one happened at a Sikh Temple. How are local Sikhs processing the tragedy?

How Hate Gets Counted, Simran Singh, Prabhjot Singh

Simran Jeet Singh

Do American Sikhs count?

The horrific shooting at a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee on Aug. 5, in which a white supremacist, Wade M. Page, killed six people before fatally shooting himself, elicited an outpouring of sympathy from American leaders and a greater understanding of the role Sikhs have played in American life.

But there are two disturbing aspects of the response to the shooting that deserve wider public attention.

First is the notion of “mistaken identity” — the assumption that Mr. Page, who had long-established ties to radical right-wing groups, mistook Sikhs for Muslims, his presumed target. The second …