Sunday morning started off me like most Sunday mornings. Breakfast with my family, surfing the TV channels, seeing whats happening in the world on my laptop. A phone call from my sister changed this from a normal Sunday morning to, for the lack of a better word, an abnormal one. The Sikh Temple shooting in Oak Creek, Wisconsin has brought up many more questions about what is going on in the world stronger and more closely than ever before. I moved to America while I was still in diapers. I was raised as an Indian-American - a decent hybrid of Indian and American values. Growing up I had family and friends that were not only Hindu, but Sikh, Christian, Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist, Taoist - you get the picture. I was taught values based on culture and not on religious faith. That's probably why personally I have a respect for any way one gets to God - even atheists.
9-11 changed the world as everyone knew it in 2001 and I'm not talking about about the National Security or TSA safety standards I'm discussing everyday life for someone like me. Being Indian and having that olive skin color that people spend lots of money in tanning salons to get - my stereotypical look is diverse enough to get people to think I'm of any brown decent - namely Terrorist ;) After 9-11 my personal world changed because I went from being the "foreigner" kid, pre-6:30am on September 11, 2001, to potential terrorist. Being a traveling sales person who used planes, rental cars and hotels on regular basis my entire world had changed. I spent more time as a part of additional security checks that anytime I flew coach I knew I should get to the airport an additional hour ahead. More times than one I have found the TSA National Security sticker on my checked bag after a flight - even when my luggage tags were accidentally switched and placed on my non-brown traveling companion's bags. 9-11 took the looks of jealousy that most uninformed white folks gave me when I traveled to non-diverse parts of the United States and made them into looks and treatment of hatred from those folks.
Today after the Sikh Temple Shooting in Wisconsin - I have to beg the question, when did America - the land of the free and where religious diversity is welcome - became a country where people will attack people during prayer their holiest day of the week. And then the News Media's message to everyone is to educate them the difference between Sikhs and Muslims - in a way saying don't attack the wrong people. Why aren't we educating the uninformed that the acts of a few should never dictate their impressions of others that may look like them. As an American Citizen of Indian decent who has faced his share of prejudice, should I know question the actions of every bald headed white male that comes any where near my religious places of worship? Should I create a stereotype out that says "Bald Headed White Males" seen any where near religious places are potential threats so judge them as if they were criminals? No. From a person who has been on the end of ignorant prejudice in this post 9-11 world here's what I say. People are either good or evil - there is no in between. Good and evil isn't exclusive to a group based on exterior factors like look, sex, orientation, race, affluence, religion or nationality - its something that exists in the heart of a person. Don't hate people because of the way they look - look around and judge a person's heart not their exterior qualities. To bad we don't take the time to teach this to people and our young rather than help create more unnecessary differences.
As far as teaching people about Sikhism here's what I know and its good enough for me, Ek Onkar, which means One God. By the way, after a person of non-sikh decent open fired on this congregation in cold bold and has definitely put their faith on the test- this congregation was offering food and water to all reporters and law enforcement offices.
Love all and let the light within shine bright.
-Digital Hindu
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