Today We Are All Sikhs- NOH8

Yesterday was somewhat of an emotional roller coaster for me and my Sikh friends. As many Sikh's are from Punjab- the same region in India/Pakistan that my family is from, I've always been drawn to other Pakistani's and Indian's from Punjab. Hence, I have many Sikh friends. Being Punjabi is pretty much like being from Texas, it's a predominant identity first regardless if people are from Pakistan, India or religious differences. Hence, it was shocking and devastating to hear about the Sikh Temple Shooting yesterday, and I can honestly say I spent the larger part of Sunday grieving with the Sikh community.

Ironically yesterday I also spent the afternoon at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) with some UUCA youth and adults to take part in the NOH8 Campaign's (pronounced- No Hate) photo shoot. It's a silent protest photo shoot to show support for LGBT equality and support for marriage equality. But, on a larger scale it's also a protest against the violent hate that the LGBT community experiences on a daily basis. I had briefly heard that there was a shooting at a Sikh temple on my way to the HRC event, and while at the event I caught up on the news reports through Twitter, I slowly grew somber as I heard about the details. I couldn't really share my internal turmoil with the people at the event- not until I processed my feelings and I didn't want to take away from the larger learning experience of the event. But, the NOH8 protest group picture for me- became symbolically a protest of violence towards all people regardless of their sexual orientation or their religious belief.

During the NOH8's Campaign, we were given duck tape to wear over our mouths representing oppression.

They also applied "NOH8" temporary tattoos on our faces.

My parents reaction was pretty much the same, they've recently moved to practicing Islam again and are fasting for Ramadan. I remember my mom gasping when I told her what had happened at the Sikh Temple, and her first response was "But, the Sikhs are so peaceful". As we talked the conversation grew more somber, because we were reminded that the violence against Sikh's has been rising in the U.S. as a result of the anti-Muslim rhetoric being spread. So, this tragedy has hit home with my family, because the underlying hate against Muslims could very well be the motive of this shooters actions. At this point in time, I feel that the work I'm doing in interfaith dialogue and youth organizing is even more important in order to prevent misunderstanding, bigotry and stereotyping. I'm more committed to continuing my work as an interfaith activist. All I can say is during this month of Ramadan, I'm holding the Sikh community in my heart, thoughts and prayers.

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Comment by Sana Saeed on August 9, 2012 at 11:59am

@Rev. Linda: Thanks for sharing your words! I agree it's horrible that this kind of violence is happening in houses of worship. I hope that faith leaders will continue to speak out as did President Morales highlightin a that the symptoms of "culture that is too tolerant of hatred and too reluctant to restrict access to deadly weapons."

Also for everyone, you might be interested in the FBI's most recent report on hate crimes which I included in a high-school anti-racism curriculum that I'm writing for the UUA as dialogue starter on hate crimes and racism.

FBI Hate Crime Statistics, 2010 includes the following information:

Of the 6,624 single bias incidents, 47.3 percent were motivated by a racial bias, 20.0 percent were motivated by a religious bias, 19.3 percent were motivated by a sexual orientation bias, and 12.8 percent were motivated by an ethnicity/national origin bias. Bias against a disability accounted for 0.6 percent of single-bias incidents.
There were 4,824 hate crime offenses classified as crimes against persons. Intimidation accounted for 46.2 percent of these crimes, simple assaults for 34.8 percent, and aggravated assaults for 18.4 percent. In addition, seven murders were reported as hate crimes.
Of the 6,008 known offenders, 58.6 percent were white and 18.4 percent were black. For 12.0 percent, the race was unknown, and the remaining known offenders were of other races.

Comment by Sharon G. Williams on August 8, 2012 at 12:09pm: There was a mosque in Kansas (I believe) that was burned down in two separate instances of arson. The first fire did not consume the building but the second one did bring the building down. This incident happened the same weekend as the shooting in Milwaukee. It doesn't help that we have so much inequality in our country and I really believe that this inequality is pushing people over the edge to commit terrible acts of violence against themselves and others. I don't the know the motive of the individual who did these terrible acts in Milwaukee. However, I am sure with his ties to white supremacy, he probably felt a great deal of superiority and the sense of false privilege that comes with scapegoating other people who he felt were beneath him. He couldn't stand the other. I keep wondering if he lost his job and felt economically disinfrancized. I guess this violence is part of the process of our country's decline as a world power. Does the loss of being a world power have to mean that "We the People" are condemned to distroy ourselves? I don't think so. Since Violence is a choice always has been and always will be.

Comment by Rev. Linda Olson Peebles on August 7, 2012 at 5:37pm

President of the UUA, the Rev. Peter Morales has  
released the following statement:  "I am shocked, saddened and appalled at the act
 of wanton violence at the Sikh  temple in Wisconsin. Any killing is terrible. 
Killings that are apparently aimed  at a religious group are especially 
disturbing. I join all Unitarian  Universalists in expressing my compassion and
 in praying for comfort and  healing. We are a nation of many faith traditions.
 We join people of all faiths  in praying for victims and their families.   
As we move forward in the weeks and months ahead, we must do more than express 
 compassion. We must reflect on what conditions make repeated acts of deranged 
 violence possible and take action. The killings we keep witnessing in America
  are symptoms of a culture that is too tolerant of hatred and too reluctant to
  restrict access to deadly weapons."

Comment by Rev. Linda Olson Peebles on August 7, 2012 at 3:31pm: Our hearts go out to all who have been hurt (in body and spirit) by the violence of hatred - this week in a Sikh worship place in Wisconsin, and in other places in the past, present, and future. It is terrifying to realize that hatred can enter into our safest places (schools, movie theatres, worship centers, grocery stores) and cause such real pain. May loving hearts reach out to those afraid and at risk - just for the clothes they wear, for the faith they practice, for their skin color or language, for their gender or sexual orientation. And may loving hearts reach out to the ignorance and small mindedness that can create such pain and hatred. Religious people have been the targets, the focus of years of right-wing hate-talk and narrow-minded bigotry. We see police and security in front of the synagogues during the High Holy Days, in the mosques during Ramadan, and now in front of the Sikh Gurdwaras. And let us not forget the children in southern black churches which have been targets, the families in the UU church in Knoxville, the doctor at his Lutheran church in Kansas. Sikh, Muslim, Jew, Christian, UU - all have been victims.

As Sana finds meaning in her commitment to interfaith work, so may all of us at UUCA continue in our commitment to educate and make connections - through our RE program which teaches about all faiths and the worth and dignity of diverse identities; through our justice work in the community with VOICE, intentionally relational and interfaith; and our leadership in the public square standing up for the values of multi-cultural Beloved Community, standing on the side of love.

Comment by Bernie Hyde on August 7, 2012 at 9:58am: Thank you, Sana! I loved your points on identity and understanding. Yours is a much needed message, as is your thoughtful response to Laura. You are so right: NOH8!

Comment by Sana Saeed on August 6, 2012 at 4:59pm: @Laura thanks! I agree, I was just on a call with the United Sikhs and other coalitions. They're worried that the media has started using the rhetoric, that "Sikhs are not Muslims, and are peaceful people" hence, implying that Muslims are violent and the ones that should have been targeted. It's this kind of rhetoric that needs to be stopped. I would say that the Sikhs and Muslims in Arlington should release a joint statement of unity and peace as the first step in responding to this rhetoric and starting a healing process.

@Sharon, thanks! I read your post, and I agree that people are less likely to know and engage with their neighbors. I was lucky in that this past weekend we had a block part on our street, where neighbors shared food and fun. It was in someway a response to some frustrations of gentrification and an attempt to move towards dialogue w/out stereotyping and dehumanizing each other.

Comment by Laura Dely on August 6, 2012 at 4:18pm: Thank you Sana for this beautiful expression of sympathy for the Sikh Temple and its victims of the hate crime there yesterday. I'm listening to the updates about the gunman, who was less-than-horably discharged from the army, and that he was in a white-power band that advocated all maner of hate.

This is so heartbreaking. We really need to do a public forum with the Muslim community to help appease people's fears and put a human face on our brothers and sisters of the of Muslim and the Sikh faiths. Maybe we should approach the Arlington Interfaith Council and organize with them and other faiths together such a forum. Maybe we could include a skit about turban-wearing faiths that could help dispell fear about them.

Comment by Sharon G. Williams on August 6, 2012 at 3:28pm: Thanks sana - I wrote a blog on the shooting and violence at the Sikh temple as well today. I just feel like we don't know our neighbors at all that is part of the reason these situations keep happening. Remember, the shooting at the UU Church in Knoxville. I just feel like there are alot of lost souls out there who are hurting and lack community and connection with other people.

Comment by Sana Saeed on August 6, 2012 at 2:50pm: Thanks Maggie, I felt like I was supported just being around UUCA'ers and also being at the church on Sunday evening....the event was pretty powerful just because of the meaning it took on.

Comment by Maggie Clayton on August 6, 2012 at 2:03pm: Great post Sana - wish I could have given you more support yesterday but I didn't hear about the shooting until I got home. Sending you all my love and support... I hope doing the event yesterday provided some solace.