Although Mayor Tonya Hoeffel has since apologized, her behavior demands more thoughtful analysis and response. We must demand more from our elected officials and hold them accountable for their actions.
"Today, I want to talk about something really sad and important. How many of you know what happened in Oak Creek, Wisconsin?"
Whatever the roots of Mr. Page’s hatred, it is wrong to assume that every attack against a Sikh is really meant for a Muslim. That assumption overlooks the long history of discrimination and hatred directed at Sikhs in America
It is important that we take time to humanize these individuals. In overlooking their humanity, we lose a part of our own. We can maintain our own humanity by registering and remembering the effects that hate-crimes have on more personal levels.
The legacy of anti-Sikh violence and its contemporary prevalence make it painfully obvious that anti-Sikh violence is often purposeful and targeted.
Bill Baxley’s pursuit of justice, the attack on the Oak Creek Gurdwara will embolden Sikh Americans to preserve their traditions and to continue to promote freedom and justice for all Americans.
"The Guru was beheaded before a big crowd," our grandparents would tell us. "When one brave man brought the Guru's head to his young son, his son asked, 'Were there any Sikhs in the crowd to stand up to this injustice?' The man said he didn't know. The young boy responded, 'From now on, Sikhs will never hide.'"
Identifying the problem as “mistaken identity” is just plain wrong. “Mistaken identity” implies that there is a “correct” target
In light of all this, I have been inspired by the community's response to the violence. There is a general feeling that responding with hatred or vengeance will not solve anything, and Sikh organizations are leading the charge to bring the community together, support one another, and provide a unified message of love and compassion.
After making sure I was safe, they asked me to be careful walking around the streets of New York City. They pointed out that: "You never know what someone might do."