Editor’s
Note: Bay Area resident Jaskaran Singh is dismayed that Sikhs in the
U.S. are once again being mistaken for Muslims and becoming the
target of hate crimes. Even so, he tells his 16-year-old son in a
letter, Sikhs shouldn’t strip themselves of their identity even if
it makes them stand out in society.
Dear Son,
I agree
with you that it’s a little ironic that we Sikhs are being mistaken
for Muslims in the U.S. today, when the very idea behind our
distinctive appearance was to distinguish us from Muslims and Hindus.
I wish more people knew about the role of the Sikhs in the fight
against the Mughal tyranny in 17th century India, and the sacrifices
the Sikhs made to protect the common man’s right to practice their
religion during Aurangzeb’s misguided attempts to convert the
entire Mughal empire to Islam.
I wish people knew that when
Guru Gobind Singhji prepared us for a life as saint-soldiers,
sporting a turban and a beard and carrying arms, he made it clear
that our fight was against tyranny and injustice, not against any
particular religion or sect.
I am glad you are aware of
our proud history. The other day, when talking about the recent hate
crimes against the Sikhs in the U.S., you observed, “This is not
the time to say we are not Muslims.” I am proud of you for thinking
like that. It’s every Sikh’s duty to help those of any religion
or race who are weak and cannot defend themselves again
injustice.
But in order to do that, we have to come from
a position of strength. While there are organizations fighting hate
crimes and working to educate people, we can help by being strong and
taking care of ourselves, and helping anybody else who cannot. One
way of doing that today is to stand by the side of our Muslim
friends.
The Sikh way of life is simple: work hard to earn an
honest living, share what you have, and remember God. Our Gurus
taught us to be fair, to respect others and their religions. Remember
how after 9-11 we rushed to take down the khanda (the Sikh emblem)
from our car so people won’t mistake it for an Iranian flag, and
felt so bad about it afterwards? I remember doing something similar
following the 1984 killings of the Sikhs in India. Maybe it’s time
we stop rushing to prove whatever it is we are trying to prove by
such acts. It’s time to stop living in fear. Yes, we are not
Muslims, but we don’t need to go around announcing it to appease
hate mongers looking for a soft target.
So today, even as I
join your mother in asking you to be careful when you are out on the
road and avoid getting into an argument over religion, I also want
you to remember that we are warriors, and must always be ready to
fight any bully when all means of a peaceful resolution have
failed.
I am happy you are strong in your faith. I’m sure
you’ll have questions from time to time. Please don’t hesitate to
ask them.
Love,
Papa