Two articles over the weekend got me thinking. I’ll get to them soon enough. Be patient!
The issues aren’t new. I remember back to the late 1990s, when the community here in the Bay Area was moving to build the new San Jose Gurdwara. The Evergreen community protested and raised the typical objections – traffic, architecture that doesn’t ‘fit’ into the community, and sometimes the ‘undesirable neighbors’ argument.
Wherever Sikhs try to build something, these three arguments follow. The latest case…..Southall?
Yes really, in Southall, England. Neighborhood groups are up in arms. Pitchforks are raised – we must stop this ‘monstrosity’.
Despite the fact that the ‘controversial’ Khalsa school was granted all requisite permissions in 2007 and is meant to be open for “Sikhs and children of all other faiths in the community”, neighborhood residents protested. Unfortunately this case is not new and nor will it be exceptional. Wherever Sikhs seek to settle and create institutions, so shall follow litigation and attempts to block them.
However, such opposition is far from surprising. A recent survey in Canada revealed much deeper attitudes about Sikhs. An anonymous survey of 1000 Canadians showed that British Columbians, home to large numbers of Sikhs, tend to be even more antagonistic towards Sikhs than others. Here are some tidbits:
Even as Canada becomes dramatically more multi-faith through immigration, only 28 per cent of Canadians tell pollsters they approve of Islam, for example. Just 30 per cent approve of Sikhism.
Meanwhile, 26 per cent of Canadians think Sikhism promotes violence — as do 30 per cent of the people of B.C., the province where almost half of the country’s more than 300,000 Sikhs live.
On some level, it is easy to dismiss such reports and feelings as prejudice. And largely it is. However, in a large way the onus falls to us as well. I know many will cry out “it’s the media! Jodha, you don’t understand Kim Bolan is out to get us. It’s the media!”
Now I know Kim Bolan’s agenda and pay no attention to her. However, how much do we add? Like Chris Rock said, I don’t worry about the “media” fighting and getting melas cancelled, I worry about other apnay!
My fellow langa(w)r-iter suggested going green; another suggested a human rights committee. Here is my suggestion – relevancy! Can we make our Gurdwaras relevant not just to Sikhs (yes, even this point is debatable, if this is even occuring), but also to the surrounding community? Instead of another gold dome, can we make a computer lab and have classes teaching English, helping make resumes, have a daycare? No, I don’t expect our “committees” to do such things, they have enough on their plate – can we do it? We have the power to counter “media” images; instead of pouting, can we move our community forward. Others are beginning. What are we waiting for?