Valley Sikh Guru Roop Kaur Khalsa said the goodwill from the community after the attack was a "very loving response" and it hurts that the message has been forgotten by some. "It's a monument," she said. "It's a warning, a beacon of what happened in the past" to prevent it from happening again in the future.
These leaders hope the Florida pastor changes his mind, adding, his method will only refuel the tension on a day of remembrance in America. As of Wednesday night, the pastor has no intentions of canceling, despite death threats and warnings.
At the center is the traditional Obon ceremony for the dead,.. the Floating Lantern Ceremony. Rice paper lanterns are inscribed with the names of the dead, lit with candles, and floated out to sea. United Sikhs will provide food as part of its spiritual practice.
While a high-profile battle rages over a mosque near ground zero in Manhattan, heated confrontations have also broken out in communities across the country where mosques are proposed for far less hallowed locations.
When it comes down to building a Mosque at Ground Zero, the issue then becomes mostly about being politically correct and about not hurting any sentiments.
I have been a Sikh for over twenty years. It was a mere two weeks before 9-11 when I decided to wear the Dastar and stop cutting my hair. My timing, of course, could have been better.
