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Propaganda of hate
The Pioneer ^ | Wednesday, August 8, 2012 | Editorial

Posted on 08/08/2012 1:06:47 PM PDT by Jyotishi

Monster of intolerance looms large over US

It may be a while before we know the exact reason that prompted 40-year-old Wade Michael Page, a US Army veteran, to open fire at devotees in the Oak Creek Gurdwara in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, killing six Sikhs and a policeman.

But there is no denying that his actions were a direct result of the hate campaign against non-Whites which has gained ground in that country since 9/11. In the aftermath of that 2001 terror attack, American society has apparently changed forever. A deep distrust of anyone who resembles the turbaned, bearded, brown-skinned perpetrator of that heinous crime, has taken roots in the hearts and minds of many people there. In the years since then, America has seen a shocking increase in the number of attacks against brown-skinned people, particularly Sikhs who with their long beards and turbans are often mistaken for not just Arabs but radical Muslims. Racial bigotry claimed its first victim in post-9/11 America when, only four days after the attack, Balbir Singh Sodhi was gunned down in Arizona by Frank Roque in the belief that the Sikh petrol pump owner was indeed an Arab. A decade later, there has been little respite for the Sikh community that is still routinely subjected to misdirected racial taunts and occasionally even life-threatening attacks. Activist groups in that country have noted as many as 700 to 1,000 cases of hate crimes against Sikhs since 9/11, and have even requested the authorities to register such cases under a separate category, instead of tagging them as a general anti-Muslim hate crime, as is currently the practice. Such a distinction is the key to gauging the extent of the collateral damage that the Sikh community has suffered since 9/11.

Having said that, it must be mentioned that it is imperative for American society to look beyond the Sikh-Muslim differential argument, and assert that there is no reason whatsoever to target members of either community. That this has actually been the case where members of a particular faith have been gunned down within their place of worship is really a shame upon America. What makes matters worse is that the US Government has done little to prevent the contagion of racial hatred from spreading across the country. Yes, it has made some noises in that direction but words without action mean little. Also, it has taken almost no steps to protect the vulnerable groups. The Sikhs in Milwaukee, for instance, had reportedly asked for protection in the face of growing number of racial attacks but the authorities paid no heed. Consequently, the community was left defenceless against a gun-wielding crazy like Wade Michael Page, a ‘white supremacist' and ‘frustrated neo-Nazi'.

Yet, this is not the first time that a potent mix of racism and ignorance, fuelled by a dangerously easy access to firearms, has led to such an explosive situation. From the recent massacre at the Aurora movie theatre in Denver, Colorado back to the 1999 carnage at Columbine High School, there is a long list of madmen with guns going on a shooting spree that should have sparked a debate on America's dangerous gun laws. However, as the muted response of both President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney in this regard shows, there is a conspicuous lack of political will to take on the subject — no matter, the growing number of dead.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: obama; romney; shooting; sikh
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To: Jyotishi
So far this year 6 Sikhs have been shot by Neo Nazi whack jobs.

So far this year over 3,000 blacks have been shot by other blacks.

Which is the epidemic? Which is the outlier?

21 posted on 08/08/2012 4:46:57 PM PDT by Gabrial (The nightmare will continue as long as the nightmare is in the White House)
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To: Gabrial

> So far this year over 3,000 blacks have been shot by other blacks.

That’s a black holocaust at the hands of their own!


22 posted on 08/08/2012 5:05:16 PM PDT by Jyotishi (Seeking the truth, a fact at a time.)
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

They’re great singers and dancers. BORDER is one of my favorite movies.


23 posted on 08/08/2012 5:16:29 PM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: Jyotishi
"But there is no denying that his actions were a direct result of the hate campaign against non-Whites"

So, did the shooter call this writer up and confess that this was his motivation this or is this just "editorilizing"?

The Kenyan must go.

24 posted on 08/08/2012 5:27:08 PM PDT by ex91B10 (We've tried the Soap Box,the Ballot Box and the Jury Box; ONE BOX LEFT!)
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To: bert

None of the non-muslim groups I mentioned were harbored by the house of Saud while they plotted to fly airplanes into American buildings.


25 posted on 08/09/2012 1:23:47 AM PDT by muir_redwoods (Legalize Freedom!!)
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