Posted on 08/29/2012 2:01:48 PM PDT by bimboeruption
(CNN) -- The Republican National Convention will make history Wednesday night. Ishwar Singh, wearing a turban and beard, will take the stage and lead thousands of conservatives in prayer.
For the first time in U.S. history, a Sikh American will give the invocation at a Republican National Convention.
The inclusion of a Sikh prayer on the stage comes just a few weeks after a gunman opened fire on Sikhs praying in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, killing six and hospitalizing three more in what could be the largest racially motivated mass shooting in recent U.S. history. Many praise the invocation as a mark of progress in the Sikh community's 100 years in America.
Visuals matter. And in a racially charged political climate, a turbaned and bearded man will be presented to the country by Republicans as a fellow American. This is a remarkable step forward.
But speech also matters. If Mitt Romney and Republican leaders want the historic Sikh invocation to be more than tokenism -- and are serious about preventing another Oak Creek -- they cannot continue to let hateful speech within their own party go unchecked. In a time when hate groups are on the rise, the Republican Party must accept responsibility for fostering a political climate that often casts people of color as foreign and inherently suspect.
GOP leaders have not only stood silent while fellow Republicans fan the flames of anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim bias, they have given them the megaphone. Singh will speak on the same stage as Sheriff Joe Arpaio, infamous for shaming and rounding up undocumented immigrants, saying that it's an honor to be compared to the KKK. Newt Gingrich, who is presiding over "Newt University" at the RNC, has compared Muslims to Nazis.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
....the GOP-e might as well go grab priests of B’allah while they’re at it....
America is on the road to Hell and one of our traveling companions is “DIVERSITY.”
Christians should walk out now. There’s no place for them in the GOP. We should start our own party.
Unbelievable. Screw em.
“Ishwar Singh, wearing a turban and beard, will take the stage and lead thousands of conservatives in prayer.”
CNN abusing the term “Conservatives” again.
In fact, Sikhism is a specific repudiation of shamanism.
While I don't believe in it, Sikhism is one of the nobler world religions in terms of its moral code and practices.
Historically, Islam has treated them quite brutally - so they have that in common with Christians.
You might want to read up on the Sikh and their history. Of importance is their relationship with islam, illustrated by these events:
“Protecting the religious and political rights of all people and preventing discrimination is an integral part of the Sikh faith. The 5th Guru Arjan Dev was martyred by the Mughal ruler Jahangir on 16 May 1606 for refusing to convert to Islam. The martyrdom of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji 9th Guru to protect Hindus from religious persecution, in Delhi, on 11 November 1675 AD, is another example of upholding minority religious freedom; he gave his life to protect the right of Kashmiri Hindus to practice their own religion when they were being forced to convert to Islam by Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor at the time.”
Things went downhill from there...
The Sikh are formidable allies, and good folks.
Sikhs cannot be conservatives? Only Christians can?
Our Founding Fathers and our Constitution insisted upon freedom of religion, and the GOP should follow them.
I don’t know what to say or think about this because I don’t have a clue what Sikhs believe. I don’t know if it’s possible to listen to a Sikh praying and direct the same thoughts toward the God of Abraham. Of course, if the prayer starts, “In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful...” we got some big problems.
Good allies and it would seem that lines are being drawn. I would rather have Sikhs on our side than the Muslims who are obviously on theirs.
Facepalm
Sikhs are a different breed of cat. I’m ok with inviting a sikh to lead a prayer.
As for the rest of the piece, the writer is a fool.
They are monotheists who believe in an omnipotent, eternal deity who is invisible and who created the universe from nothing.
Their religion is completely unconnected with Islam, and they have historically resisted to the point of death forced conversion to Islam.
From the article: “Romney and Republican leaders must check extremism in speech. They can start by meditating on the Sikh prayer to be offered by Singh: “Nanak nam chardi kala, tere bhaanai sarbat da bhala.””
Dear Enlightened Wideawake One,
Please tell me what this prayer means. I being a foolish, Christian American, who speaks only English, don’t have a clue.
> America is on the road to Hell and one of our traveling
> companions is “DIVERSITY.”
Who brought “diversity” to N. America, the Europeans or did it arrive before that?
If the GOP limits itself to white Christians it will become impossible for them to win federal elections within 10-15 years.
I admire Sikhs. Glad to have one as an ally.
To what aspect of diversity are you referring?
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