Innocent Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims harassed

sikh.org ^ | Various

[sampai]

I'm posting this article because of some of the more obnoxious posts I've seen calling for innocent people to be harassed and intimidated because of the color of their skin or the way they dress. I'd like to remind these posters of what Benjamin Franklin once said:

Those who sacrifice essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.


I'm a Hindu by birth. Sikhism is a religion that is neither Hindu, nor Muslim. It was founded to fight oppression. While the Sikhs have often fought and died for just causes, they are a peaceful, enterpreunerial people. Unfortunately, their religion requires them to have long hair (and therefore wear a turban), have a long beard and carry a small symbolic knife called a Kirpan. Because of this, they've been subjected to terrible harassment, not just by ordinary citizens, but by law enforcement officers who wouldn't be able to find Afghanistan on the map and have no idea of the distinctions between Arabs, Muslims, Sikhs, Pashtuns and Hindus.

Read the long list of stories at http://65.42.195.102/cgi-bin/sikhs/reportIndex.cgi and you'll be thoroughly repulsed. These people are moms and dads like the rest of us. Elderly Sikhs and women make especially easy targets and are being harassed - even murdered - on supposedly civilized American streets. As a Hindu, I'm much safer; but I shudder to think of what Muslims and Sikhs must be going through. This has to stop! I've been posting to FreeRepublic for about a year now and am a staunch libertarian; but it's enough to turn me into a democRAT! Americans must reach out to people who're utterly innocent of any crime but practicing their religion. Isn't that why the pilgrims came here in the first place?

[zook]

Big American Bump

[brityank]

BUMP in solidarity. I have met a few Sikhs and Hindus, and have found them to be gregarious and honorable people. There do appear to be a lot of keyboard fascists gathering around lately, but I can assure you that Jim Robinson and the rest of the core FReepers are not supportive of them.
Stay safe, FRiend.

[Russ]

I have not seen any of the posts here on Free Republic to which you are referring. If there were, I can assure you that they were made by those who wish to discredit this web-site and not by "real" Freepers.

There are always people who would like to bring down this site because it is a beacon of freedom.

All the best to you...

[Bikers4Bush]

I agree that the majority of those that follow Islam in the U.S. are peaceful and shouldn't be held responsible for the actions of a few.

The Islamic community could do itself a lot of good simply by trying to help the FBI. There are moderates within the community that are aware of who the extremists are or at the very least they suspect certain individuals of being extremists.

These moderates need to come forward and help law enforcement. If we saw even one or two instances of Islamic Arab Americans coming forward and helping to catch some of these guys I think a lot of the misdirected anger would stop.

[WIMom]

As many of you know, I help with the FreeRepublic fundraisers. It is not always easy or fun sitting at a computer for hours and hours monitoring those threads. Everyone who work the threads VOLUNTEERS to do so. We spend days and weeks helping to keep FreeRepublic running.

Ask yourself these questions:

Where is the first place I go to get my news?
Am I getting any benefit from FreeRepublic?
Am I learning from FreeRepublic?

FreeRepublic is not free. It costs Jim Robinson tens of thousands of dollars to keep this forum running. There are over 60,000 registered users on FreeRepublic and only 1,000 help keep this forum running. Those who do not have the ability to donate money could help by bumping the threads once in a while. Those who who do should be ashamed of yourselves. You are a FReeploader.

Go ahead, flame me. I don't care. I contribute to FreeRepublic, and I for one do not want to see this forum dead.

If everyone who registered donated one measly dollar a month, we would never have to have a fundraiser again.

FreeRepublic Fundraiser --WE WILL STAND UNITED!!!-- We NEED YOUR HELP AND PATRIOTIC POSTS! Thread 68

Donate Here by Secure Server

Or Mail your check to:

FreeRepublic , LLC
PO BOX 9771
FRESNO, CA 93794


To donate By Paypal:

Send PayPal direct to JimRob@psnw.com

[okie_tech]

"Sikhs have often fought and died for just causes, they are a peaceful, enterpreunerial people."

The Sikhs?!?! Isn't this the same group that not only must wear a turban at all times but must ALWAYS carry their assasins knife?

[Teacher317]

Innocent Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims harassed

Are they still alive? Have they lost any children, friends, or loved ones? Have they been cut, had bones broken, or lost appendages? Has their lifespan been affected? Have they lost their means of support? Have they lost their possessions? Have they lost their faith (as a result of the harassment)? Have they lost something of sentimental value? Have they been denied a job? Have they been denied service? Have they been refused medical aid? Have they had their assets seized?

no?

Hmm.

I lost 5000+ friends, a huge portion of my nation's wealth, my beloved NY skyline, several hundred job opportunities, my sense of security in public places (like airports and public gatherings), and several hundred dollars sent to the aid foundations.

They can pound sand.

[Illbay]

Prepare to be flamed big-time for your trouble, as I was on a recent thread.

They will tell you that:

1) They are "sick and tired of the political correctness that is killing this nation" as if the Constitutional protections of conscience and freedom of religion were now an irritant that needs to be dispersed.

2) You are a fool; everyone knows that "all Muslims" want to kill all non-Moslems.

3) You're just a leftist troll.

And other heart-warming comments such as that.

Good luck. Hope you have the stomach for it.

[Romulus]

Isn't this the same group that not only must wear a turban at all times...

Yeah. So what?

... but must ALWAYS carry their assasins knife?

The Sikhs and the assasins (a Muslim sect) are unrelated groups.

[zook]

They hit me with that stuff, too, but I'm fighting back now.

[zook]

They can pound sand.

You need to grow up very quickly if you have any thoughts of helping to defend this country.

[Snuffington]

Harrassment of Sikhs and Hindus in this case is simply based in ignorance. - people assume they're Muslims. Harrassment of Muslims is largely based on fear and distrust.

You can address the ignorance with information. It will take time to calm the fear and distrust of Muslims. The impending escalation of hostilities between the U.S. and some Islamic nations aill only make it worse.

[OBAFGKM]

"Are they still alive? Have they lost any children, friends, or loved ones? Have they been cut, had bones broken, or lost appendages? Has their lifespan been affected? Have they lost their means of support? Have they lost their possessions? Have they lost their faith (as a result of the harassment)? Have they lost something of sentimental value? Have they been denied a job? Have they been denied service? Have they been refused medical aid? Have they had their assets seized?"

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes.

Perhaps you have not heard, but there were recent terrorist attacks in Arlington and New York. Among those killed, maimed, bereaved, etc., in these attacks were Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims.

Unfortunately, some small knuckle-dragging percentage of Americans have taken it upon themselves to add to everybody's misery by harrassing, beating, and generally terrorizing anybody with a darkish complexion or turban or whatever other ignorant stereotype they have fixated upon.

[BlueLancer]

I agree with you.

200 years from now, I want their children's children's children's children to cower and cringe in fear whenever they hear the sounds of jet engines overhead because their legends tell of fire from the sky.

I want them to hide in dark caves and holes in the earth, shivering with terror whenever they hear the roar of diesel engines because the tales of their ancestors talk about metal monsters crawling over the earth, spitting death and destruction.

I want their mothers to be able to admonish them with "If you don't behave, the Pale Destroyers will come for you", and that will be enough to reduce them to quivering obesience.

I want the annihilation to be so complete that their mythology will tell them of the day of judgment when the stern gods from across the sea .. the powerful 'Mericans .. destroyed their forefathers' wickedness.

Then and only then will justice be served.

[Storm Orphan]

Religious tolerance as it is found in the United States is an anomaly.

We can thank the separation of church and state and the secular nature of the U.S. government for that.

All of the religions mentioned in this article have an extensive history of violence directed toward persons who worship another diety.

Correction: All of the religions mentioned in this article have an extensive history
of violence directed toward persons who worship another diety.

All religions.

[Marine Inspector]

Innocent Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims harassed.

Are they still alive? Have they lost any children, friends, or loved ones? Have they been cut, had bones broken, or lost appendages? Has their lifespan been affected? Have they lost their means of support? Have they lost their possessions? Have they lost their faith (as a result of the harassment)? Have they lost something of sentimental value? Have they been denied a job? Have they been denied service? Have they been refused medical aid? Have they had their assets seized?

no?

You are incorrect.

Innocent Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims are being harassed and killed (Mesa, AZ), all due to people with attitudes like yours.

The enemy hides behind many nations, religions, and races.

Do not become the enemy, by adopting their attitudes.

[Storm Orphan]

Friggin idiot.