"case law exempts the kirpaan."
I hereby state that my religion requires me to openly carry my .45 ACP!
One of the more tragic consequences of 9/11 was some igorant yokels killing a Sikh because they associated the turban with muslims. These are a proud people, peaceful but a warrior culture. As far removed from Muslims as you'd want.
"concealed weapon, which Ohio code says is any "instrument, device or thing capable of inflicting death,"
Like a knitting needle?
If they saw me carrying a 6 inch bucknife they'd pull me aside too.
Poor Sikhs, they're such a good people, and on the surface so easily confused with moo slimes.
This is my single gripe with police-- everything has to be handled like a SWAT situation.
Not anymore.....He's wearing faceloads of dirt.
Heaven forbid, not more racial profiling! Next thing you know they'll be interrogating innocent towel-heads whose religion requires them to pray with bombs strapped to their torsos inside local elementary schools. The nerve of these policemen!
from a website........
Philosophy and Beliefs
There is only One God. He is the same God for all people of all religions.
The soul goes through cycles of births and deaths before it reaches the human form. The goal of our life is to lead an exemplary existence so that one may merge with God. Sikhs should remember God at all times and practice living a virtuous and truthful life while maintaining a balance between their spiritual obligations and temporal obligations.
The true path to achieving salvation and merging with God does not require renunciation of the world or celibacy, but living the life of a householder, earning a honest living and avoiding worldly temptations and sins.
Sikhism condemns blind rituals such as fasting, visiting places of pilgrimage, superstitions, worship of the dead, idol worship etc.
Sikhism preaches that people of different races, religions, or sex are all equal in the eyes of God. It teaches the full equality of men and women. Women can participate in any religious function or perform any Sikh ceremony or lead the congregation in prayer.
History and Practices
The founder of the Sikh religion was Guru Nanak who was born in 1469. He preached a message of love and understanding and criticized the blind rituals of the Hindus and Muslims. Guru Nanak passed on his enlightened leadership of this new religion to nine successive Gurus. The final living Guru, Guru Gobind Singh died in 1708.
During his lifetime Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa order (meaning 'The Pure'), soldier-saints. The Khalsa uphold the highest Sikh virtues of commitment, dedication and a social conscious. The Khalsa are men and women who have undergone the Sikh baptism ceremony and who strictly follow the Sikh Code of Conduct and Conventions and wear the prescribed physical articles of the faith. One of the more noticeable being the uncut hair (required to be covered with a turban for men) and the Kirpan (ceremonial sword).
Before his death in 1708 Guru Gobind Singh declared that the Sikhs no longer needed a living and appointed his spiritual successor as Sri Guru Granth Sahib, his physical successor as the Khalsa. Guru Gobind Singh felt that all the wisdom needed by Sikhs for spiritual guidance in their daily lives could be found in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Eternal Guru of the Sikhs. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is unique in the world of religious scriptures because not only is it accorded the status of being the spiritual head of the Sikh religion, but besides the poetry of the Gurus, it also contains the writings of saints of other faiths whose thoughts were consistent with those of the Sikh Gurus.
Sikhism does not have priests, which were abolished by Guru Gobind Singh. The Guru felt that they had become corrupt and full of ego. Sikhs only have custodians of the Guru Granth Sahib (granthi), and any Sikh is free to read the Guru Granth Sahib in the Gurdwara (a Sikh temple) or in their home. All people of all religions are welcome to the Gurdwara. A free community kitchen can be found at every Gurdwara which serves meals to all people of all faiths. Guru Nanak first started this institution which outline the basic Sikh principles of service, humility and equality.
The most significant historical religious center for the Sikhs is Harmiandir Sahib (The Golden Temple) at Amritsar in the state of Punjab in northern India. It is the inspirational and historical center of Sikhism but is not a mandatory place of pilgrimage or worship. All places where Sri Guru Granth Sahib are installed are considered equally holy for Sikhs.
Maybe the Sikhs wear knives for self-protection:
1. Bata, Hazara; 14/12-16/12/46; Muslim mob; One Gurudwara and one Hindu
house burned. One Sikh murdered, two women wounded.
2. Sihalian, Hazara; 19/12/46; Muslim mob; Two Hindus killed.
3. Samadhra, Hazara; 10/12/46; Muslim mob; Gurudwara burnt.
4. Jabori, Hazara; 12/12/46; Muslim mob; 16 Hindu evacuees to Manshera
waylaid and killed.
5. Sankiari, Hazara; Middle Dec. '46; Muslim mob; Hindu temples broken
and murtis desecrated.
6. Balakot Hazara; Middle Dec. '46; Muslim mob; One Sikh killed for
refusing to embrace Islam.
7. Bhata, Hazara; Middle Dec. '46; Muslim mob; 116 Sikhs burnt alive,
several shot dead.
8. Mallachh, Hazara; 3/1/47; Muslim mob; 115 Hindus and Sikhs killed,
large scale looting and arson, women abducted.
9. Dakhali Siar, Hazara; 10/1/47; Muslim mob; Sikhs' houses looted and burnt.
10. Jhan, Campbellpur; Early march '47; Muslim mob; 150 Sikhs killed,
their houses burnt.
11-14. Taurwan (tehsil Talagang), Dhurnala, Dhiba, Suka, Panchnad; All
Campbellpur; 4/9/47 and after; Muslim mob; Jehad declared by Moulvis
against Hindus and Sikhs. Massacare of Sikhs in Dhurnala Dhiba, Suka and
Panchnad, besides Taurwan. Women and children abducted on a large scale.
In many places false promises of safety given to Hindus and Sikhs. Whole
area overrun.
15. Narali (tehsil Gujarkhan); Rawalpindi; 12/3/47; Muslim mob; Attacking
force 15,000, Gurudwara attacked repeatedly. Hindus and Sikhs besieged
inside gurudwara put up stiff resistance, several hindus and sikhs
killed, large scale looting of hindus and sikhs.
16. Dhudial, Rawalpindi; 13/3/47 and 13/3/47; Muslim mob; First attack
resisted by the Sikhs. Large scale looting and arson of Sikh houses,
besides 314 houses, 4 gurudwaras, Hind-Iran Bank and Khalsa High School
burnt. Many sikhs slaughtered.
17. Adiala, Rawalpindi; 8/3/47; Muslim mob; Mobs collected by beat of
drums, false alarm of sikh attack raised, large scale looting, arson in
Hindu-sikh quarters, Hindus and Sikhs fereted out and burnt alive,
stabbed and shot dead, 40 forcibly converted, muslim police looked the
other way and did nothing about the attack.
18. Gorsian (tehsil Gujarkhan); Rawalpindi; 10/3/47; Muslim mob;
Attacking force 600, Muslims persuaded that to kill sikhs a holy deed,
several sikhs killed, large scale looting.
19. Ghugg, Jhelum; Early March '47; Muslim mob; 128 sikhs killed, large
scale arson and looting, 40 women abducted.
20. Mandra, Rawalpindi; 9/3/47; Muslim mob; large scale looting and arson
of hindu sikh businesses, 200 sikhs killed, 40 missing, Gurudwara and
School burnt.
21. Rajar (tehsil Fatehjung), Campbellpur; 10/3/47; Muslim mob; Mob armed
with rifles, 300 sikhs killed, 3 Gurudwaras burnt and Sikh scriptures
desecrated, 16 sikhs incl. women and children burnt alive, all Sikh
houses looted and burnt, 95 women abducted and forcibly married to Muslims.
22. Jia Bagha, Jhelum; Early March, 1947; Muslim mob; 18 sikhs killed, 52
forcibly converted, 66 sikhs houses burnt.
23. Sarkal Kaser, Jhelum; Early March '47; Muslim mob; 43 sikhs and
hindus killed, rest forcibly converted, most hindu-sikh houses burnt.
24. Darwal, Jhelum; Early March '47; Muslim mob; 9 Hindus and Sikhs
killed, 80 forcibly converted, 50 Hindu-sikh houses burnt.
25. Narang, Jhelum; Early March '47; Musim mob; 6 Hindus and Sikhs killed
over 100 Hindu-Sikh houses burnt.
26. Bhasin, Jhelum; Early March '47; Muslim mob; 35 Hindu-Sikh houses
burnt and looted.
27. Chak Sewak, Jhelum, Early March '47; Muslim mob; All Hindu-Sikh
houses looted.
28. Bhagwal, Jhelum, Early March '47; Muslim mob; All Hindu-Sikh houses
looted.
29. Athwal, Jhelum, Early March '47; Muslim mob; 10 Hindu-Sikh houses
looted and burnt.
30. Tahar, Jhelum, 7/3/47 and later, Muslim mob; All hindu-Sikh houses
looted.
31. Mangwal, Jhelum, 7/3/47 and later, Muslim mob; Almost all Hindu-sikh
houses looted.
32. Sahola, Jhelum, 7/3/47 and later, Muslim mob; All Hindu-Sikh houses
looted and burnt.
33-34. Jhanel, Fatahi; Jhelum; 7/3/47 and onwards; Muslim mob; one
non-Muslim killed.
35. Rupwal, Jhelum; 7/3/47 and onwards; Muslim mob; one non-Muslim killed.
36. Ranjha, Jhelum; 7/3/47 and onwards; Muslim mob; one Gurudwara burned.
37. Dharogi, Jhelum; 7/3/47 and later; Muslim mob; Some hindu-Sikh houses
looted and burnt.
38. Namazian, Jhelum; 7/3/47 and later; Muslim mob; 5 hindu-Sikh houses
burnt and looted.
39-42. Tarakwal, Deri Dhok, Hasail, Dhab Kalan; Dist. Jhelum; 7/3/47 and
later; Muslim mob; Hindus and Sikh houses looted and burnt in all these
villages.
43. 128 villages, Rawalpindi; 7/3/47; Muslim mob; Villages attacked,
Hindus and Sikhs killed, No. of killed estimated at 7,000. Other
casualties in proportion, houses burnt and looted, Gurudwaras attacked
and burnt, Approx 1,000 women abducted.
44. 23 villages, Campbellpur; 7/3/47 and onwards; Muslim mob; 610 Hindus
and Sikhs killed, 1,656 Hindu-Sikh houses incl. Gurudwaras burnt and
looted. 1,471 forcibly converted, aprox 1,000 women and children abducted.
45. Garhi Habibullah, Abbottabad (Tehsil Manshera); 18/12/46 and 14/3/47;
Muslim mob; One Hindu abducted and killed 18/12/46, On 14/3/47 8
Hindu-Sikh houses burnt and 4 temples-gurudwaras burnt, large scale
looting by the muslims, Several Hindus and Sikhs killed.
46. Ramgarh (Tehsil Kharian), Dist. Gujrat; 14/3/37 and 15/3/47; Muslim
mob; Hindus and Sikhs extensively looted.
47-50. Batal, Uggi, Sum Ilahi Mung, Garhi Jalli, Dist. Hazara; 7/12/46
and 9/12/46; Muslim mob; 11 Hindus and Sahejdhari sikhs killed in Batal,
11 wounded, looting of Hindu-Sikh houses. Bazar of Uggi burnt and Sikh
shops burnt, 5 Hindus and Sikhs killed, Hindu-Sikh evacuees attacked, 14
killed, 27 injured, gurudwaras burnt.
http://www.hindunet.org/alt_hindu/1995_May_2/msg00042.html
It's commonly known that Sikhs have alternatives to carrying a weapon like that. There are little kits that have tiny "toy" knives and combs so that they are complying with what they are required to carry. I hate to offend, but carrying that big ceremonial dagger in the US is the equivalent of someone carrying around a five-pound Bible.
-"I would encourage people who see someone different to go up and to ask questions."-
Um...yeah. I hope they speak English, and if they were baddies, could I shoot them?
A guy with a knife is quite dangerous (if dangerous, that is), even more so than one with a gun in some cases. If they suspected a knife, that'd be a reason to call in some extra backup.
The joint terrorism task force was called in, an OSU police report shows, and the FBI interrogated Singh.
One Sikh student carrying a ceremonial knife, who is a regular rider of the bus, justifies a swat-like team to arrest him (and the probable cause was what?), he is interrogated for two-and-a-half hours, and the joint terrorism task force and the FBI is called in--but we can't be bothered to secure our borders, or arrest and hold the illegals in the country, including many thousands of middle easterners.
Prosecutors had considered charging Singh with carrying a concealed weapon, which Ohio code says is any "instrument, device or thing capable of inflicting death," but case law exempts the kirpaan.
And an openly displayed six-inch knife with its handle out of its sheath is a "concealed weapon?" I think much of what passes for the "War on Terror" is simply a justification for security types to go nuts, at our great expense, trampling the rights of the innocent, while doing little to enhance our security.
A 2nd-Amendment device.
Not anymore. Join the 21st Century, schmuck.
WHAT THE HELL IS THIS??? So this moron wears a knife to school and WE have to become more sensitive to THEIR "culture". No f**king way...lose the knife or lose your right to attend OSU.
Sikhs get a bad rap because they are easily confused with Muslims. The Sikh religion very honorable. I hope this issue is resolved for the young man in a good way.