On September 11, 2011 it’ll be ten years since the attack on the World Trade Center Twin Towers.

Ten years ago, my family had recently migrated to California; I remember watching the 9/11 footage and the aftermath in my English class in high school. Later I would witness my father being called ‘Osama bin Laden’ at the local Walmart. My father used to bike to his work and was warned that it was dangerous; he would be an easy target if he wore his turban on an open road. But he did not have a choice at the time.

The terrorist attacks unleashed hate crimes on the minorities. All of a sudden we didn’t feel accepted by the American people. Somehow we were deemed responsible for the attacks. The minorities and immigrants had to go an extra mile to show their love for America. And the Sikhs did go the extra mile. A Sikh doctor from New York area was one of the first group to aid the twin tower victim:

“Dr. Navinderdeep Singh, a fourth year resident set up the first medical help center at ground zero, just in front of the collapsed towers. Dr Navinderdeep Singh stayed until 2 a.m., treating mostly injured firefighters who had been pulled from the rubble. Many of you call people like him, an American Hero”¹ But as a turbaned Sikh, Singh also became victim of hate in the days following.

“Every person was staring at me,” he says, “People were saying ‘There goes one of them now.’ Someone yelled ‘Go back to your own country!’

Many immigrants including my family posted stickers of US flag from the windows of our homes and apartments. Our Gurudwara in Bakersfield, CA issued a flyer stressing that Sikhs are not Muslims. The post 9/11 hate crimes forced the Sikhs to separate themselves from Muslims instead to standing with them in solidarity against racism, hate and violence.

Despite these efforts, violent hate crimes against Sikhs ensued.

On September 15, 2001 Balbir Singh Sodhi was shot in Mesa, Arizona by Frank Silva Roque. In August 2006, Arizona Supreme Court overturned Roque’s previous death sentence from Maricopa County Superior Court with life in prison².

The hate incidents continue. In March 2011, Elk Grove, CA resident Kamaljit Atwal’s 78-year-old father Gurmej Atwal and his 67-year-old friend Surinder Singh were shot and killed while taking an afternoon stroll in the neighborhood. SALDEF has reported more than 700 hate crimes since 9/11.

“Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Sikhs have reported a rise in bias attacks, both verbal and physical, against them. The backlash that hit Muslims across the country has expanded to include them and their faith as well, with some assuming the sight of a long beard and turbaned head can only mean one thing” ³.

These hate crimes were the impetus for the Sikhs to participate in their communities and educate the American public on Sikh history and culture.

In 2008, Valarie Kaur made a movie ‘Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath’. ⁴The documentary encapsulates effects of hate crimes on Sikh community, perception and ignorance about the Sikhs community among the American people: a young White man says he keeps hearing the word ‘six’ when Valarie asks him what does he know about the Sikhs.

“Valarie Kaur was a 20-year-old college student when she set out across America in the aftermath of 9/11, camera in hand, to document hate violence against her community. From the still-shocked streets of Ground Zero to the desert towns of the American west, her epic journey confronts the forces unleashed in a time of national crisis–racism and religion, fear and forgiveness–until she finds the heart of America: halfway around the world.

Winner of more than a dozen international awards, Divided We Fall “is an illuminating meditation upon what it has meant to be ‘one of us’ since September 11? (Harold Hongju Koh, Dean of Yale Law School). On tour, the film is opening spaces for deep dialogue in 120 cities at more than 200 universities, festivals, religious centers, corporations, and schools around the world. It is celebrated as “a starting point for the new dialogue on race and religion that is essential to America’s future” (Diana L. Eck, Professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies at Harvard University and director of The Pluralism Project)” ⁵

In addition to increasing awareness and visibility in the media, Sikh organizations SALDEF and Sikh Coalition became more active in protecting Sikh community against hate violence and legal defense. The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) is the oldest Sikh American civil rights and educational organization in the US.
“Founded as the Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART) in 1996, SALDEF began solely as an all-volunteer organization with a primary focus on media analysis and education. Based on the needs of the Sikh American community, SALDEF immediately began responding to civil rights, legislative, employment, and accommodation issues.”

“In November 2004, we changed our name to the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)”

SALDEF is the First Sikh American organization to provide free legal assistance to Sikhs in the United States starting in 1997. Additionally, the first legal database of federal and state court opinions and orders relating to the Sikh American community was started by SALDEF.

Post 9/11 racist violence towards Sikhs is a threat to the Sikh turban and Sikh identity. Sikh community including The Sikh Foundation continues to educate and inform the Public the importance of Sikh religion. Today’s Sikhs need to be informed about their identity. Sikhi teaches us to be tolerant of other religions and to stand up for your rights. Sikhs should be confident not only to stand up for themselves but other minorities as well.

If called ‘Osama bin Laden’ a Sikh should confidently respond: ‘No, I am not a Muslim and I am not Osama bin Laden. I am Sikh and I wouldn’t take your racism even if I was a Muslim’.

By Ranjanpreet Kaur Nagra

Sources:

1. www.realsikhism.com
2. About Life imprisonment (wiki page)
3. Hate Crimes? Since 9/ll Sikhs say they have been attacked more then 700 times (article)
4. Divided We Fall (offical website)
5. The Pluralism Project
6. SALDEF (offical website)

Mistaken Turban: Do Not Relate Turban with Terrorism (article)
The Sikh Coalition (offical website)
The Muder of Balbir Singh Sodhi (wiki page)