Discrimination Against Sikhs In America

Jai Nanda
Mrs. Mormando
English 11R
13 January 2017
How can we stop Americans from discriminating and being ignorant about the Sikh religion?
Sikhism is a very little known religion in America, yet it is the fifth largest in the world. This monotheistic religion was founded in Punjab, India by Guru Nanak in the 15th century. Sikh discrimination is a very small and unknown topic, no one knows about it and it hasn't been thoroughly explored yet. If anything, people only know that only Muslims have hate crimes against them in a post 9/11 world. People have racial anxiety, islamophobia, and discontent to people of color, and Sikhs have become victim to this due to profiling.
9/11 had a great effect on Sikhs in America. Since 9/11, Islamophobia
Balbir Singh Sodhi was setting up an american flag outside the gas station he owned when he was shot point blank in the head by a man who was looking for “ragheads”: “The individual believed he was making a point by killing him in the wake of 9/11. Sodhi’s murder wasn't an isolated incident” (Holley). After the disastrous event at the World Trade Center, photos of turbaned and bearded men made it to the news every night, alleged suspects of the attack. Sodhi’s murder was not an outlier, many other similar incidents had occurred post 9/11. Arabs and South Asians had become victim to discrimination because they had a similar physical appearance to those who claimed responsibility on the attacks. The entire Sikh community felt under attack: “Suddenly, several generations after first being established in the United States, Sikhs—a small, peaceful, and largely insular community—were faced with the urgent and daunting need to educate a fearful and defensive public about their faith” (Singh). The Sikh Coalition is one organization that had been formed in direct response to attacks against Sikhs after September 11, 2001. This coalition faded and lost traction after some time, undoubtedly another coalition needs to be brought into the states that would be more concrete and
Both men are Sikhs and have long beards and wear turbans. Singh heard someone yell: "Terrorist, Osama, get him". Singh was eventually attacked by the group of young men and had ended up with gruesome injuries: “Hate crimes against Muslims and those perceived as Muslims spiked after 9/11. Sikh men grow long beards and wear turbans as a commitment to their faith, and many Americans mistake them for Muslims” (Singh). Many Americans are ignorant regarding the difference between Muslims and Sikhs, this is why a coalition that would inform people about the religion would be implored. Islamophobia invaded the lives of innocent Sikhs: “[Sikhism] preaches a message of devotion, remembrance of God at all times, truthful living, equality between all human beings, social justice, while emphatically denouncing superstitions and blind rituals” (Nassar). The monotheistic stands for something that is very much different than what people think it to be. Sikhs believe everyone is the same, and there is no distinction or caste system. This is why it is lamentable that such a morally ethical, righteous, and principled religion has been profiled with chaotic and threatening