You know you have lost all humanity when you get angry at someone for feeding the hungry. Hindutva politics in India is getting bad, you guys. Rohingya Muslims fleeing genocide are being persecuted, and the Sikhs trying to feed them are being criminalized. India is not a safe space if you are not an upper caste Hindu. (Also it's rich how these people act as if they are the saviours of the Guru, when in reality they don't even respect Sikhi's existence as an independent faith.)
It's so sad seeing Sikhs in the States whitewashing their identity in an attempt to save themselves from hate crimes. What happened to "Sir Jaave Taan Jaave Mera Sikhi Sidak Naa Jaave"? Sikh values are SIKH values. Stop trying to water down our Guru's legacy, while you try to suck up to whiteness and throw Muslims under the bus as you try to deflect your oppression onto them. Just stop this mess. Stop.
I was on YouTube last night and (God knows why) I was watching a video from Fox News talking about the attack in Istanbul. I remember one particular line they used before I rage-quit my browser and went to sleep. They basically said, "See? This is why Europe is nervous about letting in Syrian refugees. Turkey is where they all come to and look what happened." Excuse my language, but I am fucking sick and tired of (white) mainstream media dehumanizing brown bodies to further their racist xenophobic agendas. We saw this in Orlando where the media and much of the white gay community erased the ethnicities of the black and Latinx victims while magnifying the ethnicity and religion of the perpetrator, and the media is doing the same things here. I am tired of black and brown people not being seen and treated like people. I am tired of how tragedies on brown bodies not in the West are often seen as statistics and are not afforded the same humanity as those who die that are white. I am tired of fake allies. I am tired of people thinking "you always make this about race." I am tired of white-hetero-cis-patriarchal supremacy.
*bashes head on wall repeatedly* Why, people, whyyy?????
The Indian media is at it again with their anti-Sikh propaganda.
Their latest scoop, “Sikh terrorists” “hiding out” here in Canada are planning an attack with Daesh. LOLOLOLLL
This news comes at a time when Sikhs across the globe receive positive news coverage for the upcoming festival of Vaisakhi. What strategic timing to malign our community!
The absurdity of this “news” is actually hilarious. No hard facts. All hearsay. And the scary thing? The Indian public is going to eat it up.
THIS is exactly what lead to the genocide of our people in the 80s. We were vilified in the media as “terrorists,” state sanctions were put in place by politicians in the name of “surveillance,” and what followed was over a decade of police brutality, treatment of Sikhs as second-class citizens, and genocide.
Also, does this remind you of anything else? *cough Trump cough islamophobia cough cough cough*
Please do not let this BS be tolerated. Spread the word about the Indian media’s lack of integrity.
Racism + Islamophobia + white male privilege + homonationalism = BARF
Good Friday has historically been a time where (mainly white European) people's anti-semitism would come out and shine. During medieval times, Holy Week became a time where priests would deliver homilies during the mass condemning the "perfidis Judæis" - the infidel Jews- and Holy Week also became a time where Jews would face violence.
While the Church has mended its anti-semitic ways, many people still hold this sentiment with the added bonus of Islamophobia and xenophobia now. Despite the fact that blaming Jews for killing Jesus is theologically absurd since Christian doctrine dictates that Jesus was destined to die to fulfill prophecies, let's look at it from a different lens.
If today a brown Middle Eastern man who opposed capitalistic greed, and believed in giving women dignity rather than slut-shaming them, were to be persecuted by the oppressive state government of his land, how many "good Christians" would stand against that?
If Christ were in his homeland today in the Middle East, he would face state oppression, and people like Trump would be the Pontius Pilates, and right wing Christians would be the crowd shouting for Barabass to be freed rather than Jesus.
These people call themselves Christians but do not emulate Christ one bit.
I am so livid right now.
A white man broke into a Gurdwara Sahib in Spokane, Washington today, thinking it was affiliated with Daesh (ISIS), and caused over $30,000 of damage and worst of all, he desecrated Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji- ripping the Angs away.
To put that into context how that feels, Guru Ji is not revered as a “holy book” but as the embodiment of the living and eternal Guru. This is akin to having your father brutalized.
When will this idiocy stop?
Jasmeet covers so many amazing points in this video, especially how some non-Sikh/non-Muslim try to derail conversations about racialized suspicion and "random" checking.
So many times it has occurred to me personally that when I share an experience of being not-so-randomly checked at the border or the airport, some (well meaning) people will say, "Yes, but I got searched too."
I know that for many of you your intention is not to derail these important conversations, but the gist of it is that you actually end up doing just that. We all need to analyze our personal privileges and realize what the scenario at hand is. When you get checked, it most definitely IS random. However, Sikh and Muslim travellers get checked at far more of a frequence than non-Sikh or non-Muslim travellers do.
Not just that, but the manner in which we are randomly checked is also different. We are treated with suspicion from the get-go, the questions we are asked can be invasive and suggestive and at many times racially charged, and you do not understand the extent to which travelling has been hindered.
As someone who used to have cut hair, no turban, and a trimmed beard, I see the differences in which I was treated four years ago, and how I am being treated now. Studies show that South Asian, Middle Eastern, and black travellers face higher rates of anxiety while travelling and children have suffered long term affects to their mental health because of this covert differential treatment and racial profiling. As i said before, this security system has not been put in place with the greater safety of everyone in mind, but with xenophobic, Islamophobic, and orientalist rhetorics in place.
So next time your brown friend talks about being checked at the airport or border, don't respond with how you get checked to. Understand that there is power and privilege politics at play here, and your friend is reaching out to vent. Instead of talking, listen and give them your allyship.
White racist bigot films himself mocking a (bearded and turbaned) Sikh man sleeping next to him on a plane, and an equally racist bigot uploads the video captioning it with “Would you feel safe? I'd be tense as fuck!“
Yeah, I do feel unsafe. I feel unsafe knowing that there are ignorant idiots like you pulling xenophobic Islamophobic hatemongering shit like this.
Original article can be found HERE.
WASHINGTON: A Gurdwara has been vandalized in Los Angeles suburbs with hateful graffiti addressed towards ISIS, Sikh community leaders have said, fearing this "hate crime" is a repercussion of the California shooting.
"We are concerned about the safety and security of our community members. We are of the opinion that this is a hate crime and that this is a direct result of a possible backlash from the San Bernardino killings," said Inderjot Singh, president of Sikh Gurdwara in Buena Park, a suburb of Los Angeles.
The incident, which occurred early on Sunday morning is being investigated by local law enforcement agencies.
"The Gurdwara was vandalized during early hours of Sunday and a hateful graffiti was seen on the walls of the Gurdwara and also a truck parked in the parking lot. The graffiti included the phrase, "F@#k ISIS," and the words "Islam" and other reference of gangs," Washington-based Sikh Council on Religion and Education said in a statement.
The Gurdwara is attended by over 800 community members on a weekly basis. The White House, which was informed about the incident, has forwarded the incident to the Department of Homeland Security to investigate.
"The Sikh community across the nation is in a heightened state of alert and is deeply troubled by this latest incident. We are appealing to all Sikh place of congregation to be in touch with the local law enforcement agencies as well with the elected officials," Dr Rajwant Singh of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, said.
Dr Singh also expressed concern over the recent anti-Muslim rhetoric made by some of the contenders of the American presidency.
"This will directly result in elevated level of violence against minority religions in America and particularly the Sikhs. We are fearful that this kind of hate speech against Muslims will engulf Sikhs and members of the Muslim community across the nation," he said.
I’m so tired of this shit. Seriously.
Navjot Sawhney, a Sikh man from the UK, was attacked outside of a bar in Krakaw, Poland by the bouncer, because Navjot looked like a terrorist. He was assaulted by the bouncer and his friends, and Navjot Singh’s turban was knocked off.
If that’s not bad, the Polish police told him, “What do you expect after the Paris attacks? White people are different from brown people.” Rather than arresting the bouncer, the police warned Navjot that more of the same would happen to him if he tried to come back.
I am so sick of this shit. Seriously.
I’m seeing people circulating a photoset of a woman talking about the patriarchy in brown culture from the docu-film Honor Diaries.
As honourable as the intents of the original poster of this photoset was, Honor Diaries as a film should not be supported. The producers of the film are Zionist anti-Palestine “activists” and one of them even lives on illegal settlements in Hebron.
On top of that, the film has many Islamophobic undetones, and at one point even says that the term “Islamophobia” was created to prevent any criticism of patriarchy in Islam- a sheer falsehood. Not surprising though, considering that one of the people who had a hand in the film was Ayan Hirsi Ali, who is extremely anti-Islam.
It’s sad that these people have taken such a sensitive issue and exploited to make Muslims- and in some parts of the movie, Sikhs- look bad.
I hope someone who themselves is brown will produce a documentary by brown people for brown people on the topic of “honour,” because it is a topic that requires justice, healing, and understanding from WITHIN the South Asian community, and without external influence.
Okay this is important
Thanks for the heads up. Time to delete the reblog.
So… rather than criticizing and condemning the Muslims who carry out terrible misogynistic acts, you’ve decided t focus on the reputation of Islam?
Ok.
Priorities I suppose.
-SS
LOLLL. I never even once mentioned Islam or it’s “reputation,” I simply mentioned people who were Islamophobic and insuniated that honour crimes were a result of Islam (I guess I can include you in that list of people).
Why would I condemn Muslims when it’s not just an incident that happens in the Muslim community? Honour crimes have existed in the Sikh Punjabi community, the broader Hindu community, and even in white people- it just doesn’t get called an “honour crime” because a husband beating up his wife or a parent torturing their child for being gay isn’t an “honour crime” because the perpetrator’s skin isn’t brown.
I use “honour crime” in quotes because it is a racialized term for cis-hetero-patriarchal violence- violence that is carried out by Christians, atheists, etc., but the terminology has been exotified to shame the brown community.
The priority of this whole point of this post was to have brown folks talk about the concept on our own terms without people breathing down our necks, so stay the hell in your damn lane.
Recently a couple in Toronto put a sign up in front of their house asking Muslims if they “feel sorry” for the Paris attacks (you can read more about that HERE).
I'd like to ask them if they're sorry for the slaughter in the Middle East by people who represent their political beliefs.
I'd like to ask them if they're sorry for the genocide committed against First Nations. I'd like to ask them if they're sorry for the Komagata Maru. I'd like to ask them if they're sorry for the Chinese head tax. ...for the enslavement of Africans. ...for segregation. ...for colonial occupations. ...for racial profiling. ...for police brutality. ...for mass shootings. ...for the Westboro Baptist Church. ...for the crusades. I would like to ask this couple if they have even an ounce of ownership of what white folks have done in the past, and then, only then, will I allow them to justify why they believe an entire religion is answerable for the actions of a few.
Some racist loser in the gamer world edited a picture of Veerender Jubbal, a Singh here in Canada, and labelled him as an ISIS bomber who's responsible for the Paris attacks. The sheer stupidity of some idiots amazes me.
This is Inderjit Singh Mukker, a Sikh man from Chicago who was brutally assaulted on September 8, 2015.
On his way home from the grocery store, his car was tailgated by another. When Inderjit Singh pulled over, the driver of the car behind him came out and began punching Inderjit Singh in the face repeatedly while yelling “go back to your country, terrorist... Bin Laden,” and this continued until he lost consciousness.
14 years after 9-11 our beards and turbans still make us an open target for hatred. Sardaar and hijabi brothers and sister, please be on the lookout and stay safe.
Reposting the original post with some edits to the images to make them less triggering:
Some observe Indian Independence Day as “Black Day”. Why? Because the notion of independence and freedom is a dream that has yet to be realized. From adherence to international law, democratic principles, human rights and social justice, some feel India cannot ignore her failures and that using Independence Day as an excuse to sweep all of India’s shortcomings under the rug of unquestioned patriotism, is simply unacceptable.
Every nation has shortcomings and while some celebrate Independence Days others take it as an opportunity for introspect and reflection. Here are 15 reasons some may choose not to observe Indian Independence Day.
1. Two Farmers Commit Suicide Everyday
“The India Tribune estimated that an Indian farmer kills himself every 12 hours. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), between 1995 and 2009 a quarter of a million farmers have killed themselves”, yet no one seems to care. [source]
2. One Third of Indian Politicians Face Criminal Charges
“India’s most respected election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms informed us that nearly a third of MPs – 158 of 543 – in the parliament faced criminal charges.” [source]
3. India’s National Hero was a Racist
“Gandhi was an unabashedly diehard supporter of India’s Hindu caste system, and would never mix with a lowly group or caste, and Lelyveld in Great Soul lays out Gandhi’s unedited views:
“We were then marched off to a prison intended for Kaffirs [offensive term equivalent to the n-word],” Gandhi complained during one of his campaigns for the rights of Indians settled there. “We could understand not being classed with whites, but to be placed on the same level as the Natives seemed too much to put up with. Kaffirs are as a rule uncivilized — the convicts even more so. They are troublesome, very dirty and live like animals.”
On white Afrikaners and Indians, he wrote: “We believe as much in the purity of races as we think they do.”” [source]
4. Nearly 70% of Indians live on less than $2 a day
Poverty in India is widespread, with the nation estimated to have a third of the world’s poor. In 2010, the World Bank reported that 32.7% of the total Indian people fall below the international poverty line of US$ 1.25 per day (PPP) while 68.7% live on less than US$ 2 per day. [source]
5. The 1984 Sikh Genocide
No one has ever been prosecuted for the 1984 Sikh Genocide and the killers of innocent Sikhs are protected with state impunity. [source]
6. 48 Thousand Cases of Child Rape
Marital rape is not a criminal offence in India and is still India’s most common crime against women. Since, 2001 there has been a 336% increase in the number of rapes against children. A report by Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) stated that 48,338 child rape cases were recorded during 2001-11. [source]
7. The Caste System
Statistics compiled by India’s National Crime Records Bureau indicate that in the year 2000, the last year for which figures are available, 25,455 crimes were committed against Dalits. Every hour two Dalits are assaulted; every day three Dalit women are raped, two Dalits are murdered, and two Dalit homes are torched. No one believes these numbers are anywhere close to the reality of crimes committed against Dalits. [source]
8. Irom Sharmila’s 13 year Fast
Irom Sharmila is a civil rights activist, political activist, and poet from the Indian state of Manipur. She has been onhunger strike to demand that the Indian government repeal the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958(AFSPA). The Indian government is currently force feeding her and has her on trial for attempted suicide. The irony is not lost here.
9. The Death Penalty
“The architect of the Constitution, Babasaheb Ambedkar, admitted in the Constituent Assembly that people may not follow non-violence in practice but “they certainly adhere to the principle of non-violence as a moral mandate which they ought to observe as far as they possibly can.” With this in mind, he said, “the proper thing for this country to do is to abolish the death sentence altogether…Last year 14 eminent retired judges wrote to the President, pointing out that the Supreme Court had erroneously given the death penalty to 15 people since 1996, of whom two were hanged. The judges called this “the gravest known miscarriage of justice in the history of crime and punishment in independent India.” [source]
10. Hindutva
The poster says it all.
11. Homophobia is legal
It’s true, google it.
12. Mass Graves
“In September, the state government rejected calls for DNA testing of 2,730 corpses that a police investigative team found in unmarked graves at 38 sites in north Kashmir in July 2011. Some of the gravesites are believed to hold victims of enforced disappearance and extrajudicial execution by government security forces dating back to the 1990s.” [source]
13. No Freedom of Expression
“In 2012, the central government used the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules to tighten internet censorship, raising concerns about restrictions on the right to free speech. Under the rules, intermediaries such as internet service providers and search engines are required to remove content within 36 hours that is deemed offensive. However, criteria for prohibited content are ambiguous and frequently used to stifle criticism of the government.” [source]
14. Sexism and Lack of Women’s Rights
As a result of infanticide and the killing female babies “In an alarming trend, girl child numbers in India have shown a sharper decline than the male children in the decade beginning 2001, leading to a skewed child sex ratio.” [source] Further, “Violence against women and girls continues… with increased reports of sexual assault, including against those with disabilities…” [source]
15. Narendra Modi
Because alleged perpetrator of Genocide Narendra Modi, the leader of the BJP which is linked to violent Hindutva organizations is the Prime Minister of India. Modi has previously been denied a visa to the USA for his alleged role in the mass murder of Muslims in Gujarat. [source]
