Sikh Organizations Issue Joint Statement for September 11th
911 Archives
Let us Forge a Better Future for our Children
Statement to the Public on Behalf of the Sikh Community
500 year ago, when Columbus first sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and discovered the Americas, a divinely-inspired spiritual teacher by the name of Guru Nanak traveled by foot throughout South Asia and the Middle East elevating the social situations of his time by teaching the oneness of humanity and tolerance between people of different religions. Guru Nanak and his followers wore turbans as a symbol of their devotion to the One God that created all people and all religions.
In April 13, 1699, the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh recognized those spiritual principles and incorporated them into the fabric of the Sikh honor code. The Sikh honor code promoted and, more importantly, protected equality of all people regardless of faith, color, caste and gender and required Sikhs to protect the innocent from unjust attacks. The Sikh turban and beard have come to represent not only a spirit of universality, but also a willingness to protect others' rights, even at the cost of one's own life.
On September 11, 2001, when terrorists struck the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, thousands of lives were lost and the world was dramatically transformed. Hate crimes claimed more victims in the days that followed. The large-scale terrorist attacks and the countless victims of hate-related violence who suffered in the backlash from the attacks were ultimately victims of the same intolerance against people of other faiths, cultures and traditions.
Four days after the September 11th attacks, a Sikh man by the name of Balbir Singh Sodhi was shot and killed while planting flowers outside of his neighborhood gas station in Mesa, AZ. The motive of the crime was simply hate. In the year since, victims' rights advocacy groups have identified over a dozen other people across the country who have also been murdered because of their religious or cultural backgrounds. In addition, hundreds of others have been physically attacked, verbally harassed or discriminated against because of being different.
With this first anniversary of September 11th, as we grieve and remember our friends, family, neighbors and fellow citizens who we've lost, the messages of peace and social justice given by the Sikh Gurus are no longer simply Sikh messages – they are messages for all humanity. The world can no longer afford to practice intolerance of other religions, cultures, races or peoples. Instead, we Sikhs ask the world to reach out and embrace each other in the spirit of unity and recognize that our common humanity is the most precious bond we all share.
The Sikh community calls upon people from every background and tradition to stand against all acts of terrorism, racism and hatred directed against any people. We ask people from every country and background to embrace the diversity that God has created. By reaching out and protecting each other from intolerance and injustice, we hope to forge a better future for our children.
Signed,
Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART)
www.sikhmediawatch.org
[email protected]
SikhNet
www.sikhnet.com
[email protected]
Sikh Communications Council
[email protected]
Sikh Coalition
www.sikhcoalition.org
[email protected]
Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE)
[email protected]