Pres. Obama's 911 Address

My dear brothers and sisters,

I wrote this and hesitate to post it in the tribute to 911 - it's hardly a tribute - but having written it, I would like to share it with you. I had not intended to write a 9/11 post this year, but reading Pres. Obama's speech, I was struck by the similarities. Read on and you'll see what I mean. Pres. Obama's words are in regular print; my revisions are in italics.

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I have said elsewhere that 31 October-4 November 1984 was my 9/11. I ask your forgiveness for my slight rewriting of the beginning of Pres. Obama's speech....

We start with President Obama's opening words.

Eight years ago, on an ordinary Tuesday morning, nearly 3,000 lives were lost in the deadliest attack on American soil in our history.


Twenty-five years ago, on an ordinary Wednesday morning, more than 3,000 lives were lost in the deadliest attack on the Sikh people in centuries.



It was an event that forever changed the life of this city. And it was a tragedy that will be forever seared in the consciousness of our nation.



It was an event that should forever change the life of Delhi. And it was a tragedy that should be forever seared in the consciousness of the Sikh nation.



Every year on this day, we are all New Yorkers.



Every year on these days, Indians should all imagine themselves Sikhs.



We pause to remember the victims, to grieve with the families and friends of those who died, and to honor the heroes of that day and each day since who have sacrificed to save lives and serve their country.



We pause to remember the victims, to grieve with the families and friends of those who died, and to honor the heroes of those days and each day since who have grieved their loved ones sacrificed at the alter of hatred and prejudice.



We will never forget the images of planes vanishing into buildings; of billowing smoke rolling down the streets of Manhattan; of photos hung by the families of the missing.



We will never forget the images of turbanned men running in circles with burning tyres around their necks as the mobs jeered; of billowing smoke rolling down the streets of Trilokpuri; of photos hung by the families of the missing.



We will never forget the rage and aching sadness we felt.



We will never forget the rage and aching sadness we felt.



And we will never forget the feeling that we had lost something else: a sense of safety as we went about our daily lives.



And we will never forget the feeling that we had lost something else: a sense of safety as we went about our daily lives.



The memory of those images and that vulnerability reminds us of the real and present danger posed by violent extremists who would use terrorism against Americans at home and around the world.



The memory of those images and that vulnerability reminds us of the real and present danger posed by violent extremists who would use terrorism against Sikhs at home and around the world.

Sant Baba Jarnail Singh JI Khalsa

Sant Baba Jarnail Singh JI Khalsa, originally uploaded by Singh Soorme.

Here is a picture of Sant ji on a bus, completely unlike any other picture I have ever seen of him.

That bright smile is the very definition of chardi kala! That can never die.

From the Flickr photostream of Singh Soorme.

I do suggest you go take a look.

THOUGHTS ON SOLJAS STORY

Watching this video, it takes me back to the 1960s in Montreal when we were going to change the world and build Utopia. We were totally in chardi kala and really believed we could make a difference.

("Are you willing to die for the Revolution?" "Die? Heck, anybody can die. I'm willing to live for the Revolution!" Mind you, none of us was quite sure what "the Revolution" was, but we were willing to live and die for it.)



Looking back, we were naive and maybe a bit silly, but we were dedicated and strong and we believed - we knew - that we had to make a difference. For a while, it looked like we were wrong. We made no difference at all. Some got discouraged. Some quit trying. Some remained in chard kala.

Then - 1984! It all fell to pieces. We were caught up in the violence in India. We fought. We died. Some lived to tell the story. It seemed that everything we had believed in, had dedicated our lives to, lay in ashes at our feet. Akaal Takht was in ruins, the evidence of our great history burnt by a bunch of thugs calling themselves the Army of India. Thousands dead, first in Amritsar, then in Delhi and elsewhere. Operation Woodrose. Operation Shanti? We realised that we, who had long fought for the rights of the oppressed and had gained independence for India, were despised, feared, looked upon as food for stray dogs in the street. We were stunned, stopped dead in our tracks. Ashes at our feet.
Then we remembered that we are Sikhs. We can be killed, but we cannot be destroyed. Our recovery has been slow and painful. These past twenty-five years have been difficult beyond words. But words are all we have to express ourselves with. So we try. Difficult these years have been, but not impossible. We are still here. We are still alive. We are still vital. We are regaining that chardi kala that is one of the marks of the Sikh, as recognisable and as Sikh as our panj kakkars.

I often hear my generation bemoaning the cutting of hair, the losing of identity, the lack of devotion among our young. These are problems, big problems and they must be faced and overcome. Then I think with great joy of my many young cyberfriends around the world, young Khalsa that who would make any generation of Sikhs burst with pride. They may not be many, but Guru ji will bless them and their ranks will grow.


[Note: I wanted to make a collage of some of these, but they would rather remain anonymous.]

Our problems will be faced and overcome as we have done in times of crisis in the past. As the parents and grandparents (when did I get old enough to be a grandmother?), we need to love and encourage these young people, teach them what we have learned. I have found that they are hungry to hear from the mouths and pens of the survivors what really happened in 1984. We are reluctant to speak, partly from our own pain and partly from a misguided desire to spare our children the pain of those years. This is their history and they have a right to it. We must share our experiences with them. This history is their birthright, as much as are the stories of Mughals.


[Note: this picture is from [The Rise of the Khalsa]
(Follow the link for a preview!)

So, back in 1967, we were out to build Utopia. We haven't yet succeeded in that. It's not likely we will. There have been positive changes, however. The Canadian government has openly recognised the injustices done to us in the past. To the south, I watched with amazement the Presidential debate between a Black Senator and a White Senator in a university that had been integrated within my memory with bloodshed amid shouts of "Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!"


With even more amazement, I watched the inauguration of that same Black Senator as the President of still the most powerful nation in the world.


We recently celebrated the 91st birthday of Nelson Mandela, former President of the Republic of South Africa.


It is no longer unusual to see women in the governments of various nations. A woman is Chancellor of Germany.

Have we done enough? Of course not! I do think that we need to stop a minute and acknowledge that we have accomplished something. And move on forward, refreshed and in chardi kala.

This is what this song brought up in my heart and mind.

Earlier, I said we have only words. I was wrong. We have words and images and music. Let us be joyful as we walk from the past
through the present and
into the future,


into the future with our turbaned heads held high, a smile on our collective face and love in our collective heart.

BTW, I am not endorsing this group, only presenting my thoughts on the video.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTd3e3wO2ok

The Beard of Swaran Singh - Part Two.

I am sitting here near Seattle on the hottest day ever recorded here. 102F, 38.9C. Not all that hot in Amritsar or Las Vegas, but deadly hot to these weak Seattlites. I'm OK, with a fan and a spray bottle of water.

So, for a summer break...

I know I have posted about Bhai Swaran Singh and his beard before, but I just came across this Youtube video and want to share it with you.

First, a still from the video:


Then the caption from the video:

Mar. 11 - A Canadian man who has grown a beard that measures over seven feet long is all set to be endorsed in the record books.

Swaran Singh, a music teacher from Canada who is visiting his native Punjab, is the pride of all the Sikhs for sporting a beard that measures over 7 feet long.

He expects it to be endorsed in the Guinness Book of World Records.

As a devout Sikh, Singh wanted to inspire the young members of his community to retain the hair and not crop it.

(SOUNDBITE) (Punjabi) SWARAN SINGH: "God blessed every man with beard, but I have received special blessing from Him. I have done nothing special except caring it (beard). I have never applied any special hair oil on my beard and of course, I haven't done this for the sake of Guinness record."

And, at last, the video itself:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvnWUftW4uE

Happy summer to all (in the Northern Hemisphere). Happy winter to you in the hemisphere of Oz.

UPDATE - Slumdog Sikhs

A couple of days ago, I received this comment from Gurpreet Singh, prodocer of Slumdog Sikhs. I am certain that my readers will be interested in reading it:

Gurpreet Singh said...

WJKK, WJKF

The Youtube link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM1s4CJ5-pQ

Besides pls also watch other videos on achievements so far. I am also giving a link to albums on Picasa:
21st June Link: http://picasaweb.google.com/gbpksehgal/6212009?authkey=Gv1sRgCPadmcip3dTr8wE&feat=directlink

Visit to Khaddor Sahib: Link - http://picasaweb.google.com/gbpksehgal/KhadoorSahibTrip27June09?authkey=Gv1sRgCKW3rLb557nHtAE&feat=directlink

15th July meeting of appx. 22 Gurudwaras to discuss Sikh issues and an attempt to unite them http://picasaweb.google.com/gbpksehgal/HeadsVolunteersFrom20Gurudwaras?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ27s5fSjNvGugE&feat=directlink

Gurudwara Sahib

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM1s4CJ5-pQ

--k progress: 17th July 2009 http://picasaweb.google.com/gbpksehgal/20090719?authkey=Gv1sRgCLvnq87nrLWuzwE&feat=directlink

Monday, 20 July, 2009

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THE OLD POST

I received this letter from IHRO today. Please read the letter and watch the video. Before going any farther, let me say I know nothing of this particular group. They seem legitimate. I do know that the conditions that our sister and brother Sikhs are living in are disgusting. I also know that we are, on the whole, a wealthy community and have the resources to alleviate these subhuman conditions.

Beyond that...idols in the Gurudwara Sahib? A lizard running across Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji? What they state at the end is absolutely true. Moist eyes will accomplish nothing. Action must be taken. I leave it to you, my dear ones to choose what action you will or won't take.

The letter:


Waheguru Jee Ka Khalsa Waheguru Jee Ki Fateh

SLUMDOG SIKHS - A DOCUMENTARY ON THE PLIGHT OF SIKHS IN DELHI
Video Link: Watch Video

A study, conducted by SHS representatives, on Sikhs living in Delhi’s Sultanpuri Area has found that nearly 100% per cent of Sikhs of the area live here in sub-human conditions.
The plight of Sikhs of the area is presented through this documentary. Kindly visit the link below. Your suggestions are welcome. For any details contact info@sikhbusinesspages.com


Also Visit us at : Sikhs Helping Sikhs

We need volunteers to work on this project, so please come forward and help these Sikhs. Till now we have got a committment from various individuals and organisations for sponsoring 110 children in the area. We also have commitments from some individuals for reconstruction of Gurudwara Sahib.


"Save Life.. Register at www.Blood4All.co.in"
Waheguru Jee Ka Khalsa Waheguru Jee Ki Fateh







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM1s4CJ5-pQ

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KP- Gill movie

Here is the latest winner in the Sikhtoons Captioning Contest. It sort of says it all.

By now, everyone knows that a Bollywood blockbuster glorifying that murdering ******* KP- Gill is being made in India.

WE MUST STOP THIS MOVIE. The damage it could do to our community in incaluable. Please Ssign the petition below today. Immediately. And leave a polite but firm comment, please.

*Please read & sign the petition below - stop the Indian Government from
producing a film that shows Sikhs as terrorists.
*
The multi million dollar Bollywood industry has a wide appeal to the youth
especially in Punjab. To further misinform the youth about Operation Blue
Star.

The film will have popular actor Sanjay Dutt play the role of "supercop" KPS
Gill. In addition, popular movie star Amitabh Bachchan will play another
role as police man in this film.

Both popular actors will be depicting cops as the brave heroes while Sikhs
will be portrayed as extreme terrorist. However, it was the cops who were
cowards and Sikhs who were brave freedom fighters.

Further info on:

1.) http://www.panthic.org/news/131/ARTICLE/5080/2009-07-03.html

2.)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/Munnabhai-chala-Khalistan/articleshow/4716055.cms

Sikhs have suffered inhumane torture, kidnappings, abuse, rape, murder and
barbaric treatment at the hands of the so called officers of the law in
Punjab.

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Please Sign the petition at: http://www.gopetition.com/
petitions/ban-kps-gill-movie.html

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WHY TRY TO FIT IN? YOU WERE BORN TO STAND OUT!