Usually, I try to update my blogs on Fridays. This includes checking out the latest Sikhtoon. (I love Sikhtoons. Don't you?) Today is Thursday and I just felt like not doing my usual Thursday stuff and checked it out early. I found a wonderful 'toon about the first turbaned US commercial pilot - A KAUR! Arpinder Kaur! (See the usual Sikhtoon on the sidebar) This left me overjoyed, of course. I love turbans. I love Kaurs. I really love turbans on Kaurs. And when that Kaur is flying...YIPPEE!!! And getting paid for it...YIPPEE!! YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!!
And a second Sikhtoon talked about Sikhs and Jews.This one:
It contained a link to a story from The Jerusalem Post,
The multi-faith contingent, which says, in part,
"People are not sure what a future Sikh state would look like and how religion would be a part of the governance of the state. Jews have already had experience with these issues."
Sikhs harbor an aspiration to build their own state in Punjab, a territory between India and Pakistan, that would have a Sikh majority and be run in accordance with the religion's principles.
Datta said that the Sikhs also shared the modern Jewish state's strong military ethos.
"Sikhs can definitely be considered a martial race. Although we make up about one percent of the population in India, we constitute between 10% and 15% of the standing army. During British rule the numbers were even higher at between 27% and 30%.
"Like the Jewish people we have had to fight to defend ourselves against our Hindu and Muslim neighbors."
Anyone who has done much reading in this blog, such as, for example, noting the blog's name, should have no problem figuring out my stand on the Sikh national self-determination movement. (By the way, Brother Datta Ji, we are not a race, martial or otherwise. We are a religion, first and foremost and, I certainly hope a nation, but not a race.)
I believe that 'India' is an artificial construct thrown together by the British for their own convenience and the rest of the country will eventually follow the example(s) of Pakistan and Bangladesh and simply balkanise, fall apart. When that happens, we Sikhs must be ready to pick up the pieces of Punjab - the 'Indian' portion of which has already been balkanised by 'India.'
My fervent prayer is that when that happens, we do not follow the example of our Israeli sisters and brothers; we must have a nation where the other, nonSikh inhabitants of the land are respected and treated with honour. All the inhabitants of our land have a right to remain there, with their human rights fully protected and respected. May we all live in peace, freedom and prosperity in the Republic of Khalistan. After all, 'are we not all children of the same God?'
I'm not a big fan of sikh toons as they often seek to belitte others, however I'm a for a good joke poking fun at one's self, this one did a good job :)
ReplyDeleteHappy WW Mai
Sukhmandir Ji,
ReplyDeleteI guess you are gentler and kinder than am I. I enjoy jabbing those fools in Amritsar and all those who want to - or have - hurt the Sikh people, including the government of 'the world's largest democracy.' I say ridicule those who have earned ridicule.
Sikhtoons often also congratlate Sikhs on jobs well-done, too.
But yours is the higher, more spiritual approach. :) I'll catch up someday. Each of us is where s/he is.
Fateh to you, my dear! (May I call you 'my dear'?)