Hurray For Jarnail Singh of Delhi!

Occasionally, my inbox holds a delightful surprise. This morning when I logged on, I glanced through my e-mail and an item "Sikh Journalist Throws Show At Home Minister" immediately caught my attention. I opened it immediately, abandoning my usual methodical way of dealing with e-mail.


I was not disappointed. It seems one Jarnail (nice name!) Singh, a journalist from Delhi, had had enough of Mr. Chidambaram's cavalier attitude about the phony clearing of tytler and lobbed a shoe at the Home Minister. No charges were filed against Mr. Singh since Chidambaram has "forgiven" him. Might it also have something to do with the upcoming elections?

A perfect gesture, insolent, cheeky, insulting, yet no physical damage. This is what we used to call"insulting with style." There is, however, a saying "Never insult with style when you can insult with substance." The next act may well have some substance. I just read that Congress may withdraw the candinancy of noth Jagdish and Sajjan Kumar. A victory, however small is still a victory. Shall we all sing together?

There's a man by my side walking
There's a voice within me talking,
There's a voice, within me saying,
Carry on, carry it on.

They will tell their lying stories,
Send their dogs to bite our bodies,
They will lock us up in prison,
Carry on, carry it on.

All their lies will be forgotten,
Their viscious dogs lie dead and rotten,
All their prison walls be fallin'
Carry it on, carry it on.

When you can't go on any longer,
Take the hands of your sisters and brothers,
Every victory brings another,
Carry it on, carry it on.

Carry on, carry it on.

Repeat 1st Verse
Carry it on, carry it on.

By the way, I also see in my inbox that the three year sentence of the original shoe thrower from Iraq has been reduced from three years to one. That's better, but still, they ought to give him a medal and a lifetime pension for shucking his shoe at Bush.

Please enjoy this video:


URL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP6gqMRpH3I&feature=related

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

Another Lie of The US Army

I am no fan of the acts of aggression that the US Army have been inflicting on the innocent people of Iraq. And I have thoroughly denounced the atrocities committed at Abu Ghraib Prison and elsewhere. Please do not interpret my stand on this issue as an endorsement of the unrighteous use of force.

That said, this morning I received this latest release by the Sikh Coalition.





It seems that these two Sikh gentlemen joined the Army in order to get money for their education. This is pretty normal in America. There is currently no draft; it is an all volunteer army. So one of their inducements to gain recruits is to offer this financial aid for college. This is the only way that many intelligent young people - both men and women - are able to afford this education that they need.

These two young Sikhs joined up in order to get their educations, both in the medical field. They were told that their turbans and kesh would be "no problem." Now that they are to go on active duty, the Army has recanted on their promise and insist they must abandon their turbans and Articles of Faith, in this cast, their kesh.

Before 1981, turbans were allowed. Then during the repressive Reagan Regime, all "conspicuous" religious articles of faith for its service members were banned by the Army. Those who had previously tied turbans were allowed to keep them. I have managed to track down pictures of the two officers mentioned in the article, also medical officers Colonel Arjinderpal Singh Sekhon, a doctor, and Colonel G.B. Singh, a dentist, both of whom retired last year (2008).




Although many of us have a great disdain for the American military machine, nonetheless, we cannot stand by and let our fellow Sikhs be shorn because of their lies. I see this as a civil rights issue, not any approval of the US Army on my part.

(Note: if they lie to their own people, can there be any reason they would tell the truth to the rest of us?)


From Sikh Coalition:

(Washington, DC) April 7, 2009 - This Vaisakhi, the Sikh Coalition will stand alongside two Sikh military recruits to call on the U.S. Army to end its ban on turbans. The men, both medical professionals in the Army, are being told that they must remove their religiously-mandated turbans and cut their unshorn hair and beards when they report for active duty in July.

Today, we are asking for your help to ensure Sikhs' right to serve.

Captain Kamaljit Singh Kalsi, a doctor, and Second Lieutenant Tejdeep Singh Rattan, a dentist, were part of an Army program that pays for medical education in return for military service. At the time of their enrollment, military recruiters assured both men that their turbans and unshorn hair "would not be a problem."

Captain Kalsi and Second Lieutenant Rattan maintained their Sikh identity throughout graduate school, during specialized Army training, at Army ceremonies, and in Army medical facilities. Four years later, the Army is telling the two Sikhs that the recruiters' assurances were false and that they will have to forsake their religious practices.

Next Tuesday, the Sikh Coalition will launch a campaign to protect Sikhs' right to serve in the U.S. Army with their Sikh identity intact. That day marks the 310th anniversary of Vaisakhi - the day Sikhs received their articles of faith. On April 14, 2009, the Coalition will file a formal complaint with the Department of Defense's Inspector General on behalf of Captain Kalsi and Second Lieutenant Rattan.

"After four years of training in Army facilities, I was shocked to learn that the Army would go back on its promise, and expect me to choose between my faith or my service to my country," said Captain Kalsi. "There is nothing about my religion that stops me from doing my job. I know I can serve well without compromising my faith."

In 1981, the Army banned "conspicuous" religious articles of faith for its service members. However, Sikhs and other soldiers of faith who were part of the army before the 1981 rule change were allowed to stay. As a result, Colonel Arjinderpal Singh Sekhon, a doctor, and Colonel G.B. Singh, a dentist, continued to serve in the U.S. Army with their turbans and unshorn hair for the past twenty-five years. They both retired in 2008. Despite this, Captain Kalsi and Second Lieutenant Rattan are being prohibited from taking up the very same positions in the Army today.

In 2008, the United States celebrated the 60th anniversary of the integration of our armed forces. On that day, President Harry Truman declared "there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed forces without regard to race, color, religion or national origin." Today we are asking the military to follow this core American principle with words and actions.

To learn more, please visit our Campaign Action Center. There, you can sign on to a petition, get details for Tuesday's press conference, and find out about other ways you can help.

As always, the Sikh Coalition urges all Sikhs to practice their faith fearlessly. If someone tell you to remove your articles of faith, please report the incident.

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