CELEBRATE VAISAKHI BY SUPPORTING SIKH IDENTITY IN THE US MILITARY!

A Sikh brother from Florida who is a Vietnam vet, Fateh Singh, has written the below letter to the worldwide sangat. He suggests that we all write to top US Government officials, starting at the top with Pres. Barack Obama. Make them see that supporting the Sikh identity in the US military will actually strengthen the country, as well as uphold the freedom of religion that is guaranteed by the Constitution.

Take a good look at the Sikh soldiers. We are an impressive-looking bunch. And the Civil War pictures show not only have beards and long hair been accepted historically in the military, but men actually look much handsomer. After writing your letters, please go to and sign the Sikh Coalition Petition.

From Fateh Singh:

Piare Khalsa Ji,

Once again the American military is trying to prohibit bearded and turbaned Sikh-Americans from serving their country in these troubled times. They say that there must be no beards and no conspicuous religious apparel worn in the military given the separation of church and state. This is not an explanation – it is an excuse. Yet, every few months there is another scandal regarding the promotion of Christianity at American military academies and at American military bases around the world. The turban is far less intrusive!

If only our political and military leaders would realize the contribution that Khalsa Sikh-Americans could make in terms of medical; legal; computer expertise, as well as a history of battlefield courage. If they did, narrow-minded policies might change!

We all have to get involved writing to our American leaders and educating them about Sikh history as well as American history. Look at what Sikhs have done as United Nations peacekeepers all over the world: from Lebanon to the Congo.

What a wonderful message our country would send to the world if and when Sikh-Americans are seen on patrol in places like Afghanistan. Moreover, seeing Sikh honor guards at the White House would make most real Americans quite proud of our commitment to diversity. Look at Canada, for example:

The world would see that America really does respect Eastern cultures and religions. One Sikh soldier in an American uniform would have a positive impact equivalent to an entire division!!!

Why no beard and long hair in the American military? It was only in the late 1800s that being clean-shaven became fashionable in America. This civilian fashion trend caught on in the military. Remember that we have had five bearded presidents and lest we forget, they were all commanders-in-chief of the American armed forces! In the American Civil War, officers and enlisted men on both sides were often bearded. Some of the greatest generals in that war had long hair and beards:

There is no evidence that facial hair or head hair ever interfered with military effectiveness!!!

Please write to:

President Barack H. Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street
Washington, DC 20520

Dr. Robert M. Gates
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000

A GREAT IDEA - PHONE A FAMILY IN GAZA

The most common response I get to the mess in Gaza is: "Yes, Mai, but what can I do?" Here is an easy imaginative answer to that. Please read the sessage below, which came into IHRO this morning. I have a couple of suggestions to follow:

Someone sent this idea. We should be calling Gaza and telling the
people who live there that we are with them. What if we take it one
step further and call them and pray with them, with hundreds or
thousands of people doing it at the same time?

CALL GAZA
Call any random number in Gaza, and tell them that you are calling
from North America (or wherever you are), make Duaa (pray) for them and
tell
them all their brothers and sisters around the world are with them;
this will give them moral support and courage ! How to call? Very
simple!

Dial any of these number and replace the last 4 digits by any random
ones, try 4 or 5 times and you'll reach a family insha'Allah ! Even
if you don't speak Arabic, talk to them with very slow and simple
English. Here's what you can say in Arabic. We'll have an audio
version of this by tomorrow i/a:

(011)9728284- XXXX (011)9728282- XXXX (011)9728255- XXXX
PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF TIME-ZONES! (7 hrs ahead of US/.Canada EST, 10hrs ahead of US/Canada PST, 2 hrs ahead of UK, 3.5 hrs behind India IST - if my calculation is correct. I know people from many different countries read this blog. If in doubt about time zones, go to the World Clock. Gaza is in the same time zone as Jerusalem.)

I would suggest a friendly greeting of "Salaam aleichem," "Peace be unto you. I believe the Arabic word for friend is "effendi," but I'm not sure. It might be helpful to write out what you plan to say. It is very important that you sperak in your most soothing voice, as the person on the other end will probably not understand your language. (I assume if you read this blog, you can speak English.) I have said, "Salaam alechem, effendi. I speak English." And then pause a minute to see if there is a response.Then I say, "We love you. We care. The world knows. We try to help. Please be strong. God bless you." The only time I got through, I did get a response. It was simple and direct. A heavily accented voice said, choking, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." Then some words I did not understand, followed by a disconnect. Needless to say, there were tears in my eyes as well as tears in the voice on the other end. The connexion was not good. I don't even know if I spoke to a man or a woman.

Please be aware of the difficulties. All the mobile phone/cell towers in Gaza are down. Your only chance of getting through is on a land line. Even there, getting through may take many tries. Most all the phone lines are down, as well. However, I managed to get through and, if it is the Hukam of Vaheguru, so will you! At least, please give it a try. I can't think of a better way to spend a few dollars, rupees, pounds, euros...shekels(?).

KEEP HOPE ALIVE!

YES, WE CAN!

Protest to Protect the Religious Rights of Florida Prisoners

I'll link it when I get the link. Currently, I can't find it!


From United Sikhs:

Protest to Protect the Religious Rights of Florida Prisoners

On July 1, 2008, Sikh prisoner Jagmohan Singh Ahuja suffered an egregious violation of
his religious rights when jail officers forcibly cut his hair in Duval
County Jail. It is against a Sikh?s religious practice to cut his/her
hair, as kesh (unshorn hair) covered by a dastaar (Sikh turban) is one of
five articles of faith which a Sikh must keep at all times.

Members of many faiths value keeping long hair or beards including Sikhs, Jews, Muslims,
Rastafarians, and Native Americans. Florida prisons do not allow these
prisoners to serve their sentences with their faith intact. Join UNITED
SIKHS and partnering organizations to stop religious rights violations in
Florida jails.

Where: 500 E Main St. Jacksonville, FL
When: October 5th - from 2:00-4:00pm
Call: 646-315-3909 or 305-491-5100 for more information.

Buses and Vans Will be Leaving From Select Cities

IT'S SCREW THE HOMELESS DAY IN SEATTLE

or...POLICE DESTROY SHANTYTOWN IN SEATTLE, AMERICA

Latest news, as of two hours ago.

Today I am backflashing to my activist days in the 1960s and 1970s. In just one day, today, I have been protesting an unjust war, writing letters - e-mails, actually - about that Wall Street bail out to rescue greedy capitalists and now, advocating for the homeless. Then Bhenji Shanu Kaur wrote a comment, "Right on!" I am tempted to respond with the typical 1960-70s "Power To The People!" Tempted, but I'll refrain, as most of my readers were born at least a decade after all this excitement.

Today, in the 'richest country in the world' I am watching a tent city that was becoming a shanty town being destroyed by the police. As I write, the first homeless people here are being arrested and taken to jail I see a cop entering a pink tent. (These pink tens were given to the homeless by the Girls Scouts of America, donated from a breast cancer march, hence the colour pink.)

The residents have named their settlement "Nickelsville," after Greg Nickels, mayor of Seattle. I have even found a website about this called, "Welcome to Nickelsville."


Earlier today, their port-a-potties, the toilets were removed, much to the dismay, especially, of the women.


Some residents had started constructing semipermanent structures out of donated lumber. All this on city-owned vacant land.

Unlike some of the other sweeps arresting the homeless, the arrests are going peacefully, the police not being violent and the homeless, who have chosen to stay and be arrested, going peacefully as they are arrested. Of course, this is all on live TV. Now the broadcast station is ending its coverage; they are switching to cable coverage, much less visible, but still live on TV. I think I'll stay and watch, skip the courtroom shows that are usually on at this time.

This has been a bit disjointed, I realise; a write-as-it-happens report tends to be. Now the cable news in talking about the presidential debate tonight, so there is no live coverage right now. I assume, though, the reporters are still there taping.

To go to the beginning. It is estimated that there are about 2000 homeless people - I believe that to be a very low estimate, as homeless people are very hard to count - in Seattle. This may seem a small number compared to India, but the United States of America is not India. There are sufficient funds here to provide decent housing, food, health care, all the necesseities of life to all the people. Of course, financing America's foreign adventures is leeching a tremendous amount of resources from the country. This action today is a political protest. The residents of Nickelsville were given warning to move. The cry of "Move where?" led to this protest. There is a nearby parking lot, belonging to the state, not the city, where some have set up their tents, after the governor, Christine Gregoire, told them they could stay there 5-7 days. Then what?

Now we have the Wall Street meltdown to contend with, as well. According to President Cokehead Warmonger, Congress is supposed to allocate $700,000,000,000 (IR32,525,500,106,820 - I realise the commas are in the wrong places for Indian numbers. Live with it. This is a copy/paste from the Yahoo currency converter. I include the link because it is a useful converter of many different currencies.) to bail out big companies. As I understand it, this bill will not stop foreclosures on people's homes as much as it will aid the already super-rich. This remains to be seen.

Back to these homeless people in America, hundreds of thousands or even millions? Many, many, maybe most are mentally ill people who are unable to financially support themselves in a capitalist economy. Some are criminals who have served their sentences and now cannot find employment. The remainder are people who just don't have the resources to pay rent. Most of these people are men and women - and their children - who lost their jobs, for one reason or another and then lost their homes, either from in ability to pay rent or through foreclosure when they couldn't pay the mortgage. Some of these people have exhausted their savings, but most are people who survive from one check to the next, like me. "There but for the grace of God go I." OK, I admit I exaggerate a bit; my family would never permit me to live in a tent city or in a cardboard box under a bridge. But I hope the point has been made. Shall we all sing a rousing chorus of 'We Shall Overcome'? No, actually
I think "We Shall Not Be Moved" fits this one better. (That link contains a lot of great folk and protest songs.)


We shall not, we shall not be moved, (2x)
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
We shall not be moved

We're young and old together, we shall not be moved, (2x)
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
We shall not be moved

CHORUS

We're women and men together, we shall not be moved, (2x)
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
We shall not be moved

CHORUS

We'll live in peace and dignity, we shall not be moved, (2x)
Just like a tree that's standing by the water
We shall not be moved

We're black and white together we shall not be moved, (2x)
Just like a tree that's standing by the water
We shall not be moved

yes, everyone together we shall not be moved, (2x)
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
We shall not be moved


We'll overcome Greg Nickels, we shall not be moved, (2x)
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
We shall not be moved .


Feel free to write your own verses; as you can see, I have.

Most of the homeless, whether mentally ill or unemployed or underemployed, are just people who have committed the ultimate crime in America - worse than murder, rape, child molestation, worse than the vilest crimes - these are people who have no money.

I feel ill.

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