A PUBLIC INCONVENIENCE

In the Republic of India, we of the Republic of Khalistan have had a hard time. We have been vilified in numerous ways, beaten, tortured, imprisoned, murdered and simply disappeared. We have been called every sort of nasty, evil name, been reviled as 'terrorists' and 'traitors.' It has even been suggested that I personally ought to be kidnapped, taken to India, tried for treason - an strange idea, since I have never been a citizen of that country - and hanged.

With such a proud history, this has got to be a first. Evidently, we are now a 'public inconvenience' and likely to be arrested for that. Personally, being an 'inconvenience,' whether public or private suits my disposition just fine. This article isn't really about Khalistan - it's about problems with Ram Rahim Whuzzit - but I thought you all ought to know!

BTW, I am not making light of this huge row with this inscrupulous person, it just tickled my funnybone to be called 'a public inconvenience.' At least they have enough sense to still recognise us as 'radical.'

From The Times of India:

Is Dera-Sikh row taking radical turn?
21 Sep 2008, 0241 hrs IST, Neel Kamal,TNN

MANSA: The Dera Sacha Sauda row seems to be taking a radical turn. On Saturday, a mob of 200 Sikhs tried to unfurl a Khalistan flag at Mansa-Bathinda intersection.

The bid, however, was foiled when police arrested around 90 people for causing public inconvenience. Here it is, unfurled and unfoiled!

"Some objectionable material used by the agitating Sikh activists was also removed from the venue," said SSP Manminder Singh.

Earlier in the day, SAD (Amritsar) general secretary Gursewak Singh Jawaharke led party activists in blocking the road at the intersection. The protesters, who disrupted traffic to Bathinda, Barnala and Sangrur, were demanding the immediate arrest of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and closure of an upcoming Dera branch.

The latest Dera-Sikh face-off has been on for the past six days with more and more Sikh groups joining in the stir. On Friday, even Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh had extended support to the protesters and issued a statement from Takht Damdama Sahib saying the peaceful struggle against the Dera was in the right direction.

Meanwhile, Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal has come in for severe criticism from SAD (Panch Pardhani) president Daljit Singh Bittu, who accused him of showing disregard for the Akal Takht edict and standing in favour of the Sacha Sauda chief for political reasons.

"Sikhs can never forgive the Dera chief's blasphemous act (of dressing up like Sikh Guru) but the government remains unmoved even after (protesting) Sikhs have been sitting on roads," he said.

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

Two Pictures

For the last few days, I have had the picture of these two photographs, side-by-side, in my head. I now present them to you.

Respect and Our Gurus

WE DO HAVE COPIES OF THE OFFENDING PICTURES. IF ANYONE WANTS TO SEE THEM, WE WILL EMAIL THEM TO YOU. JUST SEND US AN EMAIL AT MAI.SOMETIMES2@GMAIL.COM. FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, WE WILL NOT POST THEM,

This is an incredibly hard post for us to write. We had agreed among ourselves to stay out of current controversies; the purpose of this blog is to help in the healing and unity of our people after the traumas of 1984. We cannot, however, let this current 'unpleasantness' pass without comment.

I, Mai, tend to be a hothead. Everyone who knows me knows that I prefer direct and immediate action when a problem arises. When I saw that joker impersonating our beloved Guru Gobind Singh Ji, my blood boiled. When I realised he was preparing a phony amrit, I was ready to have another stroke. I got on the Inter net immediately with Suni and Maman.

Cooler spirits prevailed when Maman posed the question, 'How would Guru Ji himself respond to this?'

We're not really sure, but we have trouble seeing him engaged in street brawling and burning of effigies. We just cannot see him as part of a murderous mob. With good reason, we are taught to control our anger.

To us, the most disturbing aspect of this whole situation involves the 'c' word. You know, the one every Guru from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to our current and eternal Guru Ji condemns. The word that keeps cropping up in news accounts. Who are these followers of Dera Sacha Sauda? Over and over, we read that they are LOW CASTE SIKHS. Truthfully, being a hot head, whenever I see 'dalit Sikh,' I want to puke.

Perhaps we need to ask ourselves why some people find this movement so attractive. Might it be that some of us are still practicing castism within our own lives and attitudes? Would this not be hurtful to not only those from 'low castes,' but also to those who commit this wrong? Perhaps this blasphemous religion - I won't call it a sect - would not be such a magnet if all felt really welcome in every gurdwara and in every langar hall. Please check out this link.

For this idiot fool to disrespect our dear father in such a buffoonish way, is one evil thing; for us to disrespect our dear father by practicing this horror of castism is, in our eyes, after much reflection, worse. Let us again be Kaur and Singh, drop the castism that has crept back into Sikhi; become pure Khalsa sisters and brothers, the daughters and sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, children that he will look on with pride.

So what to do? Keep a cool head, certainly boycott everything concerning Dera Sacha Sauda and follow the teachings of our own Khalsa Panth. Our kirpan is a noble and sacred gift to be used as a weapon only in the most extreme of circumstances. Each individual has to answer for her/himself if this is truly such an occasion.

If we are wrong in this, we stand open to correction. And we apologise in advance if we have hurt anyone's sensibilities. We speak only from the love of our Gurus, our faith and our people.

Let us pray for a successful solution to this situation that will preserve and raise the dignity of all of Waheguru's children.


With love,
Vini, Suni and Mai


(Now I hold my breath and push the PUBLISH button.)