Why do People Insist on "Luthan Kitching" (Pulling Someone Else Down by the Legs)

I really wonder what some people get out of bringing other people down. If you want to do something with your life or stay put in life that's your choice, but to point out faults in someone else or some organization doesn't make sense to me when you won't do anything yourself.

Sitting on the sidelines taking pot shots is such a cop-out. I bring this up because of a conversation taking place at The Langar Hall, a site which I find, tends to take pot shots every now and again.

If you want to see the whole thing click here. Below is what I wrote in response to a post,

I don’t have a problem with legitimate criticism of any organization, but it seems to me that claiming women aren’t represented in the Panth as Gurdit claimed, or that Sikh organizations are only successful as a result of the contribution of female members only as Mewa Singh claims, is ridiculous.

Secondly, it seems that you have a problem with SCORE, why not engage them or the Kaur Foundation and find out why they nominated who they did and ask them about SPECIFIC Sikh women who may have been deserving and why they weren’t included?

A lot of times people would rather just sit on the sidelines and throw stones rather than take action. Sikhs should take action and NOT throw stones. That’s my point.

Not once have you or anyone else on this site, ever discussed what they did with regards to engaging an organization like SCORE when making such a post. Why criticize them when you won’t talk to them or at least let the readers know about what you did if anything to engage them?

All this post has done is lead to a couple of people making ridiculously sweeping statements about Sikhs or the Panth and likely misinformed many others about the state of women in Sikh organizations. Maybe where you are located there isn’t much participation of female Sikhs, but where I’m at they play significant roles, from doing Kirtan, sit on and make committee announcements to the Sangat at Gurdwaras, read the Hukamnama, etc…

The ONLY role I haven’t seen performed by a female Sikh is act as head Granthi. I’m not sure however, if any women has stepped forward who wanted to be the Head Granthi though.

If people have issues in particular locales, maybe that’s a function of THEIR community and NOT the Panth. Why don’t you call for people’s experiences where they are instead of generalizing with statements such as, ” Unfortunately, this lack of recognition of women in our community (which occurs on a much broader scale than any one organization) is one major factor fueling atrocities like sex-selective abortion.”

Maybe people are engaging in abortion because they aren’t truly Sikhs in the first place. Maybe there needs to be an education campaign highlighting that Guru Maharaj (Dasam Pitta) issued a Hukamnama saying that anyone killing a girl child should be ostracized by all Sikhs? Maybe people should be educated that committing an abortion is murdering one’s own child regardless of sex and is condemned by Sikh Dharm? Perhaps Sikhs who celebrate non-Sikh cultural events like Lohri should celebrate the birth of boys and girls equally?

It’s not about some empty awards, its about people truly believing in the teachings of the Gurus and understanding that Sikh Dharm preaches the equality of human beings in the eyes Waheguru. God cares about the soul and a person’s actions on Earth, not about gender, as per Sikh beliefs.

Marine Kaur and Singh, why should people who are talented in their field NOT be honoured? Since when was making money against Sikh belief? or Practice? Sikhs who excel in any given field that is in consonance with Sikh Dharm deserve any recognition they get.

If you want to have a big gala to honour people for other activities, why not get together with like minded people and do it? Why complain when someone else got up to do something? Have you took the time to realize that entrepreneurship is valued in our society and so Sikhs who excel in this are being honoured.

I’d like it if Sikhs were honoured based on character and selfless service as well, but not enough to start an organization, but if you start one, I’ll certainly support the idea and effort.

Technorati Tags: Sikhism, Health

The Green Shift - Something I Can Support

I was surprised and shocked by the plan proposed by the Liberals. It is bold and I believe does what I believe needs to happen, reduce income taxes while passing on the costs of pollution to those who would use those fuels that add to pollution in Canada. What a nice surprise.

I personally hated the Liberal Party after all the corruption and self-serving personal enrichment brought out in Ad Scam and the HRDC boondoggle, etc... and wanted to support the Conservatives in the next election. However, after seeing the performance of the Conservatives, in what I believe is a blatant attempt at creating ethnic and religious division in Canada through their policy of warming up to specific ethnic and religious communities, I was loathe to support the Conservatives and was wondering what I would do in the next election.

Now I have a viable alternative. I had questioned Stephane Dion, but this plan alleviates my fear that the Liberals would further tax the middle class. This seems on the surface at least to accomplish two goals in one plan - reduce taxes and reduce pollution through behavioural incentives. Great.

Now if only Stephane Dion would commit to effect a plan to counter countries that support Islamic Terrorism with not words but action, including but not limited to Military.
Technorati Tags: Canada, Politics, Conservatives, Liberals

U.S. State Dept. Report on Human Rights Practices 2007 - India

The following is an excerpt from the report released by the US State Dept. in March of this year, 2008. When the country you call home doesn't provide justice for violence against YOU based on your religion, is it really your country? or is the government and military an occupation force? Is the following how any country calling itself a democracy operates?

Here are a few quotes from the report, linked here.

The government made little progress, however, in holding hundreds of police and security officials accountable for many disappearances committed during the Punjab counterinsurgency and the Delhi anti-Sikh riots of 1984-94, despite the presence of a special investigatory commission.

The NHRC also continued to investigate 2,097 cases of murder and cremation that occurred between 1984 and the early 1990s. In May 2006 it ordered monetary compensation to the next of kin of 45 persons whom the Punjab government admitted were in police custody immediately before they were killed and illegally cremated. The NGO Ensaaf estimated that security forces killed and caused to disappear more than 10,000 Punjabi Sikhs and cremated 6,017 Sikhs in Amritsar in counter insurgency operations during the militancy.

There were no developments in the 2006 case filed by Paramjit Kaur Khalra, the widow of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, seeking prosecution of former police chief K.P.S. Gill in the abduction, illegal detention, torture, and murder of her husband. At year's end Khalra's case had not been tried in court. According to Ensaaf and other human rights organizations, in 1995 members of the Punjab police operating under Gill's command abducted and killed Khalra for investigating and exposing the disappearances and secret cremations of thousands of Sikhs in Punjab by security forces.

... The Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act of 1988 criminalizes the use of any religious site for political purposes or the use of temples to harbor persons accused or convicted of crimes. While specifically designed to deal with Sikh places of worship in Punjab...

...Under the Passports Act of 1967, the government may deny a passport to any applicant who "may or is likely to engage outside India in activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India." In the past, the government used this provision to prohibit foreign travel by some government critics, especially those advocating Sikh independence...

...In November a key witness in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case involving senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler resurfaced two months after the CBI declared that he was unreachable. In December a Delhi court ordered the CBI to reinvestigate the 1984 riots case and file a fresh report. Tytler was accused of orchestrating the riots by encouraging Congress party workers, police, and mobs in Delhi to kill Sikhs and destroy their houses and businesses in retribution for the assassination of Indira Gandhi...

...NGOs asserted that custodial torture was common in Tamil Nadu, and one human rights lawyer claimed that all police stations in Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, and Chandigarh have torture cells to "soften up" the accused prior to court appearance. However, increased reporting of custodial torture may be the result of greater awareness. The AHRC claimed that local police in Kerala continued to use torture and assault as a means of criminal investigation. According to the AHRC, though not verified by other sources, Gujarat interrogation centers function in public view. The suspects allegedly are brought in, kept in illegal detention and tortured as part of questioning...

...The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Manipur have special powers to search and arrest without a warrant...

Technorati Tags: India, Sikhism, Punjab, Sikh, Hindu, Democracy, Human Rights, Politics

Response to Jodha at Langar Hall re: Xenophobia

I've been having a sparring match with Jodha at Langar Hall on a thread related to Xenophobia. I am putting my response here for all to read. If you want the context you can read the earlier back and forth at this link. I'm interested in the thoughts of Sikhs who read blogs one way or the other. Am I alone on this or are there other Sikhs who feel the same way.

Jodha,
Where to begin?

You wrote,

Your link to the “Investigative Project on Terrorism” shows a man holding a grenade in one hand and a book on Islamic Law in the other. This expert, Stephen Emerson, is a guest commentator on Fox News, the refuge of reality.

What does his being a guest on Fox News have to do with anything? Your comment is just another example of your closed-minded attitude at work. All sorts of people appear on Fox News or any other news station.

You wrote,

So why was CAIR not indicted? As as aside, may I ask, what is your viewpoint on the Israeli/Palestine conflict? Actually I can already guess, but do Palestinians have any grievances? What would you suggest to the Palestinian community? Hopefully AIPAC is recruiting!

Again, you don’t make any sort of cogent argument. Why bring Israel into the conversation? The last refuge for people like yourself is to bring the Jews into the conversation. What have the Jews ever done to the Sikhs? NOTHING. Palestinians themselves in their own mouthpiece the PA daily implicate Arabs as being the ones responsible for the Arab refugees on Jordan’s border. On the day Israel was born it was attacked by Arabs states from all sides in an attempt to destroy Israel and commit genocide of the Jews, and you have the gall to bring the Jews into a conversation that has nothing to do with them. Those people left their villages believing that they would return after the Jews were killed and Israel destroyed.

You wrote,

Clearly John Esposito, the Georgetown professor, is a liar and is out to ‘obfuscate’ concepts such as ‘taqiyya.’ Clearly the Christian websites that you suggested to me that announce “Allah – The Greatest Deceiver of them All” is a reputable source (Did you know that in the Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak praises Allah - this supposed ‘greatest deceiver of them all?)

You seem to think that just because someone is a christian that they are automatically liars. I could have quoted from Islamic sources that explain the concept of Taqiyya or point to the use of deceipt by Muhammad himself, however, the level of your bias astounds. Tell me and maybe explain to the Sikhs who read this site if Al-Islam.org is a site run by Christian evangelists? How about Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library? Is that a Christian organization? Is the USC-MSA (university of s. california muslim students association) a Christian organization?

You wrote,

Clearly I hope these evangelicals soon produce a website about Sikhs so that, Kaptaan, you can quote them as accurate sources on Gurbani and Sikh concepts such as shahadat.

Your facetious and foolish comments just go to show your mentality. Several times you have tried this tactic of painting me with some brush or the other. Why you insist on always comparing Sikhs and Muslims in a similar light I don’t understand. You write about ‘muslimphobia’ amongst Sikhs, all the while wiping away Sikh experience as a legitimate basis for being wary of Muslims due to the first hand knowledge of Jihad, jizya, dhimmi status, and the like, not to mention the way Sikh Gurus and Khalsa warriors themselves became Shaheed. How about the Sahibzadhey? Were they the benefactors of Muslim kindness and compassion? It was a Qazi/ Maulvi himself that read the ISLAMIC sentence of death for them. I make my comments based on the words and actions of Muslims themselves who have quoted the Koran and Islamic sources as guides for the heinous murders of people such as Nick Berg and Theo Van Gogh, and you try to compare jihadi muslims with Sikhs. I am not an apologist for Islam, but your comments surely paint you with that brush.

You wrote,

you seem to claim some sort of knowledge. However your comments on ‘taqiyya’ and now that I know your sources are Christian evangelical websites definitely make me believe that you are ignorant about Islam, not ignorant in general (I don’t even know you), but definitely ignorant on Islam.

So Christians can’t tell the truth about what muslims themselves say about their own religion? I don’t claim special knowledge about Muslims, but perhaps you should use your internet skills and find what muslims themselves say about the subject. Maybe you should examine what translations of muslim sources such Sahi Bukhari (quoted as an authoritative source by muslims) and others say about Islamic practices. The sites I linked to above are also evangelical? Right Jodha?

You wrote,

If you believe that Muslims are evil, maniacal, ruthless boogeymen that are out to destroy the whole world and Sikhs are some sort of cowboys with white turbans that stand for all that is good and great in the world, then that is your world view.

Those are your words not mine. I have never referred to muslims as evil, etc… Why you insist on comparing Sikhs with Muslims again, I do not understand. Do you have some inherent animosity towards Sikhs, that you would continue to bring them into any conversation about the actions and behaviours of Muslims? What exactly are you trying to prove? Sikhs who commit heinous acts DO NOT quote gurbani when doing so. Muslims who have killed people in the most heinous ways find justification in the KORAN and actions of MUHAMMAD. Are those Muslim murderers all liars? Are they Islamophobes?

You wrote,

Rabb Rakha (did you know that the word ‘Rabb’ is actually from Arabic!)

What exactly does that have to do with anything? So what if there are words from Arabic, farsi and other languages incorporated in the Punjabi language, am I to feel some sort of kinship with the people who speak those languages? What’s your point? Did you know that Apple pie originated in Canada? Did you know the word Jarnail comes from the English word for the military rank General? Did you know that arab Christians use the word Allah to refer to god? Do you know that 1+1=2?

Technorati Tags: Sikh, Muslim

O Mama

I've read a number of posts from various people touting one candidate or another this primary season... In light of last night's results, I saw something from Mark Steyn that makes sense to me.

I really have to wonder why any Sikh who supports the Democrats in the US, would abandon H. Rodham Clinton to support B. Hussein Obama?

BHO just seems too much like a "Johnny Come Lately", for me, and it seems for increasing numbers of Democrats and Americans, who generally don't trust him either.

HRC has supported Sikhs consistently as far as I can tell, along with her husband, while BHO referred to her disparagingly as the "Senator from Punjab". Instead of following the herd perhaps Sikhs should remember that a defining trait of Sikhs generally is to not forget a favour or a friend.

In my opinion, the Clintons have been friends of the Sikh community for years, and I am neither a Republican or a Democrat.

From The Corner,

Moving Barackwards [Mark Steyn]

Byron's analysis of the Clinton/Obama numbers is very sound, but I wonder if in dividing primary season into quarters he doesn't miss a cruder point: For the last three months, Mrs Clinton has been deemed to be in trouble and been urged ever more frantically to pack it in and get the hell out. Yet the more Senator Obama has been the nominee presumptive, the more Democrat voters have refused to warm up to him. In Kentucky, he lost not just the usual groups by the usual margins - white working-class men by a gazillion per cent, etc - but Mrs Clinton also won college graduates and "the young": two groups allegedly especially star-struck by the Obamessiah.

There's no precedent in modern primary history for a candidate growing weaker* the more his nomination becomes inevitable. His boast of finally getting a majority of pledged delegates - or whatever cockamie Democrat arithmetical milestone he reached last night - felt like a steam train running out of coal. He's still moving uphill, just about, but ever slower ...and slower ...and slo..w...er.

If I were a party bigwig, I'd be unnerved by some of these numbers. The media have fallen for Senator Obama, but the louder they trill "I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love with a wonderful guy!", the more Democratic voters refuse to singalong.

By the way, if Hillary had been campaigning the way she's doing now this time last year instead of doing the queenlier-than-thou Barbra Streisand routine, she'd have won.

[UPDATE: *Poorly phrased: I should have said there's no precedent for a candidate getting "so weak". Obviously, presumptive nominees from Mondale to Dole managed to frost up the base as primary season wore on - but not to this degree, and not to the point where 50% of Democrat primary voters in Kentucky tell pollsters they wouldn't vote for Obama in November.]

05/21 07:52 AM

Technorati Tags: Politics, Sikh, Sikhism, USA

Sikhs Take Heart

I've been reading with increasing frequency about Sikhs in the news in Canada or in blog posts. Usually the only time as far as I can tell a Sikh is mentioned by religious belief is when there's something negative or a controversial angle to the story.

So when I saw a post on the blog Dust my Broom, and Mai of Road to Khalistan responding, I thought I should make my two cents known.

Here's what I wrote,

Since when did it become illegal or extremist in Canada to legally promote any particular cause? No one is going around killing people wantonly in the streets. There aren't any riots breaking out. No one in the Sikh community supports the people behind the Air India bombing. Some fool kid makes a bogus threat on the internet in a comment section and its the entire Sikh community that should be held accountable? Hold yourself and every other identifiable Canadian group to those standards and we can talk... When the MSM starts identifying every Euro-Canadian's ethnicity and religion when they commit a crime, let me know...

IF you think Sikhs who want an independent Khalistan are extremists, you should note that many of the Sikhs in Canada who believe in promoting an independent Khalistan were born free in Canada. We went to the schools here and learned about human rights and what rights actually exist in a free society. If anything Canada has afforded us the opportunity as Sikhs and Canadians to know what freedom of religion really means.

Using your logic of labeling Canadian Sikhs as extremists or fundamentalist if they want an independent Khalistan created, then any Canadian who supported an indepenedent homeland for Tibetans, Palestinians, Kosovars, East Timorese, Armenians, Georgians, Ukrainians, Irish, Croats, Bosnians, etc... are all extremists and fundamentalists.

There's something called the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in this country and Canadian Sikhs will exercise their legal rights to the full. This isn't a popularity contest. In fact the more the MSM and canadian bloggers choose to turn Canadian Sikhs into some sort of bogey the less Sikh Canadians actually care what those detractors think.

Sikhs have fought and died for the Queen. We have every right to live and do what we want legally in Canada which is still under her authority. This is our homeland as much as anyone else's. Sikhs paid for the right to this land with blood and honour in both world wars and as part of the British Army in every country or land where the British Crown chose to tread.

You aren't so much interested in dialogue with Sikhs as you are in lecturing Sikhs about what they should or shouldn't do. No one in the Sikh community is promoting hate against anyone else. Sikhs don't hate Hindus or Muslims or Christians or Jews. No one preaches hate in our religious places. We just have something against anyone who has killed our co-religionists for wanting to practice our religion. We will oppose anyone who would deny us our religious rights, history or traditions. We've survived 3 attempted genocides. Our history is rich with bravery and courage. We are survivors and your words or labels will not deter us from the truth.

Our faith and recognition of our martyrs is non-negotiable. Now why don't you go enjoy your Saturday. I know I will.

Bikramjit Sinh Majithia, Kirandip Sinh Kang and Sukhbir Sinh Badal???

Why would any self-respecting Sikh who loves Guru Granth Sahib Ji ever support such characters as these or be a part of Shiromani Akali Dal when its leadership disrespects the history of the Akali Dal and Sikh religious instruction by Guru Nanak himself (who disavowed idol worship and puja) by worshiping at a Hindu temple for political mileage and votes?

from the Tribune,
The culprits.

In a bid to give secular look to the Youth Akali Dal, its newly appointed patron and president, Bikramjit Singh Majithia and Kirandip Singh Kang, respectively, paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and the Durgiana Temple here today.

They are perhaps the first youth Akali Dal leaders who have visited a Hindu temple to offer thanksgiving to the Almighty over
their elevation.

They were accompanied by a large number of Youth Akali leaders, including Gurpartap Singh Tikka and Inderbir Singh Bolaria, both aspirants for the party ticket for Amritsar South and Dalbir Singh, a former Akali MLA.

The development assumes significance in the wake of the byelection, slated for May 22, even as their visit to the Durgiana Temple, some feel, may help in wooing Hindu votes.

Earlier, Sukhbir Singh Badal while reconstituting the working committee, Political Affairs Committee and other wings of the party had given sufficient representation to Hindus, Muslims and Christians.

Immediately after becoming president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Sukhbir Singh Badal had made his intentions clear that he wanted to make the party of all Punjabis, irrespective of their caste and creed. He had announced on January 31 that the SAD was not a party of the Sikhs of Punjab, but an organisation of the entire Punjabi community all over the world.

If such a person thinks that SAD will represent Punjabis all over the world, he is sadly mistaken, as most Sikhs outside India are wary of individuals such as him who try to water down Sikh beliefs and go against the Sikh religion by engaging in such anti-Sikh behaviour or policies.



Technorati Tags: Religion, Politics, Punjab, India, Sikhism

Happy Baisakhi

I'll be heading to Toronto for the Nagar Kirtan there. I'm looking forward to posting pictures of this year's event similar to what I posted last year. I hope you can all make it there as well.

Technorati Tags: baisakhi, vaisakhi, sikhism

Back to Take Down Bruce Allen

I saw a lot of BS on the net and blogs related the Bruce Allen rant on CKNW and felt I had to come up for some air and put out a blog to rebuff the fool. I'll be back from time to time, in the meantime and in between time, check out the updated "sikh blogs by 'k'" from the right panel.

Here's a back and forth I had on the Covenant blog that encapsulates the argument that I make against Bruce Allen and his kind of commentator.

"Kaptaan said...

"play by the rules" is such a load of tripe. Bruce Allen has got it all wrong. Pointing to Sikhs, as an example of 'immigrants' seeking accommodations, etc.. is ridiculous.

Canadians, born and raised in Canada, who have their own religious beliefs ARE playing by the rules, when they demand all the rights guaranteed under the charter. Most Sikhs in BC are BORN in Canada, as Canadians.

Canada is our homeland. Like it or lump it. We don't want accommodation from "you". We are the 'you'. Sikhs aren't "johnny come latelies" to the country. We built the province of BC with blood, sweat and tears (along with our chinese friends). Every small town in BC contains Sikhs and a Sikh community. It's time you and your ilk examined the facts.

Anglos didn't want to integrate/ assimilate Sikhs into society in the early 1900's, so don't be surprised if Sikhs took them at their word and NOW would rather fully express themselves as Sikhs (and Sikh Canadians at that) today.
Thu Sep 27, 07:55:00 AM PDT
truepeers said...

kaptaan says playing by the rules is a load of tripe; then he says Sikhs do play by the rules. He says we are you, but then he says we would rather express ourselves as Sikhs.

It's not so much that I think he's wrong. It's just that his argument is not very coherent. The contradictions are not important and don't have to be resolved. What's important is that We are victimizing Him. And that's the problem with "multiculturalism". It doesn't tell us how we can rule ourselves together, instead of being ruled by some higher righteousness of the kind that kaptaan seems to be struggling to articulate.

What I think kaptaan is really saying is that Sikhs have a right to victim status and so no one else has a right to argue how Sikhs and all other Canadians should behave together. kaptaan says Sikhs and Chinese built BC, but for some reason he thinks "Anglos" (eventhough he writes in English himself - does he really mean whites?) are still in charge and victimizing those who are doing the work. But aren't those in charge the real builders?

One could see Bruce Allen as someone who is actually taking the right of Sikhs to be Canadians seriously. It is the multiculturalist "Anglo" elites who must patronize the Sikhs, because multiculti politics is a politics of patron-client relationships - and having seen how this works from inside the Liberal party, I can tell you there are all kinds of individual Sikhs with ambition to join the "Anglo" elite, pretending to speak for all Sikhs in British Columbia, and pretending to be able to deliver lots of votes.

Maybe Bruce Allen, in his not very intellectually or politically astute way, is saying, wouldn't it be better if you were treated as free individuals, like any other free individuals, and not as a tribe to be manipulated by your "leaders" and their multiculti-speaking "Anglo" friends en masse? The real power in the Liberal party in British Columbia is still overwhelmingly white and English speaking. And they're the ones promoting "multiculturalism". It serves their political interests.
Thu Sep 27, 10:53:00 AM PDT
Kaptaan said...

Let me break it down for you truepeers.

1. When I said the following: ""play by the rules" is such a load of tripe... Most Sikhs in BC are BORN in Canada, as Canadians."

What I mean by this is that to tell Sikhs to "play by the rules" doesn't make sense because Sikhs in BC, by and large, are Canadians so they are already, defacto, playing by the rules. Bruce doesn't realize, that Sikhs didn't come form "somewhere else" so they don't have any other place to go called "home" as Bruce said, because (drum roll please) BC is HOME.

2. When I said the following: "Canada is our homeland. Like it or lump it... It's time you and your ilk examined the facts.

What I meant is that, extending point 1, trying to build an 'us' versus 'them' meaning 'Canadians' versus 'immigrants' doesn't work with Sikhs, because Sikhs are the 'us' because Sikhs are in fact, born in Canada British Columbians. So when I said we are the 'you', it means we ARE BRITISH COLUMBIAN (Canadians).

3. When I wrote the following: "Anglos didn't want to integrate/ assimilate Sikhs into society in the early 1900's, so don't be surprised if Sikhs took them at their word and NOW would rather fully express themselves as Sikhs (and Sikh Canadians at that) today."

What I meant was that as of now, for Sikhs in BC, the prevailing feeling is that not only are we Canadian, but as Canadians, it is OUR prerogative to decide what that means for us, and what it means is that we want to assert our Sikh identity and be SIKH Canadians (British Columbians) as opposed to what Anglos would like us to be today which is just plain Canadian.

4. When you write, "What's important is that We are victimizing Him. And that's the problem with "multiculturalism"... struggling to articulate."

You are mistaken. I don't feel victimized. I am, however, unwilling to [listen to] anyone [lecture me], especially Bruce Allen, tell me what I can and can't do in Canada. OR How I should behave or not behave in this country (as long as that behaviour is lawful).

5. When you write, "What I think kaptaan is really saying is that Sikhs have a right to victim status and so no one else has a right to argue how Sikhs and all other Canadians should behave together... But aren't those in charge the real builders?

NO. That is incorrect. I don't believe Sikhs or anyone else has a right to victim status. Sikhs only want the full protection and freedoms that extend from the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

6. You write, "One could see Bruce Allen as someone who is actually taking the right of Sikhs to be Canadians seriously..."

I suppose someone might see that, however, I see Bruce Allen as someone who just doesn't like the fact that Sikhs and other visible minorities are living large in Canada. I see Bruce Allen as someone who doesn't like the fact that the visage of Canada has changed permanently. I see Bruce Allen as someone who is wondering why it is that Sikhs after having been in Canada for over 100 years in large numbers, don't see the need to adopt the ways of the original Anglo descent Canadians.

7. You write, "Maybe Bruce Allen, in his not very intellectually or politically astute way, is saying, wouldn't it be better if you were treated as free individuals, like any other free individuals, and not as a tribe to be manipulated by your "leaders" and their multiculti-speaking "Anglo" friends en masse?..."

Perhaps I see economies of scale in having many Sikhs come together for a common interest, much in the same way, that many people with strong commonalities and interests have come together in the past. For example, women who advocated for the right to vote and equality.
Thu Sep 27, 07:46:00 PM PDT "

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Work Has Taken Me Away From My Normal Posting Frequency

As with everyone, sometimes "reality" intrudes into the online world, and so it is with me, as I can't post with the frequency that both you and I have become accustomed to at the Singh On The World.

I'll try and get some posts out asap, when my 'work' commitments allow. In the meantime, check out the automatic Google Reader that I've setup for your blog fix, it includes as many Sikh authored blogs as I know of as well as the feed from Sikh Sangat.com.

Write to you soon.

Technorati Tags: Sikh, Singh, Sikhism

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Did Indians Discover Calculus

No. But that won't stop some people from trying to give India credit for it... Angry has more, but here's an excerpt. Note my comments on Angry's site....

The question is raised about who invented calculus.

Let me answer that question. Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz share that honour. The Kerala School might have come up with the Taylor expansion of trigonometric functions, but that is not the same as calculus. Nor did they contribute their discovery to the body of human knowledge.

No need to rewrite the history books on this one, even if it means evil Westerners retain the credit for something good.

I wrote,

Interesting that Europeans or English are tripping over themselves to give credit for something as profound as the creation/ discovery of Calculus to Malayalam/ Keralese without so much as a whimper.

Usually, if you follow papers from India, the people there are blaming imperialism or colonialism for some discovery or the other being stolen, unrecognized or some other form of malfeasance depressing their greatness.

There will be more of this as the western world's affliction of self-loathing manifests itself in, what hitherto would have been unbelievable, increasingly self-inflicted self-delusions.

Posted by: Kaptaan at August 15, 2007 08:49 AM

Technorati Tags: India, Science, England, UK, Europe

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1 More Indictment of Canada's Healthcare

When are people going to learn that Government delivered healthcare is a no win situation. The health care costs are huge and the standard of care poor. What don't people understand when it comes to the dangers and lack of value in government healthcare?

It would be one thing if government healthcare provided the best possible care and treatment while costing taxpayers an 'arm and a leg', but it's quite another when the healthcare is substandard and it can cost patients, literally (see all the c.difficile or flesh eating disease cases), and taxpayers, figuratively, an 'arm and a leg'.

CTV reports,

According to the report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), the chances of patients receiving the wrong medication or wrong dose was about 1 in 10 in 2005.

The chances of an adult contracting an infection while in an acute care hospital are about the same: 1 in 10, while the chances of a child contracting an infection while in hospital are about 1 in 12.

Incidents in which a foreign object is left behind in a surgical cavity are less common, affecting about 1 in 3,000 patients in Canadian hospitals (outside of Quebec and parts of Manitoba). Yet that still adds up to more than 200 incidents per year between 2003-2004 and 2005-2006.

Previous studies show that obese patients are at higher risk of having a foreign object left behind after surgery, though the reasons aren't clear.

Other higher risk groups include: patients who undergo emergency operations, those who have an unexpected change in operation or those who have a change in nursing or surgical staff during a procedure.

Technorati Tags: Health, Canada, Finance, Politics

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Ujjal Dosanjh Communist

I've been doing a bit of reading lately and came across the following from "The Canadian Association For Free Expression."

Now I don't know this organization at all, and am not sure what they have to say about anything else. I did find this interesting though about, Ujjal "Ujjie" Dosanjh, member of parliament Canada, which they wrote about back in the year 2000. [From reading this article the conclusion that I draw is that Ujjie is a communist, or at a minimum a communist sympathizer. Which would explain quite a bit about him, his politics, and his antics in the media.]

"Ujjal Dosanjh: Architect of Repression

In a recent issue of The Free Speech Monitor (November, 1999), we exposed a document from the B.C. Human Rights Commission entitled A Call to Action: Combatting Hate in British Columbia. Some of the major repressive measures in this anti-racist blueprint for repression, including seizure of computer hard drives, making possession of "hate" for distribution a criminal offence, and adding sexual orientation to the list of privileged groups, all originated with one man, B.C.'s new premier Ujjal Dosanjh, the former attorney-general. The document explains: "In June, 1998, the B.C. Attorney General wrote to the Minister of Justice recommending changes to the Criminal Code to promote the fight against hate. The Federal/Provincial/Territorial Working Group on Diversity, Equality and Justice supported these recommendations in principle. The recommendations were then forwarded to the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers responsible for Justice in October, 1998 where they received support. " [See Free Speech Monitor, December, 1998.]

It's worth looking a little more closely into the past affiliations of the Punjabi-born Dosanjh who brings such a narrow view of freedom of speech to his high office. In an article headlined "From Communist to Premier" The Report Newsmagazine (March 13, 2000) reported: "In an interview last month with CBC radio reporter Chris Brown, [Dosanjh] admitted to having, in Mr. Brown's words, 'dabbled with communism' as a teenager in England. Mr. Dosanjh's extremism apparently continued after he immigrated to Canada in 1968. According to a Vancouver Sun profile [February 21, 2000], Mr. Dosanjh 'began turning up at demonstrations that attracted members of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist), a small but noisy group that allied itself first with the policies of Mao Tse-tung, then Albanian leader Enver Hoxha. As recently as 1984, Mr. Dosanjh's political opponents in the Sikh community considered him 'a committed Marxist', according to a letter sent at the time to media outlets. ... The new premier's early far-left bent is attributed to the influence of his maternal grandfather. One Sun story identified the man as a communist and another reported that he 'fought to liberate Sikh temples from British colonial rule -- and spent almost 10 years in British jails in retribution.' (Mr. Dosanjh said during the convention that his grandfather was sentenced to '20 years in jail.') A report in the Globe and Mail [February 19, 2000] described his grandfather as 'a Sikh preacher who tempered his teachings with Karl Marx and Mao Tse-tung.' B.C.'s new premier clearly considered his grandfather a hero. 'He made politics seem like the most noble of callings,' he told the convention, 'and I still believe that today.'"

While Dosanjh denies being a card carrying member of the CPC (M-L), his attachment to that group, then known as the Maoists, is very worrisome. These violent, hard-core communists, cheered on the Vietcong during the Vietnam war. The used heavy sticks to beat opponents at demonstrations. Their turgid paper People's Canada Daily News was almost impenetrable with its poorly translated Chinese speeches, full of communist rhetoric and phrases like "running dog of U.S. imperialism," "comprador," "Marxism-Leninism-Mao-Tse-tung-thought" and "splittist". Maoism was a violent, repressive system that caused the deaths by starvation and execution of millions of Chinese. Dissidents were executed or carted off for "re-education" in the countryside. This, then, was the system with which Dosanjh and his grandfather "dabbled". Perhaps, Dosanjh's fondness for repression is not at all surprising, given his never repudiated youthful affiliations."

What is particularly interesting is the last sentence. Ujjie has never repudiated his affiliations with Marxist-Leninist Communists. My question is how anyone with those kind of affiliations, a self-described lack of religious base, and a family history of communist party activism, can ever be described as a Sikh?

Doesn't it stand to reason that someone with those affiliations may have a bias against people who have a strong and firm religious foundation? Isn't the Communist Party of China an avowedly atheist organization? Doesn't the CP of India (CPI) look to the CP of China (CPC) for inspiration? Isn't it feasibly that the elimination of religion is a goal of these people? Wouldn't they find it in their interest to de-legitimize or otherwise cause people who have a strong and visible religious affiliation to be somehow discredited? Don't Sikhs stand out? Are Sikhs visible?

Is Ujjie ANTI-SIKH? That is the question, where does Ujjal stand on this point? I don't recall him ever speaking out against state sponsored torture or extra-judicial killings of Sikhs in Punjab and India, but I do recall him speaking out against Sikhs advocating for freedom from such abuse via their own homeland.

Technorati Tags: Sikh, Sikhism, Ujjal Dosanjh, China, India, Punjab, Canada

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The UK has Got IT Bad

What is it with the UK? Kathy Shaidle points to a news item about Muslim men targeting white girls for sex........

who are as young as 12!

Why can't people honestly address the situation and condemn the perpetrators directly? Aren't muslims themselves talking about these kinds of people? It's the reputation of all Muslims that gets impacted, whether they are Sunni [Barelvi, Deobandi, Salafi, Wahabbi], Shia [seven, twelver, Ismaili], or Quadiani. I'd be interested to know if the UK even keeps crime stats breaking it down by community to that degree?

Having spoken to people in the UK, it seems they all know good, decent Muslim people who are their friends, and I've met some Muslims as well who seem decent enough. But do those people with close friendships with Muslims ever bother to even ask them what 'kind' of Muslim they are, and their thoughts on those Muslims bent on subjugating the world?

I can well imagine some Muslims say it is a part of their religion to harass these girls, such as those Muslims who believe in Jihad, Kafirs as sub-human, and oppression of non-Muslims. Them engaging in what is ACTUAL anti-social, sub-human behaviour is not a surprise.

But what about the rest of the Muslims out there? Why doesn't anyone ever hear of them condemning the perverts in their midst? Are they afraid of them or just too ignorant or oblivious to care? Do they in fact sympathize with those people? Or is it that the newspapers don't put those protests into print?

Blazing Cat Fur: Gets A Hose Down.

Blazing Cat Fur: Love Is....Multiculturalism!: "do not import your domestic poltics here" gets hosed down here.

UPDATE:

BCF is not listing this post as a, "link to this post", not sure why she wouldn't want to let people read all the views and form their own opinions. I guess you have to agree with BCF to get that kind of recognition, not very blogger friendly if you ask me.

Not Too Often That An Ismaili (or is he?) Gets Charged With First Degree Murder in a Cop Killing

but then again cop killings are a rarity in and of themselves... at least I think Nadeem Jiwa is an Ismaili. Jiwa is a fairly common Ismaili Muslim name and the newspapers don't really get into that specific a description. Regardless, it's a heinous act and he should face a stiff sentence. I am sure his parents are ashamed of him and the disrepute they've brought to him and his community.

But my question is really this, if he is an Ismaili, why would he engage in stealing air-bags?

I thought the Ismailis had a pretty good system of integrating its young people into more productive concerns. Anyone know this fellow or his background? Please feel free to post a comment.

From Steve Janke, who seems to have done some research into this character and his shady past,

The brutal death of Constable Robert Plunkett while trying to arrest alleged car thieves has brought into focus the lucrative business of auto theft for parts. In this case, the alleged thieves were trying to steal airbags. Components such as these are sold for lucrative profits to unscrupulous auto shops to sell to unsuspecting customers.

Given, therefore, that the alleged thieves weren't working alone, but quite likely had a buyer lined up for the airbags, you can be certain police will be working hard to roll up the entire operation.

Update: Both suspects were known to the criminal justice system.
The death of Constable Robert Plunkett was as brutal as it was shocking:

Detective Constable Robert Plunkett, a 22-year veteran of the force who was known for his bravery and charity work, was part of a team of officers that had followed two suspected car thieves to a quiet suburban neighbourhood.

As Det. Const. Plunkett approached a suspect, the man put the car into reverse and hit the officer with an open door. Det. Const. Plunkett was then dragged backwards and suffered fatal injuries when he was pinned between the door and a maple tree.

The officer was dragged backwards over several shrubs and onto one of the neatly trimmed lawns on Ascot Crescent. When the open door of the car struck a maple tree, he was pinned against the trunk until the thief was able to break free.

The alleged thief was Nadeem Jiwa. His alleged accomplice was Baseer Mohammed Yousafzai, who was out on bail for undisclosed charges.

Nadeem Jiwa, 19, of Toronto, is charged with manslaughter and Baseer Mohammed Yousafzai, also of Toronto, is charged with violating bail conditions, possession of stolen property and tampering with stolen property.

Nadeem was allegedly in a gold Honda, removing the airbag, when Plunkett tried to make an arrest. Yousafzai was in a white Honda and was trying to flee the scene when he was arrested.

Nadeem Jiwa has been very active online in the buying and selling of radio-controlled car, cell phones, and real cars,. As serpentracer123, in 2003, identifying himself as a 15-year-old in Toronto, which would make him 19 today, trying to sell a radio-controlled car:

MICRO RS4 FOR SALE w/ pics posted. WILL TRADE FOR NITRO. L@@K CHEAP CHEAP.
THIS MICRO COMES WITH :

-speed 300 motor
-stock motor
-msonik ecos fet esc.

asking 180

Other posts on the thread warn potential customers away from Nadeem Jiwa:

FYI guys, many local people in Toronto (not spelled Tooronot ) have had problems with Nadeem Jiwa.

Deal with him carefully if at all.

I live in Ottawa but everyone from London to Ottawa and in-between has heard of this guy. He has basically been kicked off the TORC forum for ripping people off.

On yet another R/C forum, Nadeem Jiwa is tagged as someone to avoid:

This kid is a chump, but another kid to look out for is Nadeem Jiwa, he also lives in the Toronto Area, I believe its Mississauga. He has burned a few people up here, but I dont know if he comes to any american boards, just a heads up guys.

His wheeling and dealing included selling a scooter in order to buy a car:

Posted by: Blunt87

Hi everyone,
Selling this gas scooter purchased on april 9, 2003. This is a mosquito dx 26 cc scooter.

Bought new for over 800.00

Reason for selling: I am getting a car .. need money.

asking price: 500

email : serpentracer123@hotmail.com

Nadeem was in a rush, looking to get that $500 "soon".

That was in May of 2003.

By July, Nadeem Jiwa had a 1984 Camaro for sale or trade:

sup all ,
selling a 1984 chevy camaro, this car is mint condition uner the hood and interior here are the specs:

interior: interior is mint, except for 1 rip in the fabric.

exterior:the ext...

Now, instead of serpentracer123, he was using the email account teamfast0@lycos.com.

It ought to be noted that on this forum, Nadeem went by the handle Blunt87. "87" no doubt refered to the year of his birth (making him 19 today), but in his profile, he lists his date of birth as January 1, 1952. It might be a defaulting date (the "January 1" date suggests that).

After buying, selling, and trading cars and cell phones through 2003 and 2004, Nadeem Jiwa drops off. Does his horse-trading continue? Did his reputation improve?

The report from the police states that the second man arrested, Baseer Yousafzai, was driving a white Honda Civic. Presumably this was the getaway car to be used to drive Jiwa and Yousafzai away from the site where the gold Honda, the one from which the airbag was being removed, would have been abandoned had Plunkett not attempted to make an arrest.

The white Honda was in the possession of Jiwa and Yousafzai with the permission of the owner:

The white Honda Civic is registered to Vishal Bilimoria, of Ajax, who runs an auto body shop there. When contacted yesterday by the National Post, Mr. Bilimoria said Mr. Jiwa would occasionally borrow his car and that he had been in possession of it for the past week.

"He is a friend of mine and he wanted to borrow the car to go out one night and I told him, 'Go ahead.' He would borrow the car from time to time. I had no idea what he was doing."

Mr. Bilimoria said Mr. Jiwa had just finished high school. "From what I know of him, he's a really nice guy, a jolly guy ... I was shocked to hear about all of this.

"I don't even know why anybody would take air bags. They're not that expensive to come across."

Vishal Bilimoria lives in Ajax, and besides running an auto body shop, he is also the Sports & Recreation Coordinator for Mochi Gnati Mandal Ontario, an East Indian cultural association.

I'm surprised by Bilimoria's comments with regards to air bags. He operates an auto body shop, so he ought to know the price of airbags. Poking around the web, it seems that replacing an airbag can cost upwards to $3,000 on some car models. Per airbag. The price of the replacement has created a thriving market in grey market airbags:

Since January, 43 air bag thefts have been reported, with Hondas and Acuras the most popular targets, Chief La Barge said. Stolen air bags seem to be a lucrative industry -- each can be sold for between $1,500 and $2,000 to autobody shops or individuals, he said.

The auto shop mechanic then sells the bag as new to unsuspecting customers. In other variations of the scam, the bags are acquired for a lot less, then sold to the customer as "reconditioned" for less than the cost of a new airbag. The customer is enticed to make the purchase to save on the full price of a new air bag, while each of the people in the theft ring makes a decent profit.

At least the customer is getting an airbag. Less scrupulous operations will install an empty shell in the airbag compartment and charge for it. Since you don't know if an airbag is really in there until it deploys (or doesn't deploy), many people fall victim to the scam.

Given the tragic death of a police officer, there is no doubt that police in all the GTA forces, from Peel through York and into Durham region, will be following up all leads. If Nadeem Jiwa was indeed working as part of a theft ring feeding airbags to unscrupulous auto shops, you can be certain police will be working to pull down the entire operation, all along the chain.

Update: Whatever people though of Nadeem Jiwa as a source of R/C products, somewhere along the line Nadeem Jiwa's reputation went badly south with the criminal justice system:

Nadeem Jiwa, 19, who was under a recognizance order to live on Hawkeshead Crescent in the Warden and McNicoll avenues area, has been charged with manslaughter.

No mention is made of the circumstances that led to Jiwa's order.

So both suspects were under recognizance orders.

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Sikh FaceBook Site Draws Unflattering Attention

I saw this posted at Kathy Shaidle's blog

Ain't multiculturalism grand?

Well, Sikhs DO carry knives...

"if i get a chance.. i will have this white trash choke on his own blood some day..."

The stuff you find while browsing FaceBook, huh?
# posted by Kathy : 2007-08-09 10:47:48

and followed the link to Blazing Cat Fur who makes some ridiculous comment about "Mai" from Road to Khalistan blog...

Mai Mai Mai - you weren't wrong about that "foaming at the mouth" stuff at all;) Perhaps you should have left this at home when you emigrated.

I find it kind of funny how when "mainstream" Canadians are demonstrating or protesting or otherwise engaged in LEGAL political advocacy for some issue or the other, people like Blazing Cat Fur, don't tell them to have left "this" wherever they came from.

Why is it that when Sikhs (or Tamils, or [insert visible ethnic or religious minority here]) are demonstrating or protesting or otherwise engaged in civil action, they are expected to set aside their constitutionally guaranteed rights, and leave "this" at some "home" that apparently isn't in Canada? I don't know about you, but having been born in this country along with the majority of Sikhs that I know, Canada is my "home". In fact, Canada is my homeland, thank you very much.

I wrote this in response to Blazing's post in the comments section. Check it out.

Kaptaan said...

1. I am against this pseudo multi culti ism as well. People should come straight out and call it what it is - a project to eliminate the predominance of the Anglo-Saxon culture and values under the guise of the promotion of minority culture and relativism.

2. As for a few Sikhs who get overly aggressive when writing from behind the computer screen - that's hardly only the exclusive domain of Sikhs and its quite disingenuous to claim that it is. I'm sure you'll find a multitude of global warming advocates and enviro lefties doing the same in support of their pet causes.

3. The WSO launching a lawsuit, to defend itself against the allegations made in the CBC documentary, is as Canadian as Canadian gets, unless Sikhs and Sikh organizations are no longer allowed to exercise their legal rights in Canada (or are somehow engaging in a sinister activity if they do).

4. If a Jesus Christ figurine can be put into a liquid combo of blood and urine and labeled "piss Christ", you'd think that making a picture of Terry Milewski out as a Vampire or blood sucker, would be covered by the same extension of the term "Art", unless you hold Terry up as some unassailable messiah or prophet perhaps?

5. If non-Sikh Canadians have the right to free expression and can agitate against Communism, Nazism, the USA, etc... and Canadians are demonstrating against China for a free Tibet, then WHY shouldn't CANADIAN Sikhs and supporters of HUMAN RIGHTS be free to express a desire to see the creation of Khalistan or any other state?

6. SIKHS are CANADIAN and are here to stay - like it or lump it. It's time you figured this out instead of yammering on about how they should leave this that or the other at "home". Home is Canada (for CANADIAN Sikhs), not anywhere else. Canada IS our homeland, it's one country where we are free to worship as we choose, say what we think, and live free (except the confiscatory taxes and general erosion of individual rights of course) without the threat of state-sanctioned and delivered death, torture or harassment.
10:14 AM

Fur Cat came back with this comment

Blazing Cat Fur said...

You are a mass of contradictions Kaptaan.

1) On Multicult we agree

2) On aggressive Sikhs hiding behind computer screens - I do not see how I can be disingenuous when I made no such claim that this practice was exclusive to Sikhs.

3) On the WSO lawsuit - I agree it has become Canadian to sue because someone "Hurt your feelings". We are burdened by PC Nonsense & Multicult.

4) Piss Christ as Art? What nonsense. You are really stretching here. Piss Christ is simply part of the same attack on Western values and civilization that MultiCult and it's sister plague Moral Relativism represent. Terry is no prophet, the pictures merely evidence Sikh extremism.

5) WHY shouldn't CANADIAN Sikhs and supporters of HUMAN RIGHTS be free to express a desire to see the creation of Khalistan or any other state? I agree until you start blowing up airliners that is.

6) Home for Sikhs would appear to be the future Khalistan you advocate. Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining Kaptaan- Canada is merely an address of convenience.
10:36 AM

to which I replied,

Cat Fur,

To be human is to be a mass of contradictions.

1) At least we have some common ground.

2) My point is that Sikhs aren't the only ones who post things that they aren't likely to do in actual reality. It's common parlance to vent in aggressive language when perturbed and it only gets amplified when you read it on a computer screen and aren't there to actually hear/ see the person who wrote it. My take was that you implied that Sikhs are engaging in extremist vitriol vis-a-vis your commentary. You state that somehow the group is engaged in some "media savvy" dissembling by wanting the Terry pics removed and not having members make any "death threats". Is it so hard to believe that a majority of Sikhs don't support "death threats" and violent reactions?

3) The WSO suit is about protecting the WSO's reputation which they feel has been harmed by the CBC documentary. I'm sure if someone slandered or libeled the CBC, that they would defend their brand and reputation against such assaults. So it's not about "hurt feelings".

4) re-read my comment, if society is willing to allow "piss christ" as art, then why isn't the pic of Terry afforded the same license? I personally don't believe there is any redeeming value in "piss christ", but apparently the NYT covered it as "art".

5) Sikhs haven't "blown up airliners" as you suggest. Sikhs have condemned anyone who engages in this kind of activity many,many times and have been consistent in this. There is NO religious justification or Sikh school of thought that supports any other conclusion. Perhaps you should read the book "Soft Target" by a couple of Globe and Mail journalists for something other than the usual pablum.

6) HOME for CANADIAN Sikhs IS and ALWAYS will BE CANADA. Just as Irish-Canadians aspired to have an Irish homeland, so too can Sikhs aspire to have a Sikh homeland. Whether Irish-Canadians call Ireland home, is a different story, but I'm sure they are content just the same knowing that it's there. No one questions the loyalty of Irish-Canadians (despite hearing that they hold a parade or two in Canada celebrating their Irishness), and no one should question the loyalty of Sikh-Canadians either.
11:31 AM

UPDATE
I saw that American Princess got into the Sikh "bashing" (it may not be "bashing" per se, but it sounds more - what's the word - lively :-))...

While They Were Busy Outing a Giuliani

Apparently, the media overlooked a more interesting posting on Facebook--the group full of death threats against a Canadian reporter who questioned the ability of Sikh residents to assimilate into Canadian culture.

Ah the joys of Multiculturalism can't you just feel the Love? Seems members of this Facebook Sikh Community (note you will need a Facebook login), are incensed at the CBC & Terry Milewski for a piece he did on Sikh Extremism.

The examples are defended as "Art" as defined by forum creator Nav Dhanda. Sikh members of this community have asked that the pictures be removed because they don't want to be portrayed as well..."extremists".

Can you feel the love?

and was forced to post a response.

E.M.,

Blazing Cat Fur acknowledged the following in the post that you based your comments on.

1. with regards to the vampire pictures that were posted, BCF said, "I was careful to be fair and point out that Sikh members have themselves complained about the pictures"

2. regarding the "death threats" being toned down due to the site moderator/ admin being "media savvy" - she pointed out that was in relation to the site on Tarek Fatah, not the Sikh Site, in response to one of my comments to her (I believe BCF is a "her"). BCF wrote, "My "media savvy" comment is directed at the Tarek Fateh site, not the Sikh site," "I also agree that over the top invective is found across the spectrum and in fact I employ it myself."

So before you condemn Sikhs as having a Facebook group, "full of death threats against a Canadian reporter", get your FACTS straight.
Posted by: Kaptaan at August 9, 2007 02:10 PM

Update
Kate at SDA got in on the action as well, I guess her and Kathy and Cat Fur have a triple tag team going on... I wonder if its a chain or cage match, maybe it's both at the same time? haha...

Anyways, I digress, here's what Kate wrote,

Feel The Diversity

When the concept of "multiculturalism" was introduced to Canadians, most assumed it meant "more pavilions at Folkfest".

(Punjabi Stephane - call your office.)

and here's a comment that Cat Fur made and my response in the, you guessed it, comment section,

Andrew- careful with Kaptaan - he will not acknowledge that Sikhs were responsible for the Air India terrorisst attack and seems to wish to promote "alternate" theories i.e. Indian Security Service involvement.
Posted by: Blazingcatfur at August 9, 2007 8:47 PM ...

Ah yes, Blazing Cat Fur says, "careful with Kaptaan".

Think of a 70's tv series trailer and some guy saying the following, while dark figures roam the screen, "Watch out for the Kaptaan, he won't acknowledge Sikh involvement in the Air India crash :-)". "What else won't Kaptaan acknowledge next?" "Stay tuned, we'll soon find out!" da,da,da,da... as the screen fades to black and cuts to commercial.

Well, I'll give you this much BCF, I'm not ruling out the involvement of individual Sikhs. In fact, I asked you to look into the book, "Soft Target : The real story behind the Air India disaster", by Zuhair Kashmeri and Brian McAndrew, former Globe and Mail journalists, for something other than "the usual pablum" as it were.

In case you were wondering, its not so bad to have an "alternate" explanation for current events. Take global warming and climate change, for example, the media and the common man's consensus is that, "the humans did it!" or "Bush is behind it!", while an "alternate" explanation is that, "it's the sun (or a result of some other 'natural' phenomenon)"...

and BTW you didn't really answer the point I made about the double standard when it comes to ethnic/ religious minorities exercising their rights under the Charter versus "mainstream" Canadians and how folks such as yourself end up telling the ethnic/ religious minority to "leave 'this' back 'home' before you emigrate" to Canada.

Anyone who doesn't know what I'm writing about can reference Blazing Cat Fur's blog for more...
Posted by: Kaptaan at August 9, 2007 11:35 PM

Technorati Tags: Sikh, Sikhism, Canada, Punjab, India, Ireland

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Times of India (and Indian media) should Butt Out of Sikh Affairs

I read an 'editorial' at the Times of India. Basically, the TOI is arguing that the DSGMC is wrong to tell Sikhs how to conduct themselves in relation to Sikh weddings.

Who exactly are the Times of India to be telling Sikhs anything, let alone criticize the DSGMC on an issue that has everything to do with the DSGMC's role as a leadership organization in the Sikh community?

The DSGMC wants to highlight that ostentatious weddings are a burden on ordinary, middle class Sikhs and that the Sikh community would do well to practice some discipline in conducting weddings. Not to mention the fact that the DSGMC wants to highlight that dowry giving and lavish weddings are, at the very least anecdotally, responsible for female infanticide and abortion.

You would think that a group taking the initiative in India to try and make a dent in this heinous practice, of murder essentially, would be praised for the effort, but I guess because it is a Sikh organization some people in India would rather criticize and inject themselves into what is an internal conversation. Neither the Indian media nor Indian government have any right to tell Sikhs how they should govern themselves, provided Sikhs stay within the laws of the country.

The person who wrote the editorial seems to think that the Indian government can usurp the private space for dialogue amongst and in relation to Sikhs.

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has set out an elaborate code defining how members of the community should conduct their weddings. Austerity is at the heart of the committee's widely reported prescriptions.

The argument that weddings should be solemnised in gurdwaras during the day accompanied by, at most, a later reception where alcohol, non-vegetarian food and a plenitude of delicacies should be strictly abjured is arbitrary, authoritarian and intrusive as far as individual rights go. On the other hand, the argument that this will help curb the menace of dowry and female foeticide by helping eliminate competitive conspicuous consumption, especially among the less affluent members of the community, is specious...

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SGPC and Akal Takht Should Take Control of All Guru Ji's Birs

When I say take control, what I mean to say is not allow any 'beadbi' or sacrilege to take place. If SGPC and Akal Takht exercise their copyrights, terms of use, and publication rights, perhaps they can prevent individuals from installing the Guru Granth Sahib in places where alcohol is served and/ or other acts of disrespect (bhangra, dancing, etc....or offence to Sikhs take place.

Personally, I think that taking a legal route to removing the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji from places in England, Canada, etc... where Rehat Maryada isn't followed, on the grounds that the terms (of use) under which someone acquires the right to install the Guru Ji in a place of worship (or othewise) has been violated, would allow the community to peacefully close down places like 'Bear Creek' Hall in Surrey or that place in Vancouver, on Main Street by 49th or 50th St. in Punjabi Market that has Guru Ji as well as Murtis installed on the second floor (I believe it's in the building housing Pabla's Himalaya restaurant, if I'm not mistaken). Anyone in Vancouver who knows is welcome to add their comments to correct me if I'm wrong on that point.

SGPC should have anyone who wants to install the Guru Ji sign a contract which commits them to specifically honour the Rehat Maryada under penalty of fines, removal of Guru Ji, etc.. if they don't. In places that have the Guru Granth Sahib Ji in place already should be sent notices that SGPC and Akal Takht are enforcing their copyright and legal rights to the Guru Granth Sahib Ji in getting them to sign a contract outlining the terms under which Guru Maharaj must be kept.

The Punjab government will issue an ordinance banning the publication and publishing of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scripture, by private publishers.

The decision was taken by the government following the reception of a letter from Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandik Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Acknowledging the reception of the letter from the SGPC, Mr Badal told mediapersons here today that the government will issue an ordinance in this context. He directed his Principal Secretary D S Guru to issue the ordinance which would be valid till the next assembly session.

In the letter, Jathedar Makkar had pointed out that despite the ban, a number of private publishers still continued to publish and print the Sikh scripture. He had sought the state governments help to curb this trend.

The SGPC had a few years back banned private publishing houses or individuals from printing and publishing the Guru Granth Sahib.

The ban was imposed after it was found that a majority of the publishers had not been adhering to the 'religious rules' framed by the SGPC, which tantamounts to showing 'disrespect' to the scripture.

The 'rules' are normally those followed when a devotee goes to a gurdwara to pay obeisance. These include covering the head and washing ones hands and not wearing shoes or slippers while publishing the Guru Granth Sahib.

Consumption of alcohol, tobacco and smoking are also banned inside pulishing houses or in shops where the scripture is displayed for sale. Under the rules, pages or verses of the holy scripture which are 'rejected' due to printing errors have to be 'cremated' as per traditions laid down in Sikhism.

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Kuka Baba Ram Singh Started Non-Violence Movement In India's Freedom Struggle

Most people don't know outside the Sikh community that it was Baba Ram Singh Ji who started the non-violence movement and whose movement of non-violence that Mohandas K. Gandhi (aka Mahatma Gandhi) latched onto.

Whatever your views on Namdhari Sikhism, you still have to give credit to the Kukas for being at the forefront in the freedom struggle and their willingness to sacrifice their lives in a just cause.

The Punjab Government will set up memorials in the memory of all the Kuka martyrs of freedom movement at their native villages in the state.

This was announced by the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on the occasion of a function held in continuation of a year-long state level celebrations of 150th anniversary of the first call of Independence by Sat Guru Ram Singh Ji at Sri Bhaini Sahib in Ludhiana.

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Badal, after paying his gratitude to Sri Sat Guru Jagjit Singh Ji, paid tributes to Sant Gurmukh Singh, Sant Mangal Singh and Sant Mastan Singh, all the three martyrs of Saka Raikot on August 5, 1871. He also announced the setting of a community centre at Pitho village in Bathinda district, the native village, in the memory of these three brave Kukas, who had sacrificed their lives during Kuka movement. He also announced an immediate grant of Rs 10 lakh for setting up of this community centre.

While addressing a large gathering, Badal called on the Central government, the state government and the people to celebrate a National day at New Delhi in the memory of all the Punjabi martyrs, who had sacrificed their lives for the freedom of their motherland from the clutches of British rule. Badal said that Punjabis, even after being 2.5 per cent of the total population of the country, had contributed 80 per cent sacrifices during India’s freedom struggle.

While later interacting with the mediapersons, Badal said that the government was committed to augment 5000 MW power within next five years, in addition to 6200 MW power presently being generated in the state He said that within five years, Punjab would be in position to sell power to other states, after providing 24-hour electricity to every resident of the state.

Speaking on the occasion, K. Sudarshan, president, RSS, recalled the freedom struggle and the contribution of Sat Guru Ram Singh Ji. He said that being a great reformer of his time, Sat Guru Ram Singh Ji used non-cooperation movement and boycotted the British Administration, its machinery and its service, as a social and political weapons that put the British rule in a great trouble.

On this occasion, Badal released a book of Ajit Singh Namdhari titled “Jange Azadi De Marg Darshak Sri Sat Guru Ram Singh Ji Atte Namdhari Sidhant” published by Punjab Government and presented a copy of it to Sat Guru Jagjit Singh Ji. A calendar, a poetry book authored by Bib Ranjit Kaur and a book titled “History of Kukas” authored by Prof Tara Singh Anjan were also released on the occasion.

Others, who spoke on the occasion included Charanjit Singh Atwal, Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha, Avinash Rai Khanna, MP, Kuldip Singh Wadala, H S Hanspal, Prof Tara Singh Anjan, Jaswant Singh, historian, Surinder Kaur Kharal and Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal, ex-MLA.

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