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Friday, August 10, 2012

Obama applauds Muslim women Olympians - The Times of India on Mobile

http://m.timesofindia.com/sports/london-olympics-2012/news/Obama-applauds-Muslim-women-Olympians/articleshow/15444828.cms


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President Obama's Remarks At The White House Iftar Dinner - The Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/08/10/president-obamas-remarks-_n_1766576.html?utm_hp_ref=religion


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At Ramadan dinner, Obama calls Clinton aide a patriot | Agricultural Commodities | Reuters

http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL2E8JB1B020120811?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true


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In Ramadan, rule-breakers pushed underground

http://m.cbsnews.com/fullstory.rbml?catid=57490633&feed_id=999&videofeed=999


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Thursday, August 9, 2012

The Honorable Lord Krishna: A Prophet Of Allah - The Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/qasim-rashid/lord-krishna-prophet-of-allah_b_1759049.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009


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Sikhs Are Collateral Damage of Our Post-9/11 Ignorance - The Huffington Post

"Have we been systematically desensitized so that the default for a turban and a beard translates to a potential terrorist? Sikhs haven't been simply misrepresented as Muslims, but they have been wrongly identified with a strand of the faith that is beyond the comprehension of the overwhelming majority who practice Islam."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/byron-williams/sikhs-are-collateral-damage-of-our-post-911-ignorance_b_1755619.html


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Wednesday, August 8, 2012

AP Mobile: Glasses look to keep Israeli women out of sight

A story from AP Mobile:

Glasses look to keep Israeli women out of sight

thumbnailJERUSALEM (AP) - It's the latest prescription for extreme ultra-Orthodox Jewish men who shun contact with the opposite sex: Glasses that blur their vision, so they don't have to see women they consider to be immodestly dressed. In an effort to maintain their strictly devout lifestyle, the ultra-Orthodox have separated the sexes on buses, sidewalks and other public spaces in their neighborhoods. Th...

Read Full Story



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NYTimes: What’s So Bad About a Boy Who Wants to Wear a Dress?

A new approach to parenting gender-fluid children. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/magazine/whats-so-bad-about-a-boy-who-wants-to-wear-a-dress.html

Monday, August 6, 2012

Kaur: Today, we are all American Sikhs

As a Sikh American whose grandfather sailed by steamship from Punjab, India, and settled in California 100 years ago, my family's story spans the struggle of Sikhs in America. Donning a turban and long beard, my grandfather tamed the hard floor of the Central Valley on a John Deere tractor in the early 1900s. Sikh pioneers such as my grandfather could not own land or become citizens because of the color of their skin, but they stayed and farmed, weathering race riots and decades of second-class treatment until the law permitted their children and grandchildren to become citizens.

Conservatives in Congress Objected to DHS Report on US "Ringtwing Extremism"

From the NY Times



Analysts for the F.B.I. and the Department of Homeland Security routinely monitor violent extremist Web sites of all kinds, including those attracting white supremacists, according to former officials of both agencies. But the department's work on the topic has been criticized. In 2009, conservatives in Congress strongly objected to a department report titled "Rightwing Extremism," which speculated that the recession and the election of a black president could increase the threat from white supremacists.

Janet Napolitano, the homeland security secretary, withdrew the report and apologized for what she called its flaws. Daryl Johnson, the homeland security analyst who was the primary author of the report, said last year that after the flap, the number of analysts assigned to track non-Islamic militancy had been reduced sharply. Homeland Security Department officials denied his assertion and said the department monitored violent extremism of every kind, without regard to its religious or political bent.

NYTimes: Wisconsin Killer Fed and Was Fueled by Hate-Driven Music

Wade Michael Page, who the authorities said killed six people at a Sikh temple, was a white supremacist who performed in a racist rock band.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/07/us/army-veteran-identified-as-suspect-in-wisconsin-shooting.html

AP Mobile: American Sikhs a small, misunderstood community

Ever since they arrived in the U.S. as farmers and lumber mill workers in the late 19th century, Sikhs have struggled with how little Americans knew about the faith.

In 1907, a mob in Bellingham, Wash., who called Sikhs "the Hindus," ran them out of town. (Bellingham officials apologized formally 100 years later.)

Over time, they established themselves in the United States with major temples from Boston to California. Still, they remained a small, often misunderstood community, readily identifiable by their turbans. During the 1970s Iranian hostage crisis, Americans often mistook Sikhs for Iranians. Vandals attacked some temples after the Oklahoma City bombing, committed by white U.S. Army veteran Timothy McVeigh.

So when the Sept. 11 attacks occurred, the Sikh community immediately began organizing, working closely with U.S. Arabs and Muslims on domestic anti-terror policies that respect civil rights.

"When you walk out, all eyes are on you. You get used to it, but it's tough," said Vishavjit Singh, a Sikh software engineer from White Plains, N.Y. "I've had people calling me 'Osama' and saying, 'Go back home.'"

The massacre Sunday at the suburban Milwaukee Sikh temple left six Sikhs dead and several people wounded, including a police officer who responded to the scene. Authorities have identified the gunman as Wade Michael Page, a 40-year-old Army veteran described by civil rights groups as a neo-Nazi and white supremacist. Police have called the attack Sunday an act of domestic terrorism.

For Sikhs, the attack was the latest - and worst - of a string of horrific assaults on their community. Many of the recent attacks have been outright hate crimes. Others remain unsolved.

Just four days after the 2001 attacks, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a gas station owner in Mesa, Ariz., was shot and killed by a man who mistook him for a Muslim and was seeking revenge. Last year, a New York City subway worker and Sikh, 30-year-old Jiwan Singh, was assaulted on a train and accused of being related to Osama bin Laden. His son had been attacked two years earlier. In Elk Grove, Calif., a Sacramento suburb, two Sikh men were fatally shot last year during an afternoon walk. No one has been charged with the crimes.

Sikhs leave their hair uncut and covered by a turban as outward demonstrations of and reminders of their faith. For the same reasons they carry a small ceremonial dagger, called a kirpan.

"They are identifiable. Both Muslims and Sikhs are visible minorities," said Diana Eck, a Harvard University professor and director of The Pluralism Project. "Both have been subject to misapprehension and targeting as a result of ignorance and prejudice."

As early as the 1990s, Sikhs in Washington and other major cities began organizing, building relationships with leaders of other faiths, Eck said. But after the Sept. 11 attacks, Sikhs around the country reached out with more urgency. Like American Muslims, they organized open houses at their places of worship.

The Sikh Coalition, a New York-based civil rights group, formed about one month after the attacks from a volunteer effort to protect members of the community. The group has since reported more than 700 hate crimes and has fielded hundreds of complaints about unfair treatment at airports. In April, the coalition unveiled a free mobile application, FlyRights, which allows travelers of all backgrounds to complain immediately to the government if they feel they've been treated unfairly by airport screeners.

The coalition and another group, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, have been taking on cases of Sikhs who say they have been pressured by employers to stop wearing their turbans on the job. In June, the White House held what is believed to be the first briefing on Sikh civil rights.

It's a significant effort for a group that remains a tiny minority in the United States. Of the 27 million Sikhs worldwide, the majority live in India, where the religion was established in the 15th century.

The exact number of Sikhs living in America is not known. Estimates range from 200,000 to 500,000. Many left their homes in the agricultural Punjab province, known as the breadbasket of India, and arrived first in the West and Pacific Northwest in the late 1800s.

The first major temple was built in 1912 around Stockton, Calif., but like other immigrants, Sikhs were not allowed to bring their spouses to the United States, which restricted their numbers. When President Lyndon Johnson eased immigration quotas in the 1960s, Sikhs began arriving in larger numbers with their families. Temples were built around Boston, Chicago and other parts of California.

Yet, no matter how established they felt in the United States, many Sikhs felt misunderstood. In recent years, many young Sikhs have cut their hair or worn baseball caps instead of turbans to avoid standing out. Vishavjit Singh, cut his hair for years, but has returned to the faith and now wears a turban.

"What is amazing, even 10 years, 11 years after 9/11, most Americans don't know who Sikhs are," Singh said. "That scares me."


Milwaukee Sikh community gathers at vigil to sorrow

Sikh community gathers at vigil to sorrow

http://usat.ly/RffYBX

Fwd: American Muslims Offer Condolences to the Sikh Community

From: "Daisy Khan" <daisy@asmasociety.org>
Date: August 6, 2012 5:32:28 PM EDT
To: alam.faisal@gmail.com
Subject: American Muslims Offer Condolences to the Sikh Community

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ASMA Society
 
Dear Friends,
 
Today we mourn the loss of our Sikh brethren, slain in this senseless act of violence, and their families, whose heartbreak we cannot possibly know.  Our hearts go out to the Sikh community in Wisconsin and around the world – we stand with you in solidarity during this sorrowful time.
 
Acts such as this remind us that prejudice, fear and hate can only lead to violence.  Though it is difficult to move beyond this tragedy, our resolve is only strengthened, and we will continue to work towards cultivating harmonious and peaceful coexistence.
 
We hope that you will join us in sending our thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families during this painful time, and we ask that God guide them through the unspeakable agony of losing a loved one to the cruelty of hate.
 
Most mournfully,
Imam Feisal and Daisy Khan
 
To learn more about Sikhism, click  here.
 
To learn more about the American Sikh community, please click  here.
 
 
475 Riverside Dr. Suite 248 | New York, NY 10115 US

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Fwd: ISNA Offers Condolences After Tragic Shooting at Sikh Temple in Wisconsin

   From: ISNA Special Announcement <bounce@isna.com>
Date: August 6, 2012 1:19:16 PM EDT
To: alam.faisal@gmail.com
Subject: ISNA Offers Condolences After Tragic Shooting at Sikh Temple in Wisconsin
Reply-To: bounce@isna.com

Newsletter Header

 ISNA SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

   

 

  ISNA Offers Condolences After Tragic Shooting at Sikh Temple in Wisconsin     

   


(Washington, DC - August 6, 2012) The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is deeply saddened by news of a shooting yesterday at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who lost their lives and to those who are suffering from critical injuries.  Reports indicate that the gunman took the lives of 6 people and injured three others before being shot himself.  ISNA is grateful for the heroic police officers who risked their lives to put an end to the shooting, and prays for the swift recovery of the officer who was shot multiple times in the process.

ISNA Vice President Azhar Azeez said this morning, "On behalf of ISNA, I offer my deepest condolences for those who lost their lives yesterday in the tragic attack.  We stand in solidarity with the Sikh community during this difficult time and pray that such a tragedy is never repeated again." 

While the attacker's motives are still unknown, Oak Creek Police Chief John Edwards referred to the incident as an act of domestic terrorism, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating.

Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed, ISNA National Director for Interfaith and Community Alliances, personally conveyed ISNA's condolences to leaders from the Sikh community.  For the past several years, ISNA has worked very closely with them to promote respect and understanding toward minority communities in our country.

Numerous Sikhs have faced discrimination and violence since the September 11, 2001 attacks.  Swarnjit S. Arora of the local Sikh Religious Society told the Journal Sentinel that at least four acts of violence against Sikhs have occurred in the Milwaukee area alone.

In April, 90 members of Congress signed a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder and FBI Director Robert Mueller, asking them to record and track hate crimes directed at members of the Sikh community.  In recent years, the Department of Justice has worked to monitor and reduce hate crimes against American Muslims, and ISNA fully supports any efforts to track hate crimes that specifically target members of the Sikh faith.  ISNA is part of an ongoing dialogue with the Department of Justice and other federal agencies to reduce hate crimes against South Asians, Arabs, Muslims, and Sikhs.

This email was sent to alam.faisal@gmail.com by bounce@isna.com |  
Islamic Society of North America | 6555 S CR 750 E | Plainfield | IN | 46168

Wisconsin Shooting: Hate Crimes Against Sikhs on Rise Since 9/11 - ABC News

"People have said to me, 'Get that f'ing rag off your head,' 'Get out of here, terrorist,'" he said. "It's commentary they think is funny and it happens at least half a dozen times a year."

Two days ago, while attending a meeting at his local library as a board member, he says he encountered a teenager who turned to a friend and said, "Here comes bin Laden."

"Being a Sikh in America means, in the very least, cat calls," said Singh, 41.



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Saudis Greet Shaherkani’s Olympic First With a Shrug - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/04/sports/olympics/saudis-greet-shaherkanis-olympic-first-with-a-shrug.html?_r=2&ref=alessandrastanley


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Sunday, August 5, 2012

Fwd: MPAC Offers Condolences to Sikh Community Following Shooting at Wisconsin Temple

From: MPACnews <news@mpac.org>
Date: August 5, 2012 8:08:11 PM EDT
To: Faisal <alam.faisal@gmail.com>
Subject: MPAC Offers Condolences to Sikh Community Following Shooting at Wisconsin Temple
Reply-To: MPACnews <news@mpac.org>

MPAC Offers Condolences to Sikh Community Following Shooting at Wisconsin Temple


MPAC Offers Condolences
to Sikh Community Following
Shooting at Wisconsin Temple


 

(Los Angeles – 8/5/12) – The Muslim Public Affairs Council offers its condolences to the Sikh community on this sad day when at least seven people, including the gunman, were killed following a shooting at an Oak Creek, WI, Sikh temple (Gurdwara).

SEE: "Gunman, Six Others Dead at Wisconsin Sikh Temple" (CNN.com)

At a press conference this afternoon, Oak Creek Police Chief John Edwards said authorities are treating the shooting as a "domestic terrorist-type incident," adding that the FBI will head the investigation.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones of the victims," said MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati. "This is a horrific crime, and we hope the police and FBI will be able to bring this case to a close."

MPAC has reached out to its partners at the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) and The Sikh Coalition in Washington, DC, and New York to offer our sympathies and assistance. We stand united with our brothers and sister of faith.

With more than 25 million followers worldwide, Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world, with more than 500,000 followers in the U.S.

The Gurdwara in Oak Creek was founded in 1997 and was home to more than 400 worshipers that worked and lived in the greater Milwaukee area. The Sikh Coalition said the Gurdwara had come to represent the valued contributions of the Sikh faith in a community where Sikhism was understood to be another contributing fabric in the cloth of American plurality.

The Sikh community has set up a task force to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that the Sikh community is reassured of its safety.

If you feel threatened or want more information, please call the Sikh national helpline at 855-US-UMEED.

We will continue to watch the news as the story unfolds.

Founded in 1988, the Muslim Public Affairs Council is an American institution which informs and shapes public opinion and policy by serving as a trusted resource to decision makers in government, media and policy institutions. MPAC is also committed to developing leaders with the purpose of enhancing the political and civic participation of American Muslims.

[CONTACT: Marium Mohiuddin, 323-258-6722, marium@mpac.org

 





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Valentine's Day Across the Muslim World (2012)