Hokay, before we actually start this rant, here is a little bit of
information about exactly what a Sikh is. This is only a brief
overview of the faith and its tenets, but it gives you some idea
about what it all means.
Put quite simply, a Sikh is not a Muslim and there is no, I repeat
no, historical evidence that a Sikh has ever committed a Terrorist
attack. The Sikh faith shares remarkably similar tenets with
Christianity and is very much a religion of peace. Got it? Okay
moving on.
So, some of the aspects of this story I can kind of understand from
both sides. To cover the basics, a Long Haul Trucker is pulled over.
While he is stopped, he is asked to relinquish a weapon. He refuses
and is arrested for refusal to obey an order. Up to this point, I
actually think everything is Hunky Dorry. I mean sure the blade was
only three inches long AND sewn into his clothing which would
probably made for difficult quick draw, but hey a weapon is a weapon.
The officers requested, he refused for religious reasons and an
arrest was made. Religious Faith does not exclude you from obeying
the laws of the land no matter how much some would like to believe
otherwise.
No, what happened afterward is what
truly honks me off. The arresting officers (Obviously with no clue
about different religions.) “One officer declared that all
Sikhs are depraved and 'terrorists,'” (See above definition and
explanation.) Later, when he appeared in court, a Judge allegedly
called Singh's turban "that rag" and insisted he remove it
or his case would be called last on the docket after everyone else in
the courtroom had left.
Now once again, I can kind of understand the “removing turban”
part of this. Generally, hats are ordered removed when in a court
room. Not sure if it is out of respect or fear that someone is going
to sneak an AK-47 into the court under their hats. My understanding
of the Sikh faith is fairly limited so I am not sure if a Man is
forbidden by its tenets to remove his turban under certain
circumstances, but I can understand the Judge's request from a
Western Cultural position. However, calling his turban which is a
symbol of his baptism a “rag” was beyond the pale of rudeness.
People these days seem to have a hard time grasping that America is
and always has been a vast collection of beliefs, customs and styles.
I laugh when I hear people talking about what it means to be an
American while mocking what they see as different. I hate to break
it to them but this concept of “The American Way” that most seem
to have as a White Anglo Saxon Christian Way is an illusion. Almost
since the day the white man set foot on these shores, we have
borrowed bits and pieces from every culture on the planet and wove it
into the fabric of our nation.
People like the nose breathers in the article need to grasp a very
simple fact. America was built on a very basic principle. People
came here to be free to live the way they wanted, to believe they way
they wanted. Our most basic tenets are Freedom of Speech and Freedom
of Religion. These do not mean “Freedom to say what I want, but
people who don't agree with me need to shut up” or “Freedom to
practice my religion, but everyone else can't.”
America needs to take a very loud wake up call and understand that
your way isn't the only way and everyone else has the same rights as
you do. Always remember a simple fact. Be very very wary of
obstructing the faith and rights of people that you don't agree with
because the day can come sooner then later when it might very well be
your faith and your rights that someone else disagrees with. To
quote a line from the Great Bird of the Galaxy, “"The spear
in the enemy's side is the spear in your own." and "We
have differences. May we, together, become greater than the sum of
both of us."
End of Rant
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