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Sikh community responds to shooting

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    Narinder Singh on the message Sikhs across America are sending in wake tragegy.

  • Duration 9:58
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This incident is that it's highlighted a relatively unknown small religious community that has lived in the United States for about a century.

But only after 9/11 on terror attacks did -- become more recognized because of many people mistook them for Muslims and carried out retaliatory acts of hate against them.

And here to explain more about the community -- -- community.

And how it is responding and trying to heal after the shootings is -- -- saying he's a board chair and also co-founder of the -- coalition you know you can we just spoke at that Rick would just vote with your colleagues.

In Wisconsin welcome personal thank you so much -- having -- you know we know that.

Did -- this shooter.

-- an avowed neo Nazi you know he he's just races to the -- basically.

Do you think this is what's behind his shooting immunity if we can assume that -- -- that what you.

I didn't.

At this point I believe this is pretty clear it's a hate crime -- just wander into random buildings -- shooting people this was targeted.

Why I'm not sure we'll know all the details of whether it was that we just look different or -- associated with this terrorism but we know where it's coming from it's coming from a deeper.

Hate that's preached in a lot of quarters infringes and and that -- -- is one of the key issues that we have to deal with as a broader American society.

Do you think it wasn't the case load he's trying to -- Muslims and not that.

It it makes an excuse me this is not like among the service either that's just the idea that you think he just doesn't know the difference.

I don't know I mean I think it's one of the things where and you write that ultimately doesn't matter but I I think it's pretty clear that this wasn't done you know he didn't walk into a black church he didn't walk into.

A Jewish synagogue he walked into.

What he perceived as the ultimate form of other -- this is again.

Part of what we have to -- -- people on the earlier segment talked about his background I grew up in Cincinnati Ohio.

You know the kind of -- -- heartland of America right and for us.

This is an attack on us as Americans -- and that's got the added layer of being part of this sickness is the sixth tradition for -- Well thank you want.

And the American public really know about is a community that -- -- and -- religion itself.

So on the religion I mean I want people understand the university our music is -- a lot of our values are you know we believe -- honest living sharing what we have with others.

The -- and remembering and god.

Fighting for -- whether it's between the -- socioeconomic status.

Four men and women in the fifteenth century that was revolutionary and then we we believe in social justice not for six but for everyone and that's.

That's as American apple pie right and those are the values that I hope it.

My fellow Americans -- associate when they see.

A turban and a beer walking on the streets and so that's it's about we're going beyond the stereotype beyond the oversimplification.

And really understanding the whole who person -- But soon after a 9/11 the a gas station onerous -- gas station owner was -- gunned down in Mesa, Arizona.

And then.

It because someone wanted to -- said he wanted to shoot a Muslim didn't know the difference since that incident.

There have been somewhat 700 hate attacks on six.

It has the church because it temple ever gotten.

Racist of threats were taxed.

So we've got a few things first of all there's been thousands of of incidents on 700 that have been kind of elevated the next level and in fact one of the things we're trying to do is it get the FBI to -- checkbox on the hate crimes form that says.

It was attacking -- sick because right now we actually don't have official government metrics because of that.

So that's something with the FBI did you it's actually recognize that.

It's actually been something ninety -- -- congress asked for months ago but hasn't happened yet so we'd like to check box I think that's.

Pretty basic requests.

Beyond that though it's.

You mentioned the piercing Sunday I remember walking on the streets after 9/11 and for thirty seconds I was -- worried about my.

My fellow Americans worry about my friends who I thought might be you know in the World Trade Center and then I thought oh.

What's gonna happen now.

And so walking on the streets I remember kind of begin to feel like who's gonna say something and people did.

And done yet this was similar but very different and -- mention the outcrop -- support when I was walking on the street the other day in New York two days ago after the shooting.

And -- gentleman stop -- in the street sixty year old white gentleman and said you know we're with you if you know anybody -- anything we can -- I want you to know that.

You know there's people who really care.

And that was that was -- from.

What are you thinking we're talking about the FBI having you on the checklist.

It has to be recognized.

Figure that there are hate crimes or hate incidents against this -- community.

And what do you think that -- mean then for the future of security in the US.

So I believe a couple things personal -- from a business -- where -- come front and if you don't measure something you have no chance of understanding the extent of the problem.

And how to make it better and it did the things that you're doing we'll make it better.

One of the key things is this is a hate crime and that has -- broader responsibility for society our government has a responsibility for understanding where it may be singling out its own citizens for discrimination.

Our media has a responsibility not just stick with the surface story to do more than that.

Our schools have a responsibility to talk about.

Differences to understand and preach against hate and with a -- speech -- he's incredible inner core fundamental part.

Of this country but there's also responsibility comes from that for the rest of us to make sure that we reflect what America's values are we -- speech that is hate speech.

And so those are responsibilities it's more than about the single government action or single action is not passing a law it's not even about having a ceremony.

We need to have a deeper dialogue in -- actions across all those segments.

So we can actually have a systemic change.

We mentioned that understood the tenants of other this 68 we do have a full screen talking about some of the tenants of that faith and take a listen.

There it now the secret means -- -- for disciple men do not cut their hair or shaved their beards and -- -- would watch.

Description of the -- so she these are things that we didn't know I mean we obviously -- -- -- -- -- to -- -- things about Muslims we know it's the crime in and about Ramadan and on a lot of things and -- in it because of this incident we're actually gonna start knowing them more about the six fake.

Is this kind of the silver lining in all -- Yeah I mean you -- -- right Cassidy it's we've we've seen more information on six in the United States -- last three days and we have in the last ten years certainly in last hundred years down and so we do hope this is an opportunity educate our fellow Americans about who we are.

And done it's encouraging it's part.

A cycle that every seven immigrants has ever come to this country to make this country great.

Are part of and so for us I look forward it is they were so mainstream that valuable to -- walking on the street get pregnant and -- just not it's not even I think it's just this is part of excepting you know society again for us that's a big part of this that we we -- trying to take -- I mean we have.

A phrase in being part of sick teachings it's called don't legalize it means high spirits.

And even in the face of this the community -- try to keep those high spirits how do we take forward from this lesson that can help six but also all other Americans this is not sick.

Peace yeah I was just about six it's about a broader societal -- Do you think that the US.

In general will actually be more accepting of eastern religions because there is it's as long as -- in the minority were okay.

But is long but you know do you think they'll -- -- really accepting of eastern religions -- I think.

We mean to me that's the best spirits of America when I look at -- sick walking on the street and I see a -- I think freedom of religion.

And I think about it that our forefathers escaping.

You know the rule of the English to come here and be able to practice freely and I hope that we can look at communities in America.

That come from a broad variety of traditions and see the -- of them.

I think America's brought the best of the world together for generation that's the strength of our credit.

It doesn't matter you have a -- here from all the service he says to into the -- not -- conscientiously to the militaries are not at all in fact.

There's 26 that are serving the military right now six serves in World War I and World War II.

We would like that the policy we would like more six to serve in the military -- the -- that would serve this year we're given exceptions we would like to be able to.

You know fight as a part of our American American armed forces in order to defend the country and so that's something that we think is really important because.

It's six -- seen in the army in the police.

All of a sudden it has a very different sentiment you see a turban and beard you think about the values that I talked about you think about protection so it's something that it really is a major issue for us in the country we would like to -- -- -- There's also issued then -- -- stories about.

This -- running into conflict in terms of what the police force the uniform.

Not wearing a turban.

Is it something that.

-- -- you had to deal with it and this coalition.

The six coalition -- helped try to get done six police officers -- we worked very good diligently on the army campaign to get sixty part of the military.

Because we know that trickles down if you can be in the military and the police all of a sudden the kid who's trying to play Peewee soccer won't get kicked out because he's wearing a turban.

Right -- things that is a part of America these are such institutions we have such.

Such attachment to them for very good reason to her heroism of lieutenant Murphy.

Six wanna be part of that tradition we want to be part of every fabric of the country and -- -- two countries benefit as well.

To be able to embrace that so it's been a key issue for the -- coalition to not just fight hate crimes -- talk about how we can be part of the broader society.

How we can eliminate discrimination in schools -- part of the armed forces.

Be part of the police forces that's a really important part for us because it's part of us becoming part of the full fabric of our country.

And as well as -- -- -- -- I -- a lot of questions about why into the six where the -- why do they not -- their beards yet so I think it'll really directly related or we're just talking about.

This is something I can't hide from.

Right when you -- I walked on the street you know that -- mistake and that's part of what our leaders of the time it wasn't common to look like this even when the religion was started.

So all of a sudden he became a uniform just like a police uniform.

For an army uniform they supposed to relate to the values that we hold and so for the six this isn't a uniform for how we live our life all right Allan thank you very much aren't there.

Saying he is the co-founder and board member of the national -- coalition thank you very much for being here think he's.

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