Sikhs’ Inclusiveness Is Lesson in Fighting Bigotry
Those looking for answers in the wake of Sunday’s shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis., might recall the words of the African American poet Langston Hughes: “I swear to the Lord I still can’t see why democracy means everybody but me.”
Mistaken for Muslims because of their turbans and beards, Sikhs have repeatedly emerged as a target of bigots intent on revenge for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Although the monstrosity of a few days ago is, thankfully, rare, the lack of understanding that generated it is all too familiar.
Being a Sikh in the United States has never been easy. Although Sikhism is the world’s fifth-largest religion, with about 500,000 followers in the United States, Sikh children are bullied and taunted because of their head coverings. When I was in elementary school in the 1980s, I was regularly shoved into the girls’ bathroom because of my long hair. I recall lying face down on the floor with my hair unfurled, wondering when the senseless harassment would stop.
For many of us, the harassment hasn’t stopped, and 9/11 only made it worse. When I worked as a paralegal in New York in the years immediately after the attacks, I was repeatedly singled out by court officers and asked for photo identification. My colleagues would enter courtrooms without a hitch. Only three weeks ago, a man in West Virginia stared me down and refused to ride in the same elevator.