Joyfully, As A Hero To The Victory!

That line is from a poem by Friedrich Schiller, The Ode To Joy. In part, it says:

Happy, as God's suns fly through the heavens' mighty plan

Brothers, run your race, joyfully as a hero to the victory.

Sounds pretty chardi kala to me, eh? So be a hero.

First, watch the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_OHpi3euro&feature=player_embedded

We Sikhs have always, from the very first, been known as people who never give up, who give everything in winning the victory. Now we have taken on our most powerful opponent ever, the most powerful organisation in the world, the United States Military. Unlike in many other countries, in the USA, our Singhs - and Kaurs - are not allowed to keep kesh and tie turbans. You are already aware of the struggle of these two young Singhs who signed up in good faith, being reassured that kesh and turban would not be a problem. They were lied to! Now ordered to report for active duty this summer, they have also been ordered to ditch the kesh and turban.

This must be fought. It will be fought! Can we win? Of course, we can win. The question is, do we have the will to win? Will we actually do it?

I want to make a very personal statement here. As most of you know, my family was murdered in the Delhi Pogrom of 1984. That year, from before the Bluestar Massacre to the mass murders in November and beyond, was one of the most traumatic in Sikh history. The Panth has been badly hurt, even temporarily broken, perhaps. But the broken can be mended and become even stronger than before. My generation has been fighting this for 25 years - longer than many of you have even been alive. We will continue to fight, to demand justice!

It is time for you younger Sikhs to pick up your part of the struggle. The fight to convince the US Military to grant us our religious rights is, as the Sikh Coalition says, this is the case of your generation- not just in America but in the world. The disaster of the last eight years has shown us that, as this powerful country goes, so goes the world. I ask you to not only sign the petition - you've all done that already, right? If you haven't please do so below - but also please scrape together whatever you can and then a little more and send it to The Sikh Coalition. It is a sad fact that everything costs money these days. I cannot think of a better, bigger, more historic Sikh cause to send your money to these days. I know the suggested amounts are beyond the means of many readers. That's OK. Send what you can. If 5 people send $5 each, that's a $25 donation. You are a part of our great and beautiful history. Remember the sacrifices of our sant-sipahis, our shaheeds through history - including family members of many readers here - and honour them by doing your part for this victory. DONATE NOW!

And there is more to do! Please visit the Sikh Coalition Army Action Page for more ideas. Do what you can. Do it in honour of our shaheeds. Do it in honour of my husband, Shaheed Mani Singh and my son, Shaheed Sandeep Singh, as well as my two little unborn daughters, my precious little Kaurs. Do it because it's the right thing to do. Do it because you're a Sikh! (Or do it because you believe in this cause, even if you're not a Sikh!) Whatever your reason, do it!

From THE SIKH COALITION:

This Vaisakhi, let's honor and protect our faith.

Support the Army Campaign. Support our Work Today.

Contribute $100 or more to receive a commemorative "Sikh Right to Serve" T-shirt

It is with great joy that Sikhs remember Vaisakhi Day. We feel joy when we think of our Guru. We feel strength when we think of our Panj Piare.

We feel unspeakable of respect when we think of the Sikhs before us who sacrificed their lives for justice, but never gave up their faith.

Just think about it. Everyone reading this message is the inheritor of the sacrifice, strength, and love of the Sikhs before them.

So what is your place in Sikh history? (Emphasis mine. Mai)

On Vaisakhi Day 2009, 2 young Sikhs challenged the U.S. Army's policy of excluding Sikhs from service.

Today, like the Sikhs before us, can you help secure our future by financially supporting this campaign? Contribute securely online here:
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=2563

Let's not mince words. This is the case of our generation in America. We are taking on the world's most powerful institution. If we are victorious, literally a whole class of cases of anti-Sikh discrimination will disappear.

Please help our generation of Sikhs make history by donating $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1000 today:
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=2563

As a token of appreciation for your support, all donors who give $100 or more will receive a commemorative campaign T-shirt. We hope this T-shirt will serve as a reminder to you and your friends of your support at this critical juncture in Sikh history.

As Sikhs, we know from our history that there is no challenge we can not overcome.

We will not defer this fight to the next generation. With your support, we will win this fight in our generation.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
The Sikh Coalition Board and Staff

SIGN THE PETITION!

Another Lie of The US Army

I am no fan of the acts of aggression that the US Army have been inflicting on the innocent people of Iraq. And I have thoroughly denounced the atrocities committed at Abu Ghraib Prison and elsewhere. Please do not interpret my stand on this issue as an endorsement of the unrighteous use of force.

That said, this morning I received this latest release by the Sikh Coalition.





It seems that these two Sikh gentlemen joined the Army in order to get money for their education. This is pretty normal in America. There is currently no draft; it is an all volunteer army. So one of their inducements to gain recruits is to offer this financial aid for college. This is the only way that many intelligent young people - both men and women - are able to afford this education that they need.

These two young Sikhs joined up in order to get their educations, both in the medical field. They were told that their turbans and kesh would be "no problem." Now that they are to go on active duty, the Army has recanted on their promise and insist they must abandon their turbans and Articles of Faith, in this cast, their kesh.

Before 1981, turbans were allowed. Then during the repressive Reagan Regime, all "conspicuous" religious articles of faith for its service members were banned by the Army. Those who had previously tied turbans were allowed to keep them. I have managed to track down pictures of the two officers mentioned in the article, also medical officers Colonel Arjinderpal Singh Sekhon, a doctor, and Colonel G.B. Singh, a dentist, both of whom retired last year (2008).




Although many of us have a great disdain for the American military machine, nonetheless, we cannot stand by and let our fellow Sikhs be shorn because of their lies. I see this as a civil rights issue, not any approval of the US Army on my part.

(Note: if they lie to their own people, can there be any reason they would tell the truth to the rest of us?)


From Sikh Coalition:

(Washington, DC) April 7, 2009 - This Vaisakhi, the Sikh Coalition will stand alongside two Sikh military recruits to call on the U.S. Army to end its ban on turbans. The men, both medical professionals in the Army, are being told that they must remove their religiously-mandated turbans and cut their unshorn hair and beards when they report for active duty in July.

Today, we are asking for your help to ensure Sikhs' right to serve.

Captain Kamaljit Singh Kalsi, a doctor, and Second Lieutenant Tejdeep Singh Rattan, a dentist, were part of an Army program that pays for medical education in return for military service. At the time of their enrollment, military recruiters assured both men that their turbans and unshorn hair "would not be a problem."

Captain Kalsi and Second Lieutenant Rattan maintained their Sikh identity throughout graduate school, during specialized Army training, at Army ceremonies, and in Army medical facilities. Four years later, the Army is telling the two Sikhs that the recruiters' assurances were false and that they will have to forsake their religious practices.

Next Tuesday, the Sikh Coalition will launch a campaign to protect Sikhs' right to serve in the U.S. Army with their Sikh identity intact. That day marks the 310th anniversary of Vaisakhi - the day Sikhs received their articles of faith. On April 14, 2009, the Coalition will file a formal complaint with the Department of Defense's Inspector General on behalf of Captain Kalsi and Second Lieutenant Rattan.

"After four years of training in Army facilities, I was shocked to learn that the Army would go back on its promise, and expect me to choose between my faith or my service to my country," said Captain Kalsi. "There is nothing about my religion that stops me from doing my job. I know I can serve well without compromising my faith."

In 1981, the Army banned "conspicuous" religious articles of faith for its service members. However, Sikhs and other soldiers of faith who were part of the army before the 1981 rule change were allowed to stay. As a result, Colonel Arjinderpal Singh Sekhon, a doctor, and Colonel G.B. Singh, a dentist, continued to serve in the U.S. Army with their turbans and unshorn hair for the past twenty-five years. They both retired in 2008. Despite this, Captain Kalsi and Second Lieutenant Rattan are being prohibited from taking up the very same positions in the Army today.

In 2008, the United States celebrated the 60th anniversary of the integration of our armed forces. On that day, President Harry Truman declared "there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed forces without regard to race, color, religion or national origin." Today we are asking the military to follow this core American principle with words and actions.

To learn more, please visit our Campaign Action Center. There, you can sign on to a petition, get details for Tuesday's press conference, and find out about other ways you can help.

As always, the Sikh Coalition urges all Sikhs to practice their faith fearlessly. If someone tell you to remove your articles of faith, please report the incident.

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WHY TRY TO FIT IN? YOU WERE BORN TO STAND OUT!