 sj |
||
|
||
KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS
|
|
|
Subject: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: GUEST,Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 18 Sep 01 - 08:40 PM Hello, Rose - You posted some interesting information in the music forum at the Mudcat Cafe, but I'm afraid you may have posted too much of a good thing. I combined all the threads you started into one. If you wish to post any more information, please post it in the one remaining thread. When people are posting information about a single topic, we ask that they keep it all in one thread. Sat Siri Akaal -Truth Is Undying! The Sikhs thank Flib Breskin and Linda Allen for working so hard in our behalf. And Jai Jai (Hail Hail) the Freedom of Information Act! This makes us proud to be Americans! Thank you USA Social Activists for your websites. And Sikhs want you to know that the book and website "Acid Dreams" is very fascinating...how do you say? WOW! Far Out! TRIPPY! And Sikhs salute and admire USA women having read "A World Split Apart" by Ruth Rosen. Sikhs respect Noam Chompsky's sites too. Hey when you write a daily column you end up sharing about just about everything! Sikhs would like to share Patwant Singh's book "The Sikhs" with you, also Dr. Nikky Kaur's book of translations of our scripture/Guru called "The Name of the Beloved". Other than Nikky's translation, we must apologize that our beautiful Sri Guru Granth's poetry has been very poorly translated. The language it is written in does not have gender words for God and God concepts. Most translations are full of He and Lord. Sikhs do not believe in original sin and for us the Creator and the CREATION are ONE and the same, Ik Ong Kaar (ONE Creator/Creation literally) IJ Singh's books "Sikhs and Sikhism" and "The Sikh Way" are excellent. And we have wonderful websites to share with you (search SIKH), but I do not like Sikhnet personally. We pray you support Sikhs in our Platform and share this with your friends everywhere. Most of all Thank You Silicon Valley Heros for getting the Internet up before it could be monitored or controlled. You have saved the culture and healed the hearts of the Sikh people. Our debt to you is so large it humbles us deeply. On Behalf of the Sikhs- Kamalla Rose Kaur Kamalla Rose Kaur On Behalf Of The Sikhs Daily Columnist, Global Sikh Daily News Online In the last 10 days I have experienced the 2 most horrific events of my life, the terrorist attack on the United States of America and the racial backlash and attack on USA Sikhs and Muslims. Sikhs, who wear turbans and have beards, are being attacked more than Muslims. A Sikh gas station attendant has been murdered in Arizona. Sikhs are not Muslims. The great religion of Sikhi is a Universalist path from India. We believe all religions are wonderful and good IF they are practiced with love. Sikhi is an anti-caste movement; not racist and not sexist either. Today, on behalf of Sikhs everywhere I wish to thank USA Jews for leaping in to help Sikhs who are being racially targeted and for educating ignorant Americans on just who the proud Sikhs are. I thank Unitarian Universalists for rushing to assist in every reported case of harassment or violence towards Sikhs. I honor our World War 2 Veterans for remembering and telling the stories of Sikh's contribution to fighting on behalf of the Hebrew people, a mere 60 years ago. How soon Americans seem to forget. I applaud Canadians and the people of the United Kingdom for putting effort towards educating Americans about who Sikhs are and who we always have been. Sikhs are peaceful warriors, we can only defend and we are under vow to never attack. Yet a Sikh is also under vow to defend all people from oppressors. 500 years ago Sikhs took up arms to fight the Muslim Inquisition for freedom of religion for the Hindus, the Jains and yes for ourselves too. And as much as the British admired Sikhs and spread Sikhs all around the British Empire, we Sikhs felt it morally right to practice nonviolent resistance to the British Raj when Gandhi was still in South Africa. Sikhs know deep in our hearts that Great Britain's decision to return India to self-rule was much impacted by the massacre of Sikhs by British troops, a scene that many Americans may remember from watching the movie "Gandhi". During the time of Partition between India and Pakistan, Sikhs allowed the boundaries of these two countries to pass through our lands so that the Hindus and Muslims might sooner stop slaughtering each other. And in 1984 the predominately high caste government of India sent troops to attack the most central of Sikh's Gurdwaras, the Golden Temple in Amritsar. On THAT horrible day of my life I watched from afar as many more people died than we have seen die this week. Let us be clear that Sikhs everywhere are clear that Hindus are not our enemies. We have lived with Hindus and Muslims as our neighbors for hundreds of years. Sikhs have also recently defended Christians against terrorist attacks in India. * Bullies and tyrants come in all ages and pop up in all races and religions to test our humanity. On behalf of Sikhs everywhere it is my honor to assure Americans citizens that Sikhs are proud to be the targets of your painful reactions and spontaneous racism. We will stand to defend the safety of American Muslims, our neighbors who have worked so hard, like Sikhs have, to NOT have to live in the countries from which we have fled. Had we not longed to be Americans we would not have suffered so much to become Americans. I am an American convert to the Sikh religion. My own family arrived from Ireland 3 generations ago. We were starving to death. There were no jobs for the Irish. I ask Catholics everywhere to help Sikhs. I ask all USA citizens who have ever wondered what they would have done had they been living in Germany when the Jews first got targeted, to ask no more. Decide instead. Sikhs are very happy that fellow Americans share our horror of terrorism and oppression and that Americans are ready now to fight attacks on innocent people everywhere in this world. And Sikhs salute the British for giving up the need to rule the world. Thank you for letting your Empire go. Now we feel confident that the USA is ready to make the same commitment to our Earth. Sikhs honor fellow USA immigrants, past, present and future, for taking a stand against oppression everywhere, anytime, anywhere you see it. Terrorists beware, we are ALL sick and tired of dealing with bullies on the playground. We all must share this Earth. Sikhs join love-awakened people everywhere in the fight against terrorism, organized crime, corrupt governments, tyrants, and all the forces that are harming our Earth's beauty and ecological balance. Fellow Americans we ask you to reach out to USA Muslims immediately. This is our heartfelt request, and be assured that Sikhs will be proudly deflecting racial hatred from Muslims onto ourselves to the best of our abilities. It is our goal that not one Muslim will die in the USA nor be put in a concentration camp. It is our prayer that no more Sikhs die either. Yet remember please, when a Khalsa Sikh draws his or her sword, our sacred Kirpan, in defense of anyone suffering from oppression, THAT is the moment a Sikh dies. No mere human has any say in what happens after that. Sikhs are consecrated to the Beloved ONE. Sikhs find the infinity of the All-That-Is, the IK ONG KAR, vastly humbling. How ridiculous to be egotistical and selfish and self-serving and destructive and greedy given the vast reality of our cosmos? On our death days we must all review the truth and honor behind all our decisions in life. This is the meaning of the Sikh's greeting. Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa! Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh! Sikhs belong to the Beloved ONE, the Creator/Creation, GOD. May the Beloved ONE's Divine Plan win over humanity's absurd egotism! PREM KI JIT! (Prem Kee Jeet!) Sikh Battle Cry which means: MAY LOVE BE THE VICTORY! (A Hymn from the Guru Granth Sahib, The Sikh Scripture) The world is going up in flames! O God! Save it. Shower it with Your Mercy. By whatever method it takes. Save it! Deliver it! The True Enlightener reveals the way to peace, reflection on the True Word of the Divine The world is going up in flames! O God! Save it. Shower it with Your Mercy. Nanak can think of none other that you, O God! who can save it! (The Daily Sikh Collective Prayer) Nanak says! Through the Divine Name, may our spirits rise, and By your will, O God! may humankind prosper in peace. Disclaimer: These are interpretations of Gurbaani that try to remain as literal as possible. Gurbaani, the Divine Word revealed to the Guru, can never be translated. All so-called translations are in fact interpretations.
* Convent attacked in Panipat, one held http://www.indiaserver.com:80/thehindu/2000/03/13/stories/0213000b.htm NEW DELHI, MARCH 12. Two days after an alleged attack on a church in Haryana's Samalkha town, armed dacoits looted a Christian convent in Panipat district in the wee hours of Saturday, a Christian organisation alleged here today. An armed gang of 10 persons barged into the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Graces convent in the wee hours of Saturday, broke the doors and looted petty cash kept in the rooms, United Christian Forum for Human Rights alleged. No one was injured in the attack as five Sisters (nuns) who were shocked saved themselves by locking themselves inside another room, the forum's national convenor, Mr. John Dayal, told PTI. Hearing the cries of the Sisters, a Sikh family staying in the neighbourhood came to their rescue and caught one of the attackers and later handed him over to the police, Mr. Dayal said. Police had registered a case of dacoity and deployed security guards outside the convent in the aftermath of the incident, he said. Unidentified intruders had allegedly looted the Isht Mata Catholic church in Samalkha in the wee hours of Thursday and made off with about Rs. 60,000. No one was injured in the attack and Father Aseem Raj, the priest, saved his life by bolting himself in the bathroom of his bedroom. ``We are deeply concerned at the increasing number of threats that our church and schools have received in recent days from communal elements, who have remained anonymous,'' Mr. Dayal said. - PTI |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SINKS From: katlaughing Date: 18 Sep 01 - 11:34 PM Thank you. That was very informative. I think, if you come back to our site, and look through some of the other threads on this week's past tragedy, you will find other postings about the Sikhs and their beliefs and support in these trying times. It was with great sorrow that I read a posting my one of our members in Arizona who said a Sikh man had been murdered, a target of the fear and hatred some feel in their hearts. Namaste, kat |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SINKS From: wysiwyg Date: 19 Sep 01 - 09:01 AM A name change for this thread has been requested in the Help Forum. I hope many come read this when that occurs. ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: HelenJ Date: 22 Sep 01 - 04:19 AM Enlightening. I have never associated Muslims or Hindus with Sikhs and would never tar the three with the same brush - as many who know no better will. Let's hope your excellent contribution is spread far and wide and that those who have been hurt by this terrible tragedy won't just see the colour of skin and condemn en masse. Blessings, HelenJ. |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: GUEST,Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 22 Sep 01 - 07:43 AM Great thanks for editing my major typo friends. The Sikhs seem to be uniting under the leadership of Dr.Kapany of the Sikh Foundation, Palo, Alto. We are awaiting his comment and response. -KRK |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: GUEST Date: 22 Sep 01 - 11:40 AM Support our USA Sikhs! Sunday September 23 11am-1pm Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara 4919 61st Street NE Marysville, WA 360 657 4155 Contact people - Attorney Satwant S. Pandher 425 259 0108 Kamalla Rose Kaur - Roselotus@aol.com The Sikh Foundation Chairs will be available for elders and others who can not manage floor sitting. Bring a Middle Eastern style scarf, or tie a turban , or use the head-coverings provided by the Gurdwara. Langar (Sikh sacred feast, which breaks all Indian caste taboos dramatically and deliciously) will be served directly after this Gurdwara service. ******************* Tim and Melanie, music directors of the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship send their regrets on behalf of the BUF Choir (excellent choir....yes!). They will be busy with our own local UU Fellowship Worship Services, Sunday morning. UU PRAYER #494 UU Hymnal by W.E.B. DuBoss The prayer of our souls is a petition for persistence, not for the one good deed, or a single thought, but deed on deed, and thought on thought, until day calling day shall make a life worth living. Linda Allen will be in Oregon this weekend and regrets not being able to sing the a song in Maryvilles tomorrow. She greatly enjoyed participating at the Whatcom Gurdwara event this last week. Feel free to check her itinerary from her website. Linda sends this song to Sikh women (especially) everywhere. It too can be listened to over the internet on Linda's web-site. www.lindasongs.com LAY IT DOWN My young son-came through the door He was crying like I never heard before His friend Tim - had taunted him And the hateful words lay scattered on the floor. And I said: Lay it down, Lay it down Let my breast be your pillow Lay it Down Lay it down, Lay it down There is comfort in my arms, Lay it down. The man I love was on the phone He said, "Honey, I am weary to my bones You know I try, but dreams can die So keep the light burning, love. I'm coming home" And I said: Lay it down, Lay it down Let my breast be your pillow Lay it Down Lay it down, Lay it down There is comfort in my arms, Lay it down. The family's gone- I'm all alone And the sound of my own heart is getting strong And I know regret- things I can't forget I cry "God help me find my way back home!" And She said: Lay it down, Lay it down Let my breast be your pillow Lay it down Lay it down, Lay it down There is comfort in my arms, Lay it down. |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Paul from Hull Date: 23 Sep 01 - 12:32 AM What a wonderful thread...*S* |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: GUEST,Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 23 Sep 01 - 09:08 AM Dear MUDCATTERS, I will be dropping articles on Sikhi into this thread and the CHARDI KAALA thread to keep them UP and ACTIVE. Please ask questions if you too wish to keep this issue up towards the top of the MUDCAT Cafe consciousness and focus. Love and Light- Kamalla Rose Kaur |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: GUEST,KRK- Sikh Foundation, Palo Alto CA Date: 23 Sep 01 - 09:38 AM GlOBAL SIKH DAILY NEWS The Kamalla Rose Kaur Column Sikhi - Sisterhood At Heart Kamalla Rose Kaur Fri April 20 My brilliant scholar Mother died a year ago now. Before she left the Earth she and I spoke about her life a lot and about how, had she lived in my generation, or her granddaughter's, she would have become a college professor, not made her career teaching younger children. "Yet coming from my background, it was enough to simply make it through college. Nobody, male or female, in my family ever attended University and my family completely abandoned me when I insisted on getting a higher education. I had to do it all by myself with no money or emotional support whatsoever!" "Are you jealous of your granddaughters?" I asked her. "Yes, of course, I am!" she admitted before declaring with laughing grandeur, "Actually I am PROUD to be jealous of my granddaughters! May you and I be even more jealous of my Great Granddaughters to come!" "Here, here. Make it so!" I echoed her in Universal Mother's prayer. Many of us have Mothers who were clearly designed by the "waheguru" (WOW GUIDE WITHIN -literally) to be Chief Executive Officers and University professors, singers, dancers, movie stars, mechanics, politicians, and MBA's. In traditional family structures, however, women are most valued and praised for being Mothers. Women under Patriarchy come into our societal power only when we birth babies- actually only when we birth boy babies. Since women cannot fulfill their own personal Divine callings and destinies, traditional Moms often project their unfulfilled dreams onto their sons. Thus, even if the "waheguru" designed the son to be an artist this life, the Mom will tend to push the son into doing what the Mom herself most desired for herself, but was denied. Thus, the World over, we have the powerful character of "the dominating Mother" in practically every novel, movie and soap opera - women who are deeply jealous of their children and they act it. To add to the drama, men, when they occasionally stop to publicly honor and appreciate women, often settle on singing the praises of their Mothers. Of course, to women who are a bit cynical about men (a pretty big percentage of women on Earth, in truth) this can sound like "self praise" rather than words of empowerment for the World Sisterhood. Men get heard as saying, in essence: "Women, you are your most sacred when you become a Mother. Specifically, it is such a wonder when women birth sons! My Mother birthed me! That was her major accomplishment this life! She was/is a SAINT. That is why I turned out so marvelous and great! It is all because of my amazing, self-sacrificing, throw away her life and dreams, so I can grow up to be the egotist I am today, Blessed Mother!" Now, this is NOT to forget that many women have "callings" to work with children and/or create domestic efficiency. Many women do, many women don't. "Allah loves variety!" Still, limiting women's educational and vocational options in life to housework, kids and cooking creates uptight and unfulfilled women. As do men, women get cranky and listless (and jealous) when they have no power to do the Divine Purpose GOD sent us to do. So, it is important for Sikh men who wish to honor and praise Sikh women, and the World Sisterhood, to NOT start babbling about their Mothers. That is not ROMANTIC or attractive to the majority of today's women. Praise and empower your WIVES and Sisters into equal authority with men, starting with you. And put more energy and resources, for a generation or two, into educating your daughters and granddaughters than into the "Begotten Sons" of your lineage. This will impress the World's women. Actually it may even make us swoon! Other than that, sexism changes very quickly when men realize and admit that they are abused by the Baboon Troop social dynamics too- that men are being forced to live under Authoritarian Hierarchies and made to sustain them. All around the World systematic child abuse is applied to boy babies. Most Western men were circumcised with no pain relief given, within hours of coming onto this planet. What does that do to a person? Thank the "waheguru" that as a Sikh man you were held in the arms of your Mother and you heard the Mool Mantra when you were born. It is a tremendous psychological advantage and grace. Yet, as a boy you were held far less than your sisters. And, if you are a man this life, chances are you got beaten much more than the girls around you did. In fact little boys are expected to, and usual do, protect their sisters from physical abuse. Girls are sexually abused more, but boys get sexually abused as well. And boys are allowed to talk about it even less than girls. Boys are trained to not cry about ANY of this. Or show any emotion, except maybe AGE and REVENGE. This happens all over the World, all down through the Age of Conquest. Truth is boys are being trained up for WAR and profit. Boys are expendable. Boys are trained up to exist in factories and offices or to fight. Men are expected to be droids for the Military Industrial Complex. Systematic child abuse is culturally enforced. Boys are isolated from little girls and trained to believe they are better than girls. Boys are trained up as little rulers, and middle managers, free from the need to clean toilets or cook or word process. Later sold-out and indoctrinated grown men initiate boys into having sex with women- free of love and commitment. Older men often WANT their sons to have this sexual experience. They want their sons to have their formative experience of sex be free from true love and friendship and intimacy and physical/spiritual union with a woman. And men who can attain abundant sex and keep distant and neutral and impersonal about it are rewarded with status in the Baboon Troop. And, of course, men are worked to death. In the end, it actually becomes true, "Big Boys Don't Cry" - rather men die of heart attacks and the complications of too many ulcers instead. The ultimate abuse of men by modern culture is that males die younger than women. So lets be clear here, men are terribly oppressed by the Baboon Troop, the Paranoid Patriarchy, by Authoritarian Hierarchies, the feudal caste/class systems, the Military Industrial Complex, as much as women are and that this is a worldwide problem. Unless you can actually make it as the Alpha Male, the Boss, Guru and King of the Castle, you are always going to be under some other guy's dominion. And even if you do succeed in becoming an Alpha Male, everyone will hate you and you will hate yourself too- though you probably won't admit it. Thankfully for Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh turned the Alpha Male job over to the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. The rest of us are simply Brothers and Sisters. Actually, as Sikhs, we are all Soul Brides which means we are actually ALL Sisters. This is a very important and inspiring truth about Sikhi that I hope we communicate to women (and men) everywhere. Sikhi is Sisterhood at heart.
Kamalla Rose Kaur is a USA born writer of Irish descent who embraced Sikhism in 1972, at age 18. She tried everything for over twenty years, including frantic practice of Yoga, until she learned "why Sikhs are so adament about having the Sri Guru Granth Sahib as their only Guru." Back to: Today Any Comment ? | Submit An Article or News | Suggestions Copyright ©2001 sikhe.com |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: The Shambles Date: 23 Sep 01 - 10:04 AM What has happened here |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: katlaughing Date: 23 Sep 01 - 10:40 AM Rose, while this is all very interesting, it would be better if you were to keep it all in one thread, instead of starting a new each time you have something to post. While some of us are interested in what you have to say, this is primarily a site for folk and blues music, not religious discussion, articles, etc. You might also visit Jon Freeman's Annexe, where there are several places to discuss off-topic issues, just Click here. If you have some musical aspects of your culture which you could tell us about that would be even more interesting and more in keeping with the purpose of this Cafe. Thank you, kat |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: GUEST,Big Daddy Date: 23 Sep 01 - 11:02 AM My wife and I have been privileged to meet and get to know a small number of Sikhs over the years and in every case have been deeply impressed with these people. Those we have known have been some of the most kind, devout and gentle people we've ever met. As I was telling a new acquintance the other day, they (Sikhs)seem to live daily what many other religions simply talk about. |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Art Thieme Date: 23 Sep 01 - 12:25 PM This place can and does, within this thread and some few others, often rise above the norm---above itself in recent times---and truly enlighten. Thank you. In keeping with my penchant for puns: Sikh ----- and you shall find ! Art Thieme |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Jane2001 Date: 23 Sep 01 - 12:51 PM When I was a teacher in Southall, West London, I was invited by an Indian family to share their Diwali celebrations. On the the children spoke English, apart from one Auntie whom they proudly presented to me. She greeted me with the words "Many names, one one God." It's a pity a few more people don't think that way. |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Art Thieme Date: 23 Sep 01 - 01:02 PM Well, I, once again, see I spoke too soon. There are 2 sides to every coin. I thought this was the only thread started on this important topic. Rose, by starting those numerous other threads you have possibly diluted your good message. I suspect you have some good friends. PLEASE talk to them. You seem to need to do that right now. Thanks for your heartfelt information. I, for one, am glad to've heard it. Art Thieme |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Rana@work Date: 23 Sep 01 - 01:31 PM Rose, This is a re-echo from my reply on the other two threads - as you can see there are some very understanding and caring people here. Rana ________________________________________________________ Rose, It is obviously an upsetting time for you (as it is for many if not all), and you need to talk, I'm sure. But please take heed of what people have suggested above and in all the other threads. If you have a new article to refer to, just post a link or reference in one thread (even if it isn't on music - I'm sure people will tolerate here at this time). Continuing to post as you are will only put people off and the message will be lost. If you need to talk to people, discuss the situation with people in the the Bay area - maybe with my cousins Raj and Kiki (whom I'm sure you'll know, since they are Dr. Kapany's children - yes he is my Uncle). Regards Rana |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Joe Offer Date: 23 Sep 01 - 05:57 PM There are SIX threads running on this same subject, so I'm going to combine them into one. |
|
14-Sep-01 - 11:26 AM (#550017)
Greeting Mudcatter, I am a UUSikh and the daily columnist on the most popular Sikh web-site in the World GLOBAL SIKH DAILY NEWS ONLINE at www.sikhe.com. Like an egroup, you must register to be able to read this paper. Thousands of Sikhs read my column everyday, though the last two days I have been too busy to write, working hard gaining UU and other help during this dangerous time instead. As you know, Sikhs, because of our turbans and beards, are being harrassed as terrorists. You will be surprised by GSDNO. Our paper has even helped Gay Sikhs come out (check the Archives). Sikhi is a very liberal religion but Sikhs are very NEW IMMIGRANTS suffering from genocide back home and culture shock here. Anti-Sikh PR has been blasted around the World by the Indian Government since 1984 when Indira Gandhi sent troops in to attack the Sikhs most sacred ground the Golden Temple. Many more than 20,000 people died that day. Strangely Indira Gandhi forgot to fire her Sikh bodyguards..... In recent years everytime liberal Sikhs have tried to do anything liberal, conservative Sikhs and/or Indian Government Agents have stirred up violence in our Gurdwaras, creating more bad Western PR for us. Unitarian Universalists and others can really help by writing love notes and fan mail that I can share with Sikhs everywhere. Remember that Sikhs are an anti-caste movement and PROUD. Please be careful not to talk down or display any class-ism. Sikhs DO NOT EVER BEG or ASK FOR CHARITY. Also please spread information about Sikhi to anyone that can help. Thank you so much - Kamalla Rose Kaur PS - Special THANKS FROM ALL SIKHS TO LINDA ALLEN!!!! From my column, soon to be book: Chapter One THE ROLE OF SIKHI ON THE WORLD'S STAGE What is it about the Sikhs? Why am I so caught up with these people? I can go for months and never see another Sikh, living where I live. My close friends know that I am into this Sikh thing, that I write for Sikhs, that I pray for success as an artist in a Universe Far Far Away called "Sikh Diaspora". Friends and family watch me writing feverishly, playing to a Sikh audience, and it is puzzling and sometimes concerning for them. Given how hard it is to make a living as a writer in this World, kith and kin worry that I am wasting my time, being obsessive and throwing my talents away. Sikh activism does not pay the rent, in other words. And it can be dangerous. Sikhs, on the other hand, understand my obsession with Sikhi and Sikh people completely. Yet it is hard for Sikhs to understand that I much prefer my own Western USA culture over Indian/Punjabi culture. I am merely hooked on the Sikh RELIGION part - which I find to be fully superior and endlessly fascinating. Truly, Sikhi is a great path for Westerners to explore and learn something about. Sikhi and science are highly harmonious worldviews. Sikhi is Universalist, honoring of all Sacred Ways, of all people. Sikhi is feminist and Sikhi fights caste and class, and Sikhi rejects personality cults, and authoritarian hierarchies; among many other virtues. And Sikhs repeatedly prove themselves capable of huge and amazing, unified, acts of righteousness down through their history. The true stories of Sikhs are heart-meltingly inspiring, and Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh path in India, a mere 500 years ago, was one of the sweetest and most powerful human-beings to ever walk on Earth. But still, whether Sikhs can actually change culturally, and back their amazing theology and history up with action in these modern times, seems pretty unlikely right now. For instance, so far, the cyber discussion forums (and all other systems within Sikhi) are completely male dominated. Yes, I DID say that Sikhi is not sexist in dogma. Sikh women are supposed to have equal authority with Sikh men. It is part of the religion, and gender equality within Sikhi is not an issue that is debated much. Yet, out in cyber-community (and everywhere else) I still see little effort by Sikh men to recruit women into their midst and few women are asserting themselves around the men. I am not sure if Sikh men know HOW to encourage women to speak out. And unlike Western forums, Sikh men don't seem embarrassed and self-conscious that they are male dominated - which implies, among other things, that they don't understand how this makes them look to outsiders. "Clueless" as we say here in the States. And, of course, sexism, and the bad public image that comes along with it, isn't Sikhs only problem either. The government of India is Right Wing and caste driven. The Indian Government is reported to be persecuting all minority religions in India right now, including Christians. We aren't hearing any News about any of this here in the USA because the USA does lots of bu$ine$$ with India. Same old story; USA acting as usual. Back in 1984 the Indian Government took troops in and attacked Sikh's most holy ground, the Golden Temple in Amritsar. It was a massacre and Indira Gandhi died as a result of this incident. Can you imagine if the USA government decided to blow up every Jewish Temple and Center in the country one day? Anyone remember WW2 these days? This is one of the many things that Sikhs find frustrating about Westerners. We USAers so conveniently space out history. Sikhs, meanwhile, remember everything. They remember Sikhs fighting the Nazis in defense of the Jews, like it was only yesterday. In truth, it was only 60 years ago. One lifetime. Sikhs think we are insane how we can't remember, and don't care to find out, what happened even one generation ago! It is as if we are on some sort of "denial drug" that allows us to pretend that our government isn't quickly getting as bad as India's Government, or China. Since the 1984 attack and slaughter of Sikhs by the Indian Government, Sikhs have been in an uproar, of course. Sikhs have been steadily streaming out of India and the India Government has infiltrated Sikh politics and temples so heavily in the Punjab that Sikhs in Diaspora no longer trust anything that is happening there. Alcoholism and drug abuse, domestic violence, cults, saints and saviors, and hopelessness is up among Sikhs. Carpetbaggers are everywhere. The younger generation is rebelling against the elders. And lots of people who wear turbans and beards, and say they are Sikhs, aren't keeping the Sikh vows one bit. Yet Sikhs aren't like other people. Sikhs live under a unique set of vows - or they are supposed to at least. Sikhs vow to stay authentic and wholesome and natural and clean, free of alcohol and tobacco etc. Sikhs vow to intercede anytime they see anyone being attacked or oppressed, and a Sikh is under vow to help you if you ask. Sikhi is a warrior path, and Sikhs are famous for their courage in battle, but Sikhs can only fight defensively. They break their vows if they become attackers rather than defenders. And beyond this Sikhs control their sexual energy. They practice chastity, not celibacy. Sikh men hold all women as Sisters and they do not sexually dream about women who are not their mates, which makes them, in theory, fully SAFE around women. Same goes for Sikh women, who vow to resist the urge to romanticize about celebrities and such. All of which is to say that, on a whole, Sikhs are a lot less addicted to fantasy than the rest of us, which is one thing I truly admire about them. Sikhi is also a path where social justice activism is spiritual practice. So in spite of the fact that the problems facing Sikhs seem completely overwhelming, and that it will probably take generations for Sikhs to change, Sikhs and Sikhi still greatly inspire me. But, truthfully, I don't think ANY of us have generations of time to waste on gradual change, given the growing environmental crisis and everything else happening in our World right now. So I can't help but wonder and pray, hoping that Sikhs might actually might pull off another amazing act of righteousness, or two, like they have so often in the past, in front of a full World audience! No one BUT Sikhs seem as likely to do anything of the sort. This is why I write for Sikhs, more than for people of my own culture.
|
|
14-Sep-01 - 11:45 AM (#550035)
Useful perspective. Sikhi is not my bag, far from it, but it is depressing to realise that there are people around who will now lash at Sikhs (or any other grouping, for that matter) in sheer ignorance. Incidentally do you think Sikhs themselves would be comfortable with the pedestal you seem to put them on? "Yet Sikhs aren't like other people," "...Sikhs might actually might pull off another amazing act of righteousness..." etc?
|
|
14-Sep-01 - 01:46 PM (#550093)
Very interesting. Thank you for letting us know more. I, too, would be interested in how you would answer Fionn's question, though. I am always leering of any movement which is touted as above/more righteous than others. kat
|
|
14-Sep-01 - 01:49 PM (#550099)
Having worked for several years on the case of Ranjit Gill and Shukminder Singh Sandhu, here in New York, I well know about prejudice against Shiks, and their generosity. Stay safe. Pray for peace Larry
|
|
14-Sep-01 - 06:35 PM (#550368)
Thank you, Kamalla.
|
|
14-Sep-01 - 10:17 PM (#550507)
Every Middle Eastern and Indian subcontinent emigrant here could be subject to harassment by the ignorant. Many people feel threatened by anyone who is "different." The Sikhs I have encountered in my city range all the way from "blackjack" (non-practising) to devout, from poor to quite wealthy, in other words differing only in religion. There has been strife between the conservatives and liberals among the Sikhs in the Vancouver area, presumably because the conservatives are still tied too closely to events in India, but little here. Does your site have a section for informing non-Sikhs of issues important to Sikhs? I will have to look at your site.
|
|
14-Sep-01 - 10:22 PM (#550510)
roselotus@aol.com, well, I signed up at sikhe.com. Good information, but depressing to see how many attacks on Sikhs have been reported. Thanks.
|
|
15-Sep-01 - 10:48 PM (#551196)
At the rally site at Union Sq. there are reports by the Shik community of attacks and even two deaths in Flushing - where bigots have killed Shiks thinking they are Arabs. This is horrific. Try to get the word out to stop this madness. Larry
|
|
15-Sep-01 - 11:16 PM (#551224)
Oh, Hell......*sigh*
|
|
19-Sep-01 - 03:38 AM (#553760)
refresh
|
|
19-Sep-01 - 10:23 AM (#553930)
We Americans have now the opportunity to do what we should have done long ago. We must cast off our parochialism and learn to know the great religions of the world. At the heart of them all is God, though called many different names, God is God.
|
|
19-Sep-01 - 10:43 AM (#553953)
Good info is posted IN THIS THREAD. ~S~
|
|
22-Sep-01 - 01:15 AM (#556434)
These ignorant, bigoted, atrocious attacks have got to stop. When will we ever learn...
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 12:15 AM (#556825)
You are right, Arjay...... Lets hope we DO learn, & SOON..... After all, the World is potentially at a MAJOR turning point at the moment
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 09:25 AM (#556951)
GLOBAL SIKH DAILY NEWS Misl-USA Knock On The Door THE TEST AHEAD FOR SIKH AMERICANS Deshdeepak Singh Sat Sep 22 The Sikhs of America have undergone a profound retooling in the wake of the events of September 11. Gone is any illusion that Sikhs can live in America without informing and educating other Americans about their religion, its practices, symbols, and beliefs. The recent rash of assaults against Sikh, Arab and Muslim Americans, resulting from a racially-driven backlash to the WTC and Pentagon attacks, has forced these communities to circle their wagons and assume a defensive posture - a necessary and appropriate response to the at-large circumstances that must be continued for as long as the violence persists. In addressing this situation, Sikh Americans have done their utmost to ensure that the media - both print and television - responsibly address and condemn racially driven harassment and attacks against members of the Sikh, Arab and Muslim American communities. In defining themselves to the media, Sikh Americans have sought to do so by affirmation - by declaring who they are, rather than by negation - stating what religion they are not. This has been done not only to convey as much information as possible about Sikhs, but to also avoid the implication that it is acceptable to attack those whom we are distancing ourselves from. Much of the focus of the media's coverage of Sikhs has been the victimization they have endured as a result of the backlash, yet there has been a significant and notable Sikh contribution to the rebuilding and rescue efforts that has not been emphasized, either by Sikh Americans or the media - which seems more comfortable presenting Sikhs as victims rather than magnanimous and valuable American citizens. In the absence of any semblance of a long-term strategy, our short-term efforts to defend our community from assault may become the only way we deal with a problem that may plague us for several years. Is it the Sikh way to deal with adversity and danger by constantly bemoaning our own fate while our cities smolder and thousands have died and others endure similar harassment? No, it certainly is not. But by no means do I suggest that we not take the media and the authorities to task for racially driven violence against Sikhs. Defending Sikh Americans from harm is a paramount concern, but by no means should it be the only one. However, we are a country on the brink of war and many more will certainly die. Will we continue to address the difficulties we may face in the future with self-absorption as American soldiers give up their lives for our country? What the Sikh American community must do is to realistically assess what the future holds. It is almost certain that the United States is going to wage a war of some sort or another. How will Sikh Americans negotiate these times ahead and the prospect that Middle Eastern men, many with turbans and beards, may appear on the news night after night fighting against American soldiers? How will the Sikh American community be able to get out its message of solidarity, service and support when, in the face of American military casualties, the media ceases to be interested in our self-obsessed concerns for our own safety? The only long-term strategy for the Sikh American community that will allow them to remain true to Khalsa ideals must be a long period of Subh Karman - righteous deeds. Subh Karman can take the form of rendering support - both material and spiritual - to the fabric, government and other wrongly persecuted communities of our country. Subh Karman means getting out of our comfort zones to do what must be done for others and not just ourselves. Sikhs should share their spiritual strength with other Americans by holding evening Rehras and Kirtan in parks and other visible public locations (as weather permits), one night Rehras can be recited in Punjabi, the next night in English. Small langars or drinks can also be distributed. Sikhs should participate in and organize interfaith events such as fund-raisers, candlelight vigils, walk-a-thons, prayer meetings, community councils and coat-drives in the winter. Every Gurudwara in the country should organize an open house and invite members from their local area to attend. Gurudwaras should also be actively engaged in providing food to homeless shelters and extending domicile and nourishment to all people and not just Sikh immigrants. Let the American public know that a Sikh Gurudwara is haven for all, regardless of race or creed, and they will treasure them. Sikhs should also openly share the universal teachings of the Guru Granth Sahibji Maharaj by putting tuks (quotes) in newspapers, magazine ads and by writing and submitting articles on its teachings so that everyone can experience the same upliftment and joy Sikhs do. Sikhs must appear on television extending their chardi-kala spirit to all. Sikhs will need to be open and extroverted about the teachings of their faith, they must serve the spiritual hunger of Americans by sharing Sikhi with all. Media coverage resulting from these sorts of activities will present the Sikhs as a proactive, generous and gregarious community that is more concerned with serving others than itself. The potential to uplift fellow Americans and to mould a more righteous nation as it faces a trying time is unlimited. Sikh Americans must also be in the vanguard of defending innocent Arab and Muslim men, women and children from harm. They must condemn and protest racially motivated attacks and harassment without reservation and must be as vigilant about the civil liberties of others as their own. Sikh attorneys should take the initiative to represent members of other communities who cannot afford their own legal counsel on a pro bono basis in cases dealing with civil liberties violations. Groups dealing with discrimination and harassment of innocent Americans must have a strong Sikh presence. Let the American public know that the Sikhs are a righteous people who exist to serve and fight for the rights of others. Materially, Sikhs must be prepared to support the war effort. This can be done a number of ways. Efforts to allow Sikhs to enter the military with their turbans and beards must be undertaken. Every Sikh, with their Saroop or not, who wishes to join the military to serve should make an effort to do so. Sikhs who are refused because of their turbans and beards must contact Sikh organizations committed to lobbying for their entry. These individuals can also contact the media to take up their cause and to let the American public know that Sikh Americans are also very willing to pay their fair share and give shaheeds - as every other American immigrant community has done - in order to ensure the future of the United States. Sikh doctors, engineers, and scientists must be prepared to make individual sacrifices and contribute through non-military duties. Sikhs must be very visible and apparent sources of moral support by contacting their Congressmen and asking them what their communities can do to help. Sikh businesses must create significant business ties with American agencies, contractors and companies involved in the war effort and Sikh labor should be supplied to their factories. What Sikh Americans must realize is that by living in this country, we are participating in its benefits and these benefits have not come cheaply. Whether or not we agree with the current government, our presence in this country indicates that we agree with the idea behind America - its unparalleled freedom, opportunity and potential. Consequently, the burden of protecting and supporting the idea of America falls to us as much as it falls to anyone else. Sikhs contributed greatly to keeping Britain free from German occupation during two world wars. During Word War I, in the Battle of Lausanne alone, 60,000 Sikhs died and over the course of two world wars, 100,000 Sikhs became shaheeds. The righteousness of these wars is debatable, but it is beyond debate that these shaheeds died and fought not for themselves but for those who would follow them and their Dharam. Yes, Sikh youth might end up paying a heavy price for the debt that American foreign policy and Middle Eastern terrorism have accrued - but since when have Sikhs not been willing to carry the burdens of others? Sikhs Americans must also realize that by portraying or emphasizing ourselves as a self-absorbed and fearful community that has little concern for contributing to what is occurring outside of it, we risk leaving this situation worse off than where we came in. Are these the hallmarks of a noble Panth, do they elicit respect and admiration from others? If we succeed, however, in demonstrating the true character of Sikhs - courageousness, generosity, compassion and a tremendous sense of service - to America by asking not what our country can do for us, but what we can do for it, then we shall surely come out of our current crisis a stronger, more empowered and worthy Panth whose contributions to safeguarding the idea of America, nurturing its spiritual underpinnings and protecting other innocent Americans from attack will never be forgotten. History lies before us unwritten and unknown, will the Sikhs of America demonstrate that they are a great people or will they retreat into the dark recesses of the times ahead?
Deshdeepak Singh is an United Sikhs in Service to America (USSA) representative and can be contacted at USA Telephone number 516-996-5039; email: deshdeepak_@hotmail.com (deshdeepak_@hotmail.com). Back to: Today Any Comment ? | Submit An Article or News | Suggestions Copyright ©2001 sikhe.com
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 10:06 AM (#556968)
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 09:30 AM (#556953)
News Sikh Representative Invited To Meet President Bush At The White House In Inter-Faith Meeting Sikhe.com Sat Sep 22 USA, Washington -- Member of the Board, National Conference of Community and Justice and past President of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, Dr. Rajwant Singh, met American President George Bush Thursday September 20, 2001. Sardar Rajwant Singh, along with about twenty-five clerics, ranging from Roman Catholic cardinals in black-and-white collars to a saffron robed Tibetan Buddhist, was invited to meet the President to exchange views on the current situation. President Bush welcomed his "Sikh brother" and said, "his heart goes out to the Sikh community" because of the recent attacks on them. Bush and his aides became particularly emotional when Dr. Singh shared with them the story of Kulwant Singh who, after his 3-year-old child was hit with a firebomb thrown into his house, said "I'll always enjoy my American freedom but I'll do it with a turban on my head." Dr. Singh informed the gathering that "this represents the feeling of all the Sikhs who would even offer their lives to defend this freedom" and urged the President and his aides to help get the word out that Sikhs are from Punjab and that they wear turbans and keep their beards because of their religion, not because of Arab culture. Invited to make a statement to the press along with five other representatives, Dr. Singh stated "This is what's needed in America today. Even though my community has been attacked because of turbans and beards - people feel we are somehow related or associated with Osama bin Laden - the sense of assurance we have gotten from President Bush is just amazing." Dr. Singh points out that this meeting was the result of 10 years of work with other religious communities which must be continued to spread the word of Sikhism and erase ignorance.
Back to: Today Any Comment ? | Submit An Article or News | Suggestions Copyright ©sikhe.com
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 10:05 AM (#556966)
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 10:39 AM (#556984)
What is happening? Well I am busy helping Sikhs, so I am only sharing HERE on the MUDCAT CAFE (and with my personal activist friends, of course). If you all are supportive, then spread these posts to friends and Liberal PRESS and keep the Threads at the top of the MUDCAT CAFE. I can only post once a day, at most. So disappear me and I will move to another location. - KRK
From: Prabhjit Singh On Thursday September 20, 2001, Dr. Rajwant Singh, President of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, met with President Bush for 45 minutes. He, along with two dozen clerics, ranging from Roman Catholic cardinals in black-and-white collars and a saffron robed Tibetan Buddhist, were invited to meet the President because the President was seeking their advice on the current situation. Bush welcomed Dr. Singh as his "Sikh brother" and said that "his heart goes out to the Sikh community" because of the recent series of attacks on them. Dr. Singh informed the President that the number of attacks exceed 200. While talking to the President Dr. Singh said, "we have been made target because of our outer appearance, but still we pray for you, your family, the cabinet and the Nation. We feel that during these testing moments we need to come together instead of being divided." Bush and his aides became particularly emotional when Dr. Singh recited the story of Kulwant Singh to them. After his 3 year old child was hit with a fire bomb thrown into his house, Kulwant Singh made a statement: "I'll always enjoy my American freedom but I'll do it with a turban on my head." Dr. Singh said that "this represents the feeling of all the Sikhs and they would even offer their lives to defend this freedom". Dr. Singh urged the President and his aides to help get the word out that Sikhs are from Punjab, India and they wear turbans and keep their beards because of their religion, not because of Arab culture. The President assured Dr. Singh that he is very serious about protecting the lives of the Sikhs in U.S. Dr. Singh also brought up the point of what Congressman Cooksey (http://www.theadvocate.com/news/story.asp?storyID=24605) said about diaperheads. Bush called the statement made by the Congressman "pathetic" and "they were going to take care of it". Lastly, Dr. Singh expressed that Bush should highlight the point that America will seek justice, not revenge (as he had implied in some earlier statements). In the end, the personal secretary of the Bush singled Dr. Singh out of the group and thanked him for coming. He was chosen to make a statement to the press with 5 other religious leaders outside the oval office in the Roosevelt room. He said: "This is what's needed in America today. Even though my community has been attacked because of turbans and beards - people feel we are somehow related or associated with Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) - the sense of assurance we have gotten from President Bush is just amazing." (wire.ap.org) Dr. Singh tells the Sikh community that "this meeting was the result of 10 years of work with other religious communities and we must continue to work with them to spread the word of Sikhism and erase ignorance." Replies
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 11:46 AM (#557027)
What is happening? Well I am busy helping Sikhs, so I am only sharing HERE on the MUDCAT CAFE (and with my personal activist friends, of course). If you all are supportive, then spread these posts to friends and Liberal PRESS and keep the Threads at the top of the MUDCAT CAFE. Dear Rose The above post is a link to a thread where you will find many views about the sort of threads and their number, on the Mudcat forum, which is largely a music forum.
|
|
22-Sep-01 - 07:37 AM (#556536)
CHARDI KAALA POWER Kamalla Rose Kaur I guess I have to believe in "POWERS", mysterious gifts of the SPIRIT(s), because I have a gift or two that some people have and some people don't. We all do. For me it is that I can see things from the audience perspective. I can easily track the way USAers and the Khalsa Panth, and many Black Americans, or the uptight rich ladies in the up-class shops everywhere might read my writing, and interpret it. I read everything written, simultaneously feeling, the diversity in the audience sway and shift and flow. That is when it is very sweet. Otherwise what a curse of a gift to live with! "OH, no....not that, you didn't say that? Did you? In front of a World audience?" I have had that reaction to things I have said. I have had that reaction to things Bush has said too. How can we protect ourselves from blurting out the wrong thing and making big mistakes when we all long to be at our best in the face of a potential of creating World World 3? CHARDI KAALA POWER is my methodology. "AURGH! OK, OK, I hear you! I am sorry!" Can you hear my Sikh audience? CHARDI KAALA POWER is the Sikh methodology. It means "Our spirits are rising!" or "Keep faith and hold high ideals and happy trust in the Cosmic Plan!" or "Don't worry, be happy!" It is a state of being. And practically and pragmatically speaking, it also means that Sikhs and friends of the Sikhs might like to buy Linda Allen's CDs (they ought to be in the stores) and check out who Flip Breskin is. Explore Dya Singh and Vikram (from the Animals) and Singh Kaur's CDs! And send "Thank You" notes. THAT was my Mother speaking. She was the master of the "Thank You Note"; how powerful she was too! Imagine whole Sikh congregations (do not SPAM) writing "Love Notes" to Linda Allen. How will she feel? She might even call Pete Seeger or Matthew Fox or Joanne Macy or Starhawk to share her delight with them! She might actually make some money from CD sales! That would be so very nice. I have been praying for Linda's success ever since I first met her. She is an inspiration and her songs are teachings and many, many of them are very easy to sing along with. Expressing this sort of appreciative POWER will come back at Sikhs too of course. "Thank you! We have been waiting for you!" might be the response, or even the cheer! CHARDI KAALA POWER is about praising what we admire in others. No need for flattery and faking it. Why would I want to associate with people that I find difficult to PRAISE? Sikhi teaches to "Keep the company of the enlightened, or the faithful." And show appreciation for all the true blue and sincere people all around us today and all the people mobilized and mobilizing to declare PEACE on the whole Earth! Bless them and PRAISE THEM! Then get out there and hold solidarity with CHARDI KAALA POWER pumping your blood and please don't try to avoid this most famous (perhaps) of Linda Allen's great song/teachings. Linda is completely right, we got - "Hard Work To Do." By Linda Allen www.lindasongs.com Well, people, these are hard times, 'Bout the hardest I have known. And the headlines in the paper Sometimes chill me to the bone. And we look for easy answers Some new words to see us through, But it's a thin disguise Until you recognize That there is hard work to do. Chorus: You can believe in Jesus Or God on high, Believe in me As I believe in you. Believe in the light At the end of the tunnel But there's hard work to do. Hard work to do Hard work to do Put your faith in the future And your hand on the plough 'Cause there is hard work to do. Well some are going to tell you They've got the answer to your pain Just sign the dotted line my friend And you'll never have to think again. So beware of politicians, Bible Hucksters and Gurus. Don't give your power away, Let your heart lead the way, 'Cause there is hard work to do. Chorus: You can believe in Jesus Or God on high, Believe in me As I believe in you. Believe in the light At the end of the tunnel But there's hard work to do. Hard work to do Hard work to do Put your faith in the future And your hand on the plough 'Cause there is hard work to do. Listen to this song online! Linda Allen - Discography www.lindasongs.com
|
|
22-Sep-01 - 11:43 AM (#556633)
Support our USA Sikhs! Sunday September 23 11am-1pm Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara 4919 61st Street NE Marysville, WA 360 657 4155 Contact people - Attorney Satwant S. Pandher 425 259 0108 Kamalla Rose Kaur - Roselotus@aol.com The Sikh Foundation Chairs will be available for elders and others who can not manage floor sitting. Bring a Middle Eastern style scarf, or tie a turban , or use the head-coverings provided by the Gurdwara. Langar (Sikh sacred feast, which breaks all Indian caste taboos dramatically and deliciously) will be served directly after this Gurdwara service. ******************* Tim and Melanie, music directors of the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship send their regrets on behalf of the BUF Choir (excellent choir....yes!). They will be busy with our own local UU Fellowship Worship Services, Sunday morning. UU PRAYER #494 UU Hymnal by W.E.B. DuBoss The prayer of our souls is a petition for persistence, not for the one good deed, or a single thought, but deed on deed, and thought on thought, until day calling day shall make a life worth living. Linda Allen will be in Oregon this weekend and regrets not being able to sing a song in Maryville tomorrow. She greatly enjoyed participating at the Whatcom Gurdwara Solidarity event this last week. Feel free to check her itinerary from her website. Linda sends this song to Sikh women (especially) everywhere. It too can be listened to over the internet on Linda's web-site. www.lindasongs.com LAY IT DOWN My young son-came through the door He was crying like I never heard before His friend Tim - had taunted him And the hateful words lay scattered on the floor. And I said: Lay it down, Lay it down Let my breast be your pillow Lay it Down Lay it down, Lay it down There is comfort in my arms, Lay it down. The man I love was on the phone He said, "Honey, I am weary to my bones You know I try, but dreams can die So keep the light burning, love. I'm coming home" And I said: Lay it down, Lay it down Let my breast be your pillow Lay it Down Lay it down, Lay it down There is comfort in my arms, Lay it down. The family's gone- I'm all alone And the sound of my own heart is getting strong And I know regret- things I can't forget I cry "God help me find my way back home!" And She said: Lay it down, Lay it down Let my breast be your pillow Lay it down Lay it down, Lay it down There is comfort in my arms, Lay it down.
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 09:19 AM (#556949)
Global Sikh Daily News www.sikhe.com The Kamalla Rose Kaur Column Things not talked about in the USA Kamalla Rose Kaur Fri May 18 Seems to me that Communism, Socialism and Capitalism have been pretty well tested in this World, and I don't know about you, but it is clear to me that European style Socialism works the best of these three systems! Idealistic Communism is better than humans seem able to be, and Authoritarian Communism has proved WAY horrible, and almost as bad for the Earth's ecology as Capitalism! Pure Capitalism is pure evil. Now I have done it. I have just said something that is very, very taboo in my country. I have "come out" as a Socialist. Don't try this at your next USA party. It is a real conversation shocker. People in the USA do not speak about Communism or Socialism anymore except to spout the party line. The propaganda has Americans believing there are only 2 systems, there is Capitalist/Freedom and USA superiority and patriotism, and then there is Communism/Socialism/liberalism. Thus we might say, ala the recent Clinton era: "Why can't we have a single-payer health plan?" but nobody is going to use the word "Socialism". Truth is there have been a whole lot of Socialist uprisings in the USA; the last one was so big we simply call it "The 60s". They have all been VIOLENTLY put down by the Military Industrial Complex. So it isn't safe to call yourself a "liberal" in the USA. Yet there are many many liberals here. The last USA election proved that there are more liberals than there are conservatives. And Nader was our radically liberal candidate and he did pretty well. So we know there are quite a few "radical" liberals too, the sort of people who would vote for a social activist like Ralph Nader! Mind you in the UK Nader would probably be considered a moderate sort of liberal, not a radical at all. Again those Europeans Socialists and Canadians seem pretty balanced in their views on these sorts of issues but it isn't like that here in the USA where the words "liberal", "Communism" and "Socialism" are rarely uttered these days. And we just had an illegal election. My whole life the USA has been doing stuff I haven't approved of one bit. Power hungry, greedy, racist, Baboons seem to run my country. I had a friend during the Vietnam War who made a whole lot of money betting on what the USA would do next in that conflict. He was almost always right in his predictions. He seemed to have an almost magically way of being able to predict what the USA would do next in that icky war. What was his secret? "I just sit down and try to imagine what is the WORST possible thing the USA could possibly do, and then I bet that we will do exactly that!" Try it! Study USA Foreign Policy, now that the USA has a CIA Puppet President in place, and bank on the bad guys winning in the USA for a spell here. Until the next USA Socialist uprising, that is; which may be already starting, but nobody is talking about that either.
Kamalla Rose Kaur is USA born, of Irish descent, and embraced Sikhism in 1972, at age 18. She tried everything for over twenty years, including frantic practice of Yoga, until she learned "why Sikhs are so adament about having the Sri Guru Granth Sahib as their only Guru." Kamalla Rose is a professional writer, theater director, workshop and seminar leader, publicist, events planner and singer. Her column appears every Saturday. The author welcomes comments and feedback: Love&Light@sikhe.com Back to: Today Any Comment ? | Submit An Article or News | Suggestions Copyright ©2001 sikhe.com
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 10:07 AM (#556970)
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 10:09 AM (#556972)
From - GLOBAL SIKH DAILY NEWS The Kamalla Rose Kaur Column The End of the War Between the Sexes Kamalla Rose Kaur Fri June 22 Sisters of the World we salute you! You have won the War Between The Sexes fair and square. Congratulations on being our heroes! Sisters of the World, we salute you! Women have won the, much publicized, War Between The Sexes in all areas of morality and ethics, religion and community service, leadership and diplomacy. Women pray more then men. Women meditate more than men. Women attend church and temples more than men and women create more charities. Women have a much better crime record than men, women murder less, rape far less, and women start far fewer wars than men. Women misuse power far less than men do and women chase after sex and money far less as well. Women desert their children less than men and women have over and over again been great heroes in times of great struggle; seeking no recognition, and receiving none. As many women as men on Earth have obtained spiritual enlightenment, yet women have stayed quiet and humble about this truth. Very few women are interested in being the Alpha Male of any group; women like to create community, and many men, seemingly, still enjoy authoritarian hierarchies. Women have won the competition for high ethical achievement. And many women express the desire to see good men's happy, full-hearted surrender and the official end to the Gender Wars! An estimated half of all men in the World love and respect women. These men are rooting for women, and they are impressed and humbled that women desire only equal power and authority with men, when women have proved themselves SUPERIOR in leadership qualities Worldwide. The rest of the World's men are trying to impress each other. These men are showing off to men. They do not care about women or what women think or feel. But why have the good men, all the men who love women, failed to notice and applaud women's very impressive victory? Why have good men everywhere failed to officially surrender and happily accept defeat in The War Between The Sexes? Why isn't there a much larger World men's movement to establish women into equal power and authority with men? Some women assume that men aren't celebrating women's victory in The War Between The Sexes, because even good men are bad losers. Some women think that the reason good men don't celebrate women is because men are stupider than women. Many suspect womb envy, of course. But ultimately this question. "where are all the good men?" will not matter. Women can celebrate women's victory in the Gender Wars starting NOW. And the men who want to celebrate too are invited to join with the women everywhere. Such men, few or many, will be vastly popular with the Sisterhood! Congratulations women everywhere! The War Between The Sexes is won! Women have shown superiority over men in all areas of ethics and leadership. Sing praises for women the whole World around. Congratulations to Humanity's Sisterhood! The Genders Wars are over! Women have won, fair and square!
Kamalla Rose Kaur is USA born, of Irish descent, and embraced Sikhism in 1972, at age 18. She tried everything for over twenty years, including frantic practice of Yoga, until she learned "why Sikhs are so adament about having the Sri Guru Granth Sahib as their only Guru." Kamalla Rose is a professional writer, theater director, workshop and seminar leader, publicist, events planner and singer. The author welcomes comments and feedback: Love&Light@sikhe.com Back to: Today Any Comment ? | Submit An Article or News | Suggestions Copyright ©2001 sikhe.com
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 10:20 AM (#556976)
I hate to say it, but this stuff is beginning to look like spam. Are you looking for converts, customers, or both?
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 10:34 AM (#556980)
SikhSpam Sorry, Kamalla, but you're alienating people by spamming. This is primarily a music site and you seem to be attempting to glut the forum with your own agenda. A link to the articles - fine. Posting a couple - fine. Multiple copies of very long messages in multiple threads is spam and is very impolite. Perhaps you could simply invite us to join http://sikhe.com?
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 10:39 AM (#556982)
Rosw, if you could limit all of your information to the original thread, it would be much better. Multiple threads on the same topic DO smack of spamming, especially in light of the subject matter. Spaw
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 11:23 AM (#557012)
Rose, It is obviously an upsetting time for you (as it is for many if not all), and you need to talk, I'm sure. But please take heed of what people have suggested above and in all the other threads. If you have a new article to refer to, just post a link or reference in one thread (even if it isn't on music - I'm sure people will tolerate here at this time). Continuing to post as you are will only put people off and the message will be lost. If you need to talk to people, discuss the situation with people in the the Bay area - maybe with my cousins Raj and Kiki (whom I'm sure you'll know, since they are Dr. Kapany's children - yes he is my Uncle). Regards Rana
|
|
23-Sep-01 - 10:06 AM (#556967)
It Is Weird Being a UUSikh Kamalla Rose Kaur My son, Harpal, age 11, tells me that I am weird several times a day. I get a little sensitive, "Am I weird or did I simply end up with an unusually weird life? It could happen to you too, you know!" I was raised on a University Campus, the only daughter of scholarly parents, both in love with the art of being teachers. I attended an experimental elementary school on the campus of the University where my Dad taught in the Education and Psychology Departments. My parent's many professor friends were my pseudo-Uncles all around me, and I had many emancipated and powerful Aunts too! At Campus School the teachers were working on several levels. They were teaching 25 kids per class, as well as training 4 or 5 student-teachers in the classroom. And they were often lecturing in the Education Department as well. When this got tiring for them, there was an ocean of University professors who clearly enjoyed having a troop of young kids skip over to their classrooms, or labs, to learn something about electricity, or potter's wheels, or basketball, or how concert organs are built, and much more. This magical, enriched, paradise childhood was rudely dispelled when I entered the USA public school system at puberty. It was 1966 and instantly, age 11, kids coming from the Campus School were, despite our youth, perceived to be Leftist Radicals, and soon, Hippies. This was fine with me. Back then I had no problem seeing myself as a Leftest Radical and a Hippy. My only problem was that most of the adults in my Middle School and later, many of adults in my High School clearly didn't like Hippies one bit! The war was on. Thankfully it was also in 1966 that I found the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship which became my guiding light, security, and inspiration through the social upheaval and strife taking place in these un-United States, 1966-1973. Despite this UU support, by age 18 (1973) I was pretty burnt-out; defeated and scared, and fried, as were Hippies everywhere. Contemplating the mega-resources the Military-Industrial-Complex was pouring into killing liberalism, and also gazing into a future of being a destitute activist artist in the USA, I suddenly took the path of the spiritual renunciate. Shocking my family and UU community, I joined an Eastern religion, Sikhi, and moved into an Ashram. Or at least I thought I was a Sikh. I had no way to perceive, back then, that most Sikhs would say that I was a member of a Hindu-ish group, following yet another self-proclaimed Saint, merely calling ourselves Sikhs. Thus during my 20s and 30s my most pressing concern was whether I could manage to awaken and rise at 3:30am, take a cold shower, and then do fanatic yoga and meditation practice for 3 or 4 hours- each and every day. I fasted a lot. I wore all white clothes, at all times, and I taught very popular, large, yoga classes and did lots of public speaking in the Bay Area CA. I was married to a fellow Yogi Sikh, a Semiconductor Engineer working in a start-up company, 50-60 hours a week, in Silicon Valley. And after his company went public, I got to experience having money! I raised two very talented and successful daughters, home-schooling them quite a lot, and towards the end of those two decades I went back to University in Religious Studies. Then I had Harpal, an eleven pound baby, birthed at home. Soon after this powerful event I wrote the series of articles that got me kicked out of the pseudo-Sikh spiritual organization that I had been part of for almost 20 years. I got kicked out because I had finally let myself see the truth that my former spiritual teacher was a conman and crook and that my spiritual organization was a cover for organized crime. I am proud to say that I remained Unitarian Universalist and Sikh enough to NOT take this news quietly and serenely! Of course, I received "The Phone Call" where my family and I were threatened with harm by my former teacher's highly trained bodyguards. Thus I came to understand that I had joined a cult and that I was in danger. After that, I went through an ugly divorce and I had a nervous breakdown. I lost everything for a spell: my children, the money, status, my community and support system, my self-esteem and my faith. I retreated again, this time to a small non-profit healing center outside of Washington DC where I taught classes and designed multi-cultural events, and did a whole lot of healing. I was laying low and being quiet- not giving my X-teacher any reason to worry about me and my big mouth. I studied Tibetan Buddhism and let Sikhi go. In Spring of 1998 I returned to my hometown to makes amends to my Mother and be with her during her last months. After my Dad's death in 1987, my Mother discovered the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship too, and she threw herself into church service. Mom was the Fellowship's Board President during a difficult time and she did an excellent job. She ran the Great Books discussions groups and rarely ever missed a Circle Dinner. Since my return to the "Real World" and my hometown, I have been embraced in love and acceptance by my UU Fellowship- as an artist, and as someone going through tremendous culture shock, and as a daughter standing beside her brilliant and independent Mother through an intense time of sickness- 10 hospitalizations in 20 months. And recently the UU Fellowship has deeply mourned Mom's death with me. Am I still in danger? My former spiritual teacher, his henchmen and lawyers are still at large and prospering. But I feel very safe because UUs and Sikhs have adopted me. These two religious traditions are BIG, and that cult is little. And these two liberal traditions, Sikhi and Unitarian Universalism, have taught me about social justice as spiritual practice since leaving the cult. They have filled me with courage and they have empowered me. You may not think of the Sikh religion as being a liberal tradition but it is! Sadly, however, it is a liberal tradition that is having huge troubles right now, and getting lots of negative PR in the West. Yet 500 years ago, a poet-musician named Nanak put on half Muslim clothes and half Hindu clothes and set off walking all over Indian, and into the Middle East, teaching and singing about Universalism. Nanak was a troubadour and he believed deeply that humans can live in peace, even when our beliefs are as different as Islam and Hinduism! And Guru Nanak (as he came to be known) was fundamentally and actively against the caste system and he fought for women's rights. He passed his Guru-ship down to his low-caste servant. Ironically for me, Nanak was also very adamently against doing extreme yogic practices like I used to do and teach. Nanak taught that we should sing praises to the Creation/Creator, and it doesn't matter one whit what religion we follow. Just open our hearts and minds in Love, and do service for all beings. The Sikh lineage of Gurus was passed down for 10 generations.Then Guru Gobind Singh, the last of the embodied Sikh Gurus, concluded that the human Guru-disciple relationship was not, ultimately, a good thing. (Again, ironically, I had to learn this for myself, the hard way!) So Guru Gobind Singh transferred the Sikh Guru-ship to the Sikh scripture and to the Sikh congregation. The Sikh scripture is called "The Siri Guru Granth Sahib" and it is a collection of Nanak's songs, and the ecstatic poetry of other Gurus in the Sikh lineage. It also includes beautiful writings of Hindu and Muslim Saints, making it a truly Universalist scripture. Historically Sikhs took up the sword against the Muslim Inquisition in India, quite dramatically and successfully, and thus Sikhs became known and acclaimed for being some of the greatest warriors in the World. In more modern times, when Gandhi was still in South Africa, Sikhs were already practicing non-violent resistance to British rule in India. And to establish peace between Hindus and Muslims, Sikhs allowed the boundary of Pakistan and India to go through Sikh territory at the time of Partition. Since 1984, when the Indian Government troops attacked and demolished much of the Sikh's most Holy and Sacred Ground, the Golden Temple, Sikhs everywhere have been in a bit of an uproar and panic. Sikhs say that the present government in India is Fundamentalist Hindu in nature, caste-driven, and that it is persecuting all minority religions in India right now, even Christians. Sikhs also say that Western business interests are supporting this corrupt government completely. So I am off to speak at, and participate in, a week-long Sikh roundtable discussion in California! And my writings on Sikhi are being used for discussion and debate by Sikh University students in India. I have also designed a Sikh Conference on Gender that is being produced in the Punjab soon. I am a columnist for Sikh's most popular Online Newspaper, the most visited Sikh site in the World. All this, because of this little article I recently wrote for a Sikh political newspaper, which then got published on the Web, and which spread like wild-fire: Prem Ki Jit! by Kamalla Rose Kaur Far as I can see Sikhi is pretty much the only major religion in this World (besides UUism, of course) that is Universalist, non-sexist, not-racist, anti-caste and class, and set up, by Guru Gobind Singh, to be non-authoritarian, meaning it is an anti-cult movement as well! Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh fought against Baboon Troop social dynamics (authoritarian hierarchies) way back in a time and place where this was still hopeless. Yet, because of them, women do NOT sit in the back of Sikhi. Meanwhile I was raised in a Protestant Christian culture where the basic dogma IS sexist, exclusive, non-Universalist etc. Yet Protestant Christians are WAY ahead of every other religion on Earth in empowering women into equal authority with their men. Thus even though at the level of core belief, women in the West are constantly fighting Eve's battle, Christianity is the best choice for women in a practical sense. We can speak from the pulpit within Christianity. Of course, throughout the World women are more religious than men are. Women pray and meditate more, attend Temples and Churches more, do more seva (service), and we keep the charities going. Women are far less likely to misuse power when we attain it; far less likely to sell our souls for sex, $tuff and/or power. We have Worldwide better statistics when it comes to resisting the urge to murder and rape and every other criminal activity. Women start less wars. This is not to say that women are better than men in all areas, but in the area of ETHICS the data is clear and profound. And the reasons for this has to do with Baboon Troop mentality as much as anything else. Men, to be good men, need to give up the urge to be Alpha Male, King of the Castle, Guru and CEO. Women, in order to help men, to help our planet, to help Sikhi, help ourselves and our children, need to give up the idea that we NEED men and that we are in competition with other women for men's attention. This is distinct from whether women WANT men- the majority of us do- or rather we want our ONE man. But most women want men, Fathers, Brothers, Husbands, Uncles, Nephews, and Sons who are "good guys", men who can quickly and easily disband the Baboon Troop, authoritarian hierarchies, for the sake of Sikhi and the planet. Sikhi is on a World stage now and it is embarrassing to say that Sikhi is a Universalist, non-sexist, not-racist, anti-cult, anti-caste and anti-class MOVEMENT when the truth is that Sikhi looks like a regional traditional sect from the Punjab India- prone to cults, stuck with arranged marriages (the ultimate caste/class game), sexist and with a tendency to sound mighty racist quite a lot of the time too! Sikhi needs a unifying, pro-active cause, something we can all get behind and work together on. We need something to show the World (that has forgotten our incredible history and ignors our present persecution) how amazing Sikhs are! And what better cause than Sikhi itself? What better way to share our tradition and our strength and our huge capacity to fight for the right, than to declare that Sikhi is a Universalist, non-sexist, not-racist, anti-cult, anti-caste and class, religion, and then PROVE it? The World doesn't believe anything like this is possible, of course. To go quickly from a traditional male dominated, superstitious, authoritarian Baboon Troop society, to being the kind of culture Guru Nanak was dreaming of? To transform into being the kind of religion that women the World over could feel excited, supported, empowered and happy to join? To be the kind of movement that teaches that change and transformation are possible in this World? To have Sikhi suddenly show it's stuff and take it's place as a major World religion and force? My Western friends think I am totally crazy and most the Sikh men I deal with have a "there there child" tone in their responses to me as well. But to quote a very famous and beloved Western visionary " You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one..." Sikhi has a tradition of doing amazing acts of righteousness. Only Sikhi has the Sikh tradition. Who else but Sikhs can teach the lesson that only Sikhi teaches? Mind you, I am not interested in converting the World to Sikhi. That is NOT what is important at all. Yet this Planet desperately NEEDS Sikhi. This Planet needs Sikhs to do what Sikhs do best- for the glory of Universalism and the love of the human potential, MORE than for the Glory of Sikhi. Only Sikhs have ever run into battle screaming PREM KI JIT (Love Be The Victory)! Before materialism and Baboon Bosses succeed in conquering Sikhi and the World, and destroying GOOD simply for their own ego-gratification, why not fight? Prem Ki Jit!
"OK, so I am weird!" I admit to Harpal, as I attempt to see my life through his eyes....and the eyes of others. How many UUSikhs are there, afterall? "But I really believe, as a Sikh and as a Unitarian Universalist that it is OK to be weird! We are all children of the Divine, and as diverse as can be!" |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Big Mick Date: 23 Sep 01 - 07:19 PM yep, I am with Carol all the way on this one. As long as this is about helping us to understand your perspective, and to encourage tolerance and respect for the beliefs of others, then I am with you. But when it start to feel like religious proselytizing, it starts to bug me. Rose, I thank you for sharing your beliefs. Now ease up a bit and lets turn this into a "how can people of goodwill assist" kind of discussion. Mick |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: GUEST,mgarvey@pacifier.com Date: 24 Sep 01 - 01:14 AM Here I think are some ways we can help. We can get little pocket cameras and carry them with us and take pictures of any harassment or abuse. If we have cell phones, we should carry them and call the police if we witness trouble. And, if it is necessary in our community, we can do as a woman in Seattle suggested...we, as Euro-American or African or Hispanic American women can wear the head covering too. mg |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 24 Sep 01 - 06:58 AM Dear Mudcatters, Thank you for helping me through the Mudcat Protocols. I am now on one thread and a member. I have had the privilege to write the Sikh Platform "Kamalla Rose Kaur On Behalf Of The Sikhs" which has been circling the globe for many days now. Anyone is welcome to join "SikhCyberSangat@yahoogroups.com" if you wish to get into the center of USA Sikh activism. Also check outthe following web-sites: http://www.surbut-khalsa.com/ www.khalsapride.com http://www.sikh-history.com/ Please avoid Sikhnet (cult). Also I imagine you have all read Noam's interview about Bush/CIA/Talaban history. Also John Sheer of the LA Times has written a lot about USA funding of the Talaban. Or for foreign News, the UK "Guardian" is great! http://www.zmag.org/chomb92.htm I have sent your nice notes ito Sikhs and last night I shared that great piece of Mudcat writing about USA Foreign Policy being like old Western Movies with SikhCyberSangat. It was much enjoyed levity after a very intense week of USA Sikh activism. Of course you can also read my Newspaper: GLOBAL SIKH DAILY NEWS ONLINE www.sikhe.com (have to join it like an egroup) This is the most popular Sikh web-site in the World. I am a daily columnist there, on leave since Sept 11. because it only comes out once a day and I have been busier than that; working for the Sikh Foundation, Palo Alto CA. You can access my column archives by going to the right-hand top and clicking on "Columnists". Love and Light Kamalla Rose Kaur
|
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 24 Sep 01 - 07:17 AM GLOBAL SIKH DAILY NEWS Sept. 24 Comment "It makes me mad." - Canadian Eighth Grader Daman Singh on his grand-father being yelled and screamed at during his daily 5:00 p.m. walk. "If we try to explain there's a difference between Sikhs and Arabs or the Taliban, it sounds like we're saying 'go ahead, attack Arab or Afghani people. We obviously are not saying that. But....." - |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 24 Sep 01 - 07:34 AM Dear Mudcatters, I will see you tomorrow unloss something big happens. Thanks again for your patience with me. -KRK
SOME OLD NEWS: CIA Confirms Nazis Worked for US by UPI CIA says Nazi general was intelligence source Wednesday, 20 September 2000 20:28 (ET) COLLEGE PARK, Md., Sept. 20 (UPI) -- The Central Intelligence Agency has for the first time confirmed that a high-ranking Nazi general placed his anti-Soviet spy ring at the disposal of the United States during the early days of the Cold War. The National Archives said in a release Wednesday that the CIA had filed an affidavit in U.S. District Court "acknowledgingan intelligence relationship with German General Reinhard Gehlen that it has kept secret for 50 years." "The CIA's announcement marks the first acknowledgement by that agency that it had any relationship with Gehlen and opens the way for declassification of records about the relationship," the National Archives said. Gehlen was Hitler's senior intelligence officer on the Eastern Front during the war and transferred his expertise and contacts to the U.S. as World War II reached its climax. While Gehlen's relationship with U. *********** Weird CIA Drug Experiments in Lexington, Kentucky Like the Nazi doctors who experimented upon concentration camp inmates during World War II, the CIA victimized certain kinds of people who were unable to resist: prisoners, mental patients, the terminally ill, sexual deviants, ethnic minorities. Extensive CIA drug studies were conducted at the Addiction Research Center of the US Public Health Service Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. Lexington was ostensibly a place where heroin addicts could go to shake a habit. Although it was officially a penitentiary, all the prisoners were referred to as "patients." The patients had their own way of referring to the doctors--"hacks" or "croakers"--who patrolled the premises in military uniforms. The patients at Lexington had no way of knowing that it was one of fifteen penal and mental institutions utilized by the CIA in its super-secret drug development program during the 1950s. To conceal its role the Agency enlisted the aid of the navy and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which served as conduits for channeling money to Dr. Harris Isbell, a gung-ho research scientist who remained on the CIA payroll for over a decade. According to CIA documents the directors of NIMH and the National Institutes of Health were fully cognizant of the Agency's "interest" in Isbell's work and offered "full support and protection." When the CIA came across a new drug (usually supplied by American pharmaceutical firms) that needed testing, they frequently sent it over to their chief doctor at Lexington, where an ample supply of captive guinea pigs was readily available. Over eight hundred compounds were farmed out to Isbell, including LSD and a variety of hallucinogens. It became an open secret among street junkies that if the supply got tight, you could always commit yourself to Lexington, where heroin and morphine were doled out as payment if you volunteered for Isbell's wacky drug experiments. (Small wonder that Lexington had a return rate of 90%.) Dr. Isbell, a longtime member of the Food and Drug Administration's Advisory Committee on the Abuse of Depressant and Stimulant Drugs, defended the volunteer system on the grounds that there was no precedent at the time for offering inmates cash for their services. CIA documents describe experiments conducted by Isbell in which certain patients--nearly all black inmates--were given LSD for more than seventy-five consecutive days. In order to overcome tolerance to the hallucinogen, Isbell administered "double, triple and quadruple doses." A report dated May 5, 1959, comments on an experiment involving psilocybin (a semi-synthetic version of the magic mushroom). Subjects who ingested the drug became extremely anxious, although sometimes there were periods of intense elation marked by "continuous gales of laughter." A few patients felt that they "had become very large, or had shrunk to the size of children. Their hands or feet did not seem to be their own and sometimes took on the appearance of animal paws...They reported many fantasies or dreamlike states in which they seemed to be elsewhere. Fantastic experiences, such as trips to the moon or living in gorgeous castles, were occasionally reported." Isbell concluded, "Despite these striking subjective experiences, the patients remained oriented in time, place and person. In most instances, the patients did not lose their insight but realized that the effects were due to the drug. Two of the nine patients, however, did lose insight and felt that their experiences were caused by the experimenters controlling their minds." Back to the Trip Guide. An excerpt from Acid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD: The CIA, the Sixties and Beyond, by Martin A. Lee and Bruce Shlain (Grove Press) Copyright 1985 by Martin A. Lee and Bruce Shlain The Acid Dreams web site: http://www.levity.com/aciddreams/
|
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 24 Sep 01 - 10:47 AM Dear Friends, You are welcome into the heart of Sikh Cyber Sangat or share this invitation with others who are interested. Love and Light - Kamalla Rose Kaur Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh. Sat Sri Akaal, Hello and Welcome to the SikhCyberSangat group at eGroups, a free, easy-to-use email group service. We wish to invite you to join our Sikhism eGroup in which all issues regarding contemporary issues relating to Sikhism, Gurmat discussions, Sikhi, culture, history and news and views are discusssed. We welcome your original email messages, forwarded messages from other egroups and/or forums, news articles or just your general comments as it relates to the Sikh way of life. Other subject matter is also welcome such as politics, current events, family and relationships, etc. Please take a moment to review this message. To start sending messages to members of this group, simply send email to SikhCyberSangat@egroups.com If you do not wish to belong to SikhCyberSangat, you may unsubscribe by sending an email to SikhCyberSangat-unsubscribe@egroups.com You may also visit the eGroups web site to modify your subscriptions: http://www.egroups.com/mygroups Thank you for your time and kind consideration. May Wahe Guru's Divine Grace and Blessings be forever bestowed upon you and your family. Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh. Chardi Kaala! Shyrone Kaur, Kamalla Rose Kaur, Dr Kirpal Singh, Harjinder Singh Khalsa, Satnam Kaur Khalsa, Balvinder Singh Co-Moderators & Advisors, SikhCyberSangat |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 25 Sep 01 - 12:31 AM St Petersburg Times September 22, 2001 Sikhs should not be targeted I am writing on behalf of the Sikh-American community of the United States. We are pained and shocked by the horrific attack on the people and property of the United States. Our hearts are full of sadness for the thousands who have been devastated. We hope that the perpetrators are found and brought to justice soon. We feel that is a time for the countries and people all over the world to rally against these heinous terrorist attacks. We also want to point out that Sikhs, with their turbans and beards must not be mistaken for any terrorist group. There are approximately 500,000 Sikhs in the United States and Canada and 24-million worldwide. Sikhs have been living in North America for more than a hundred years. During the tension with Iraq and Iran in the last decade many Sikhs became the target of hate by the ignorant. We are already receiving news of hate attacks on innocent individuals in New York, California, Boston, Iowa and Florida. The numbers keep on adding up. You are requested to raise the awareness of the masses at this critical time so that the Sikhs do not become an unfair target in the backlash of this horrific attack on the United States. My uncle called me the other night to inform that one of his friends, a truck driver, had been killed in California as he stopped to get something to eat. And my parents keep telling me not to go out anywhere because they are afraid the same will happen to me. Please help the Sikh community bring these acts to a stop so that we can grieve in the same way that everyone else is, and not have to worry about being injured or killed. Sam Saini, New Port Richey
|
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 25 Sep 01 - 12:35 AM Featured in New York Times Editorials/Letters Monday September 24, 2001 http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/24/opinion/L24TERR.html?pagewanted=2 The Faces of America To the Editor: Re "Identify Yourself," by Gregory Rodriguez (Week in Review, Sept. 23): I am a Sikh and an American, and proud to be both. I sport a beard and wear a turban. As an American, I am outraged by the recent tragedy. And as a Sikh, I am hurt by the senseless attacks on my fellow Sikhs in many parts of the country. When I go to a mall or a grocery store, people stare at me, possibly wondering about my intentions. I could shave off my beard, wear a baseball cap and not be a subject of any suspicion, but I ask myself, Why? Am I ashamed of myself, my ethnicity or my faith? Am I afraid of my fellow Americans? Did I commit a crime of some sort? Upon introspection, I've found my own answer. Tomorrow morning when I go out, I will be wearing a nice red turban, white shirt and blue pants, our national colors, walking proud as a peacock, smiling at people I love and live with in our great country. NARINDER SINGH Lenexa, Kan., Sept. 23, 2001 • Kamalla Rose Kaur's response: Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh! OH YEAH! This man has a knack for publicity! OOOoooo eeeee! Red turban, white shirt and blue pants! But hey, this is America, how about white and red striped turban, blue starred shirt and RED pants, white shoes? (Golf clubs optional!) Or wear stars and stripes pants and a red and white striped shirt with a simple navy turban? Accessorize with a dapper hanky, in the USA flag design? Yes, the opportunities for self expression and individuality are endless! REAAAAAAALLY, you Sikhs men look marrrrrvelous! Love and Light- Kamalla Rose Kaur PS - Actually, please ask the Sri Guru Granth before you try this one. And don't mention me in any of your fashion statement decisions. I ain't wearing anything red, white and blue! No way! No I have my Arabian scarf headcovering, with my Kirpan prominant on my hip, and long flowing skirts, this week. To each her or his own! I totally LOVE this BRO! Great letter! Totally! Totally! |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Sorcha Date: 25 Sep 01 - 12:41 AM Really beginning to look like religious spam, here. Remember what happened to a member formerly called Praise? Knock it off, Rose, please. |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Lepus Rex Date: 25 Sep 01 - 03:22 AM Not really, Sorcha. Since KRK posted @ 24-Sep-01 - 06:58 AM, where she wrote "Thank you for helping me through the Mudcat Protocols," etc, her posts have been pretty much on topic for this thread (other than the LSD story, heh), and not at all what I'd call "religious spam." Either pay attention, or don't click on the thread. I happen to be interested in this topic, and hope she doesn't "knock it off." ---Lepus Rex |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 25 Sep 01 - 07:06 AM News My Fellow Americans TEXT OF SPEECH BY Dr. JASBIR SINGH (KANG), YUBA CITY Sun Sep 23 My name is Jasbir Singh (Kang). I am a physician living in Yuba City for the last 10 years. I have been bestowed this honor by our mayor Mr. Dolittle to speak on what I think about being an American. Before I came here, I had read about America. President Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy were, and still are, heroes to me. I had read about America's fight against injustice and oppression. I had read about the Civil War where brothers had fought against brothers to end slavery. Fifteen years ago, I came to this land of opportunity. Drawn to this country, perhaps by its material success and wealth. But what I have found instead is priceless. I found justice and fairness. I have found human dignity. I found tolerance and love. I found generosity of spirit…a country that rewards hard work. And I found perfect freedom in this great bastion of democracy built upon the bedrock of a solid trust in God. So, how did it mesh with my own beliefs? Perfectly…because my Sikh way of life has three golden principles…hard work, sharing, and always remembering god. And my Sikh faith teaches me to fight oppression - our history is rich with sacrifices our forefathers have given their lives to protect other religions and freedom of speech. Sikhs have fought alongside the allied forces in World Wars 1 and 2. Even today, many of our children, brothers, and sisters are serving with the U.S. armed forces. Our Sikh anthem Deh Shiva Var Mohe--. Oh God, give me this one gift, that I may never refrain from doing what is right. My faith also teaches me to treat all human beings as one. It values gender equality. It respects all religions and faiths. So, as I was saying, my name is Jasbir Singh Kang. I am an American by choice, and a physician by training - my job is to save lives without judging them. Yuba City and America are my home. I have been asked to speak on what I feel about America…my home. How do you feel about your home? Of course, I love it. It is my shelter and comfort, place of joy, warmth and peace. But how do you feel about your home after someone evil with hate has just killed part of your family? You feel sadness, you feel anger, and you feel a resolve building to fight the evil that caused this. You pray for comfort through your pain. You want to hunker down and start rebuilding. And then, how do you feel when all this pain inside you, your own family members look at you with suspicion because you were adopted into the family and into this home and look a little different - you may be a little darker in complexion, or you may wear a turban on your head, or your clothes are different? Do you, would you, feel that you have been disowned? Left homeless? Your pain and sorrow knows no end. So, I say to you, fellow Americans, look into your hearts, find a place for those who look different from you, for they are your brothers and sisters too, embrace them and comfort them. They have the same blood running through their veins. They cry too when they see pictures of fireman rushing up smoke filled stairways. They grieve too for the fathers and mothers, children, spouses, brothers and sisters lost in this senseless act of violence. They are sad too at this attack on freedom. So, fellow Americans, treat everyone with love. We Sikhs have a prayer that says: Jin Prem Kio Tin he Prab Paeo Only those who love realize god. Once president Nixon said: those who hate you don't win unless you hate them - and then you destroy your self. Please don't let evil split our great nation along parochial lines, for this is not a war between religions - it is a war between good and evil, between freedom and fear. Goodness and freedom will prevail. Fellow Americans, our greatest wealth is not material wealth. It is our freedom - believe me, I know, what it is not to be free, I know the pain of being shackled. Let us not let those evil terrorists take our freedom away. I can say that all freedom loving Americans, no matter of what faith or religion, will be united in this battle - you can count on all of us. So in ending, I would use the words of my hero, Abraham Lincoln: "This nation, under god, shall have a new birth of freedom….shall not perish from the earth." God bless America, my home sweet home. Copyright ©sikhe.com |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 25 Sep 01 - 07:21 AM Dear Friends, Slowly but surely Sikhs are clawing our way into the News. But it isn't easy even with the reported incidents of violence against USA Sikhs alone is over 300 since Sept. 11. According to Alice Woldt of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, thousands of folks were out marching for solidarity with Sikhs and Muslims against Hate Crimes last Wednesday, but the papers reported it as hundreds. Love and Light - Kamalla Rose Kaur They're not Muslim, but so what if they were? By Rob Golub, Sept. 23, 2001 RACINE COUNTY -- Newsflash, America: These people are not terrorists. ....Ironically, Sikhs are a religious minority everywhere, even in their homeland -- India. Followers of the faith believe in one God and they reject India's ancient caste system. They are focused on equality, including equality for women. Sikh men wear turbans to stand out in a crowd -- don't be afraid to be a Sikh, let the world see who you are as you live a good life. They grow a long beard in deference to God. The thinking is that if God created man in his own image, man should not be going around changing it. So the beard stays. The Sikh faith actually teaches respect for other religions. It puts the Singhs and Dhaliwals in an awkward position. They'd like to let Racine County know they're not Muslims, but they don't want to deride Muslims. "Men, women, and children are all equal under God's eyes," Kanwar Singh says. "By saying we are not Muslim I do not want to say that Muslims are not good." President Bush agreed in his speech to Congress Thursday: "The terrorists practice a fringe form of Islamic extremism that has been rejected by Muslim scholars and the vast majority of Muslim clerics; a fringe movement that perverts the peaceful teachings of Islam .... the enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends." The Singhs and the Dhaliwals are doctors and they have been Racine-area friends since the early '70s. The Dhaliwals are allergists, with practices in Kenosha and Racine. Kanwar A. Singh is an ophthalmologist and his wife, Satnam, is a family practitioner. They also have practices in Racine and Kenosha. Kanwar A. Singh has spent decades in Racine County treating local eyes, reading his holy book, staying active in Rotary, and golfing. He's also a well-known Elvis Presley impersonator. That's right, he's Elvis. At St. Mary's Medical Center, Kanwar A. Singh has dressed up like Elvis to sing for charity, using his own voice. He loves to sing; he wrote to President-elect Reagan to ask if he could sing the national anthem at his first inauguration. Kanwar Singh dreamed of wearing his turban on TV, becoming the first Sikh to so publicly sing the "Star-Spangled Banner." "He really wanted to do it. He thought it would be a very cool idea for him to sing the national anthem to the whole nation," Satnam says. "He is really a good singer. He does Elvis pretty well. Some people who saw him thought there was a tape playing, that it was not him singing." His favorite Elvis song? "Teddy Bear." Looking for terrorists, America? Please, leave our Teddy Bear alone. Try Afghanistan. Rob Golub is a reporter for The Journal Times. He can be reached by phone at 631-1718 or via e-mail at: rgolub@journaltimes.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Home Page ][ Local Sports ][ Classifieds ][ About Us ] [ Health ][ Food ][ World News ][ Stocks/Market ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Click here to view The Journal Times On-line privacy policy. This entire Web site content copyright 1999-2000, The Racine Journal Times. All Rights Reserved. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Local Impact They're not Muslim, but so what if they were? Local Muslims: Our patriotism no different than yours Local Red Cross given $10,000 Phone numbers/links Daily News Author wears many identities Lt. Gov. Farrow remains bullish in trying times Former Sturtevant police chief Kittel dies Progress worth celebrating in Burlington Local Columnists Lost in Racine: An aftermath of civility Other Resources Look up Wisconsin air quality reports Downtown Racine construction schedule Johnson Building photo page updated Wisconsin road conditions/construction updates Watch the state Assembly live Reader Feedback Let us know how we're doing Frequently Asked Questions
|
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 25 Sep 01 - 07:28 AM Dear Friends, This ran in Global Sikh Daiky News today: . Vengeance offers no solution By RAMESH THAKUR Special to The Japan Times In trying to fashion a response to the tragic events of Sept. 11, the right balance must be struck between individual guilt and collective punishment, justice and order, and civil liberties and public safety. One of America's founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, noted that those who would sacrifice essential liberty in order to attain temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. President George W. Bush has declared that "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." Instead, he should say: "We will fight all who sponsor and harbor terrorists and defend all their victims." During the Cold War, Washington forged alliances of convenience with dictators who declared themselves enemies of communism, such as former President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines, former President Suharto of Indonesia and Gen. Augusto Pinochet of Chile. Will Washington make the same mistake again with unsavory regimes that happen to be frontline states against today's specific targets? Propping up dictatorships and repressive governments is a poor response to the war on freedom. There is not a single well-established democracy that is suspected of harboring or supporting international terrorists. The short-term compulsions of forging an alliance against Osama bin Laden should not undermine the task of building democratic structures of peace, tolerance and pluralism everywhere. Washington must not fall into the trap of labeling terror against America as terror against the world, while relegating terrorist attacks elsewhere to the category of local problems to be solved by the countries concerned. The network of terrorism is interconnected and overlapping, and global cooperation is not a one-way street. Osama bin Laden's evil genius has been to fuse together the fervor of religious schools, the rallying power of the call to holy war, the cult of martyrdom through suicide and the reach of modern technology. Soviet-occupied Afghanistan was the laboratory of terror in which bin Laden and a whole generation of other Islamic fighters learned their deadly trade. The U.S. romanticized the jihad against the Soviet occupiers and bankrolled, armed and glorified its theology of violence with seemingly little thought to blowback effects over time. But the U.S. was by no means alone in making this mistake. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India played with religious nationalism in the provincial politics of Punjab, stoked the flames of Sikh fundamentalism, and in the end was consumed by the fire of Sikh terrorism. Her son Rajiv Gandhi harbored Tamil terrorists from Sri Lanka and in the end was killed by Tamil suicide terrorists. Pakistan has been in danger of tearing itself apart from the inside because of armed elements espousing a variety of extremist causes. South Asian neighbors must pool resources to root out the tyranny of terrorism throughout the region, and promote inclusive justice for all groups in the aftermath. The specificity of countermeasures must be balanced against the broader underlying threat. Attacking only the symptoms of terrorism will address neither its systematic nature nor its underlying causes. Random acts of individual terrorism are often rooted in the politics of collective grievance: dehumanizing poverty, spirit-sapping inequality and injustices perpetrated against a specific group. President Bush has spoken of an "unyielding anger." Such sustaining anger is not exceptional to one people but is common to anyone who is wronged. America has been the most generous nation in the world in responding to emergencies and crises in other lands. Now that the U.S. itself has been attacked, it should be heartened by the warm and spontaneous international response. However, it should also be aware that fundamentalism of another kind has infected aspects of U.S. contemporary policy in ways that contributed to the tragedy of Sept. 11. An almost religious belief in limited government, for example, has led to the privatization of even such critical public services as airport security and resulted in poorly paid, ill-trained airport screeners. A determined drive to promote the rule of the market in international transactions has had devastating social consequences. And then there has been the stubborn opposition to institutions and instruments of global governance dealing with everything from arms control to climate change and universal justice. A global coalition to combat threats to international security, of any type, is already in place. We call it the United Nations. It did not rate a mention in the president's address to the joint session of Congress on Thursday night. An order that is worth protecting and defending must rest on the principles of justice, equity and law that are embedded in universal institutions. A global coalition formed to combat terrorism must not be restricted to punitive and retributive goals, but must instead be transformed into the larger cause of rooting security worldwide in lasting structures of cooperation. In the process, care must be taken not to turn the "clash of civilizations" into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Muslim terrorists are no more representative of the noble faith of Islam than the northern Irish terrorists (and the Rev. Jerry Falwell) are of Christianity, or the Tamil terrorists of Hinduism. Those who have resurrected the vacuous and discredited thesis of the clash of civilizations seek to hijack the antiterrorism campaign to their own hidden agendas. In the struggle to promote justice and tolerance, the religious bigots and the religious terrorists are on the same side, ranged against the defenders of freedom to foment fear. What do the zealots want? To divide the West from the Arab and Islamic world, to provoke disproportionate and cruel retaliation that will create a new generation of radicalized terrorists, to destroy the values of freedom, tolerance and the rule of law. For the sake of our common future, we must not let them succeed. We must not allow reason to be overwhelmed by grief and fear, or judgment to be drowned in shock and anger at the terrorist action. As President Bush has affirmed, we must not brand all followers of any particular faith our common enemy. The monuments to American power and prosperity were shaken to their foundations; the foundation of a civilized discourse among the family of nations must not be destroyed. Individual terrorism should not provoke mass intolerance. Some 40 percent of Black Tuesday's victims came from 80 other countries: It really was an international tragedy. They, along with the rescuers, reflect modern American society in all its glorious diversity. The best way to honor victims is to recognize our common humanity and work for peace through justice, to build a better life in a safer world, for all. Ramesh Thakur is vice rector of United Nations University in Tokyo. These are his personal views. The Japan Times: Sept. 25, 2001 (C) All rights reserved . -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS / BUSINESS / OPINION / ARTS & CULTURE / LIFE IN JAPAN / TECHNOTIMES / SPORTS / FESTIVALS / CARTOONS / SUBSCRIBE - Weekly News Roundup - Festivals in Japan Cartoons ! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Japan Times Affiliations: |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 25 Sep 01 - 07:53 AM GLOBAL SIKH DAILY NEWS from Friday April 13, 2001 The Kamalla Rose Kaur Column GURU FATEH! I seem to have more faith than anyone around me. I live among USA artists and scientists, agnostics and Universalists mostly, and they appear to have all resigned themselves to doom. Turns out that many of my friends study and track very closely the 5 subjects that the USA News media, at least, does not discuss: 1. Overpopulation 2. Over consumption 3. Biodiversity Loss 4. The coming destabilization of the climate 5. The homogenization of human cultures My more positive environmentalist scientist friends tell me that humans have about 20 years to go before irreparable damage to the Earth's ecology is a done deal. Many environmental scientists believe that it is already too late. In truth, nobody really knows when the DEAD-line is, just that it is near or already too late. In either case, most agree that human's suicidal war on trees and animals, on water and air, must be stopped, ASAP. Yet Western activists are tired and burnt-out from fighting for social justice and the environment for the last 3 or 4 decades. They feel defeated. They seem to be simply waiting now for the next nuclear plant to blow up and send radiation around the World, or for the chemicals in our food, and in the air, to turn to cancer cells. They watch the last virgin trees on Earth get cut down (Redwoods even, the oldest trees on our planet) and they watch species of animals go extinct at a rate that is blinding ("goodbye tigers, goodbye elephants"), they see kids bringing guns to school and shooting each other, and they feel absolutely HOPELESS for humanity. But, I have more faith than most of my friends and this has a lot to do with being a Sikh. "Sure fighting sexism and racism and fighting for clean air and to slow down the destruction of our forests, and working on behalf of animal's rights to live on Earth too, and battling child abuse, has been tough going here in the USA but you folks should consider the Sikhs! Sikhs have had a much more intense history than the likes of us and have pulled off so many amazing, inspiring, VICTORIES!" Of course, I can also see that most Sikhs too feel hopeless of ever achieving justice and peace on Earth. We have deep corruption and so much horrible trauma to heal from. And Sikhs have been passionate social activists, generation after generation, so, of course, we are burnt out too. Sikhs have fought so hard and so bravely for very good causes. Sikhs deserve to be sad and depressed and angry. We all deserve to be sad and depressed and angry. The "good guys" don't seem to be winning- within Sikhi or anywhere else. But, given that I already confessed that hope springs eternal in my heart, just for discussion's sake, what would it take to turn things around? First and foremost, I feel that it would take a wave of FAITH rising and flowing around this World, among all peoples, sourcing a tremendously inspiring grassroots movement! For instance, watching Sikhs rise up in a wave of gratitude for Sikh women and for women everywhere, mandating Sikh women into equal authority with Sikh men in all our institutions - all in one big SWOOSH, with the World watching - might be the very trick! Sikhs already know that we have to establish women's equality within Sikhi any day now, because Guru Nanak did. We need Sikh Women's Studies/History and we need to take the inaccurate and misleading sexist language out of all our Gurbani translations, quickly. Thankfully Sikhs are great students and scholars and racism and sexism are among the most studied subjects on Earth! We will have lots of opportunities to give praise and thanks to all the research and scholarship that has paved our way and accept HELP (yes, its a test men!) from all sorts of good hearted people and organizations who can assist us in empowering Sikh women quickly. Many many people will want to help, if only Sikhs can give the World a booster shot of HOPE. Who else BUT Sikhs are as likely to rise up and do crazy/wonderful acts of righteousness? And what better and faster way to dismantle Patriarchy than by quickly empowering women? Remember, the Women's Movement has been huge and successful, but men, overall, haven't been that charming about giving up the Baboon Troop mentality - the urge to be King, Guru, CEO, Boss, Alpha Male and LORD. In truth, NEVER has a large male population actively jumped in to HELP women into equal leadership and power. And, trust me, women around the planet are upset with men about this too. Women feel men are not nearly ROMANTIC enough. USA women speak about the "myth of heterosexuality". Where are the men who love women and want to please women, more than they want to show off to other men? The FBI, under J Edgar Hoover (a very kinky fellow), infiltrated the USA Women's Movement with a huge supply of "informants". Only problem was that the FBI couldn't find any "leaders" within the Women's Movement. Women don't set up authoritarian hierarchies. Clever, don't you agree? (Read "The World Split Apart" by Ruth Rosen). In a true grassroots movement, we hold ourselves individually responsible and we make our own decisions. I follow my own heart and have my own relationship with the Divine. And I don't expect every other person, much less every religion, to be guided in exactly the same way that I am guided. As a Sikh I can ask the Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, anything at anytime and get my own PERSONAL advice and guidance from the Guru. And when I know something is the right thing for me to do, I can simply do it. It is an intimate thing, between me and my heart's Sat Guru, me and my GOD. In light of this, I truly believe that Sikhs don't need better leaders to follow; we need a mass of better followers to lead! Yes, I mean you! And how do you know you are doing your purpose and Divine calling? Easy. When you are following your HEART, surrendered to Divine Will, (rather than merely observing convention, going for ego-gratification, and/or fulfilling other's expectations of you) you will be filled with creativity, passion and love. Which isn't to say that you won't have lots of challenges- you will. After all, there is a lot of work to be done and cleaning up long-standing messes is a big part of our job on Earth at this time, both physically and emotionally. We will all have some grunt labor to do as Seva- BUT, for the most part, GOD wants our top resume skills applied to Her/His service, NOT our drudgery. Is a Worldwide grassroots movement possible? Yes. I am a dreamer. But I am, certainly, not the only one! Someday the Whole World will join us dreamers, yet I think it is far more likely to happen if we ask for more FAITH and we spread the Universalist FAITH that Sikhi and our personal relationship with the Cosmos blesses us with, free from proselytizing! And yes, a major Sikh uprising, honoring and appreciating Sikh women and the whole World Sisterhood, feels to me like a very positive, possible, and powerful demonstration of Khalsa values and courage. It seems timely too. Why not go ask the Sri Guru Granth yourself? I believe that Sikhs understand about grassroots movements. World transformation happens one heart at a time. This or something better, vaheguru! May LOVE be the Victory. Guru Fateh! Guru Fateh! Copyright ©2001 sikhe.com |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 25 Sep 01 - 08:34 AM THANKS MUDCAT CAFE that is my SPAM for this morning! -KRK
Subj: USA Polls - O like right! Date: 9/25/2001 5:33:36 AM Pacific Daylight Time From: Roselotus To: membersupport@sikhe.com To: learning-zone@yahoogroups.com To: shirleyo@cc.wwu.edu To: SikhCyberSangat@yahoogroups.com To: sikhyouth@yahoogroups.com To: khalsapride@yahoogroups.com Beloveds of Nanak, I noticed that Global Sikh Daily News Online ran a blurp about USA polls saying a huge majority of USAs all support Bush. Hogwash! Since when can you trust USA polls? The majority of USAers voted against Bush last election - remember? Sure if someone asks me directly I am going to start spouting "Down with terrorism!". You think I am crazy enough to say something different in this political climate? And anyway, I AM against terrorism...that is the point. If they want to distort that to mean I am backing Bush then let them. Clearly, USA Press is censored which is why Sikhs get so little coverage. Give USAers an alternative and then ask them to vote. Right now USAers are being given only ONE choice by Bush as is the rest of the World: "You are either with us, or agin us!" USAers know that the CIA is evil. The Shah of Iran, crack brought into our minority communities, the whole Iran/Contra thang, the Drug War/Drug Traffickingt, he situation in Central America.....trust me please, many USAers have been tracking these stories for years. Hold faith. Sikhs believe everything we read in the Newspaper? Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho! That is good one! Love and Light- Kamalla Rose Kaur
|
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 25 Sep 01 - 09:53 PM Guru Piari Sadh Sangat Ji, Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh Deshdeepak Singh has very nicely reviewed the purpose of Khalsa in this universe. Clearly we are supposed to be protectors of the helpless and we have to be strong and not hide though it is going to be rough ride. The Khalsa will use this opportunity to shine and show what true living is to the rest of the world. Those who are preparing to take their amrit are coming forward ( Rose Kaur and Kulpreet Singh are displaying how the Sikhs rise and accept the challenges during difficult times) and are the brave Khalsa. As some have already mentioned in their e-mails the Khalsa must cease the moment and get into the media show Chardi kala and share Sri Guru Granth Sahib with the world. Kirtan in parks is a good idea and the golak can go to charities. Lets hope there is no war but if it is to happen then there is an opportunity to form a world-wide Khalsa regiment consisting of Sikh recruits from all countries, this will be a step closer to Khalsa presence in the UN forces. Bhai Ghaniya served humanity during Sikh battles, we need to follow his example and send aid to the hungry now and get ready for any war casualities though we should be speaking against wars. Guru Gobind Singh Ji's arrowheads were made of gold so that the family left behind would have some financial support. Is anyone going to care for the orphans of wars? The Khalsa should be helping the hungry in Afghanistan along with the Red Cross and the UN etc and not be afraid. Forcing countries to chose between war and trade is hardly democratic. Lastly, I like the idea of Misls. Misl-USA is good, we here in the UK also have a Surbut-Khalsa Misl-UK. I hope other countries will also start a Khalsa Misl movement to serve the world so that under the Khalsa protection all will be without pain. Gurfateh, Satnam Kaur Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2001 9:01 PM Subject: [SikhCyberSangat] Long-term Strategy for Sikh-Americans! > Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa > Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! > > Khalsa Ji, > > Do not trade the honor and dignity of the Sikh Panth for the preservation of > our worthless bodies! > > Now is not the time to focus on our own persecution but to serve and carry > the burdens of our fellow humans! > > Sikhs are not victims, Sikhs are heroes, they rise up to the challenges of > the their times and are willing to give everything in Waheguru's name to > serve Akal Purakh and all its creation! > > Now is the time for heroic deeds - Subh Karman. Like our ancestors did, it > is now time for us to write our own page in the Ardas! > > |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: Kamalla Rose Kaur Date: 25 Sep 01 - 11:40 PM GLOBAL SIKH DAILY NEWS The Kamalla Rose Kaur Column God Help Your Artists Kamalla Rose Kaur Thu Jul 26 It is hard to be born onto a planet that persecutes artists. Artists cause trouble. Artists instigate reform. The songs of social change lead awareness, lead consciousness; and the writings and graphics too. Thus artists are dangerous and we get slandered all the time. People like to think of artists as wanton and morally loose. Parents fear that their children will become artists, thus doomed to be failures and eternal social embarrassments to the family. Yet what is humanity without art? How can you drop everything and follow, if you never hear the song? The truth is that like other persecuted people artists in this world suffer greatly from all the social problems associated with poverty and shunning. Yet, how are we going to achieve transformation of consciousness on this planet if we keep punishing artists; keep pretending that artists aren't as important as, engineers are? The powers of darkness are afraid of artists. Artists are uncontrollable and artists wield huge power. Artists impact people right at the core. Artists are persecuted for a reason; never forget this. Like droids of the system, the fearful masses, pull away from their most enlightened artists and buy only the dark arts. Be proud to be an artist and stop letting people treat your work like it is worthless. Stop accepting social shunning and slander and help remind the world of how important ART is. Where I live there are bumper stickers that say: ART SAVES LIVES. You can't choose whether you are an artist or not. So how do you know if you are an artist? Do you feel jealous of artists? Did you always want to dance, or be on stage? Are you a good storyteller, does writing write you, more than you write it? Do you go into deep and darkest depression when you stop doing your art? Are you crazy enough to BE an artist even if it means going hungry, and being a social outcaste? These are the kinds of questions that artist's lives generate. These are the sorts of questions that haunt you, if you are indeed an artist. Beloved ONE, help Your artists please! Empower and prosper Your artists. Beyond this, may all Your devotees find true purpose and be given all the resources and opportunities they need to make their best dreams come true! My Sri Guru Granth, my special friend, my guide and teacher, great artist, poet and songwriter, says: "Fortunate ones, listen to this joyful song, all our wishes will be fulfilled, we obtain the Transcendent, all grief and sorrow are left behind. Suffering, sickness and fever depart, when we hear the Revelation. Through the Guide within, the pious win understanding, they are in bliss. They who hear are pure, they who recite are pure, for they are suffused with their own formless True Sri Guru; Nanak says, they who sit at the GOD Within's feet ring with unstruck melody" - From Rahiraas Copyright ©2001 sikhe.com |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: GUEST,Kirpal Singh Date: 25 Sep 01 - 11:42 PM Dear Kamalla & UUs everywhere,please accept "THANKS" from grateful Sikh people from all over this World to help Sikhs with your participation,encouragement,guidance & protection during these critical times in America & other countries by standing with them. You have helped to explain the world about distinct message of coexistence & notforced conversion preached by Guru Nanak & his 9 successors. Sikhism believes in gender equality & welfare of all Sikh & non Sikh people equally.More info. can also be found at www.sikhs.org |
|
Subject: RE: KRK ON BEHALF OF THE SIKHS From: GUEST,Simarjit Kaur Date: 01 Oct 01 - 07:56 AM Kamalla Rose Kaur has given so many eloquent words about the Sikhs. We have to stop the terrorising of innocent coloured people in the US and Europe, since the 'backlash' has begun since the terrible day on September 11th. It has given a chance for racism to rear its ugly head, and for civil rights progress to go down the pan. We are trying to campaign the media- please do so with your local and national papers, as they seem to overlook the tragedy of 'backlash' putting thousands of innocent people in danger. |
| Share Thread: |