A Timeline of Hate Crimes Against the Sikh Community

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As we remember the lives lost of loved ones during the 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001, I found it fitting to write about the after attacks on dozens of Sikhs in America and the lives lost due to hate crimes against minorities. 


On the 18thanniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the United Sikhs Organization released a timeline illustrating all the hate crimes and targeted assaults against the Sikh community. The timeline detailed more than 40 attacks against the minorities, with the latest attack occurring a few weeks ago in Tracy, California. 

Around the end of August, 64 year old Paramjit Singh was taking a nighttime stroll when he was brutally stabbed in the park. Unfortunately, Mr. Singh passed away due to the stabbing. Although, the police have not concluded an exact reason for this attack, the people are asking for a hate crime charge to be applied once the killer is caught. There was even a surveillance video received of man running in the park around the time of the attack. 

Moreover, there had been two more attacks on the Sikh community last year. In August of 2018, a 71 year old man was beat up by two teenagers. Whereas, in July of 2018, another Sikh man was helping the community put up campaign signs when he was beat by two men. Those men also spray painted a neo-Nazi symbol on the Sikh man’s truck. 

Every year we all mourn for the lives lost in the 9/11 attack, and we understand the brutality and horror that our nation witnessed. But have we really created a society that requires us to inflict pain on others just to cope with a great loss? Are we that inconsiderate and arrogant that we cannot see the difference between people of color? Or are we so weak that we look for a scapegoat to blame for all of our pain? 

Alas, here’s the timeline created by the organization: 
TIMELINE OF ATTACKS AGAINST SIKH COMMUNITY

Sept. 15, 2001 — Mesa, AZ 
Four days after the attacks of 9/11, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a 49-year-old Sikh, is shot and killed outside the gas station he owned. 

Nov. 18, 2001 — Palermo, NY 
Three teens burn down Gurdwara Gobind Sadan because they thought it was named for Osama bin Laden. 

Dec. 12, 2001 — Los Angeles, CA 
Surinder Singh Sidhi, a shop owner, is beaten in his store by two men who accuse him of being Osama bin Laden. 

Aug. 6, 2002 — Daly City, CA 
Sukhpal Singh, brother of Balbir Singh Sodhi, who was the first Sikh murdered following 9/11, is shot while driving his cab. 

May 20, 2003 — Phoenix, AZ 
Sikh immigrant and truck driver Avtar Singh is shot while waiting for his son to pick him up. As he is being shot, he hears someone say: “Go back to where you belong.” 

Aug. 5, 2003 — Queens, NY 
Members of a Sikh family are beaten outside of their home by drunk individuals yelling, “Go back to your country, Bin Laden.” 

Sept. 25, 2003 — Tempe, AZ
Sukhvir Singh, a 33-year-old convenience store owner, is stabbed to death. It is not labeled as a hate crime. 

March 13, 2004 — Fresno, CA 
Gurdwara Sahib, a local Sikh temple, is vandalized with graffiti messages: “Rags Go Home” and “It’s Not Your Country.

July 11, 2004 — New York, NY 
Rajinder Singh Khalsa and Gurcharan Singh are beaten by two drunk white men. Rajinder is beaten unconscious and suffers a fractured eye socket, among other injuries. 

May 24, 2007 — Queens, NY 
A 15-year-old Sikh student has his hair forcibly cut by an older student at his high school.

For the entire article, go to: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/united-sikhs-release-timeline-attacks-035145580.html

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