Alert To Gurudwaras – Be Vigilant

File Photo: Oak Creek Gurdwara

NEW YORK—Following the attack on a masjid in Quebec, security has been beefed up at Muslim places of worship across Canada and United States.  Gurdwaras across the Continent have too been appealed to remain vigilant.  United Sikhs, a Sikh advocacy group based out of New York in a press release on January 31 also urged Sikh worshippers across the nation to be on high alert.
 
“Given the current climate of our country, and other parts of the world, we advise Gurdwaras to step up their security measures, especially following Sunday’s deadly mosque attack in Quebec, ” Gurvinder Singh, Director for the United Sikh said.
 
“Since the 9/11 attacks, Sikhs have often been harassed and/or victimized by people who mistakenly perceive them as an accessible proxy for the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks. The result of which is that turbaned Sikhs in America and Canada have been victims of racial violence and have had their identity challenged by calls for immigrant groups to assimilate into Western societies,” said United Sikhs.
 
“The anti-immigrant and anti-foreigner political rhetoric, combined with this week’s terrorist attack in Canada have many living in fear of additional hate crimes and other attacks.”

On August 5, 2012, a deadly shooting in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek left six Sikhs left when a white supremacist opened fire at the local Gurdwara there.  A police officer Lieutenant Brian Murphy, was seriously hurt before he took down the armed gunman.  The attack was the deadliest against the US Sikh community, but it was not the first or the last.  Sikhs have been targeted physically post the 9/11 attacks.  Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh from Mesa, AZ, was gunned down shortly after 9/11 when a racist targeted him for his physical appearance.

United Sikhs has appealed to Sikhs across US and Canada to report anything suspicious.  “If you see something, say something. If you suspect something suspicious call 911,” Singh added.
 
United Sikhs offers ‘Emergency Preparedness’ workshop for Gurdwaras and community centers. These workshops focus on basic training on active shooter situations, emergency preparedness for the vulnerable members of the Sikh community and guidance on how to develop and maintain an emergency action plan for the Gurdwaras.
 
In the past, UNITED SIKHS has collaborated with the US Department of Homeland Security to conduct similar trainings in the New Jersey.   “To bring these workshops to your Gurdwaras please reach out to us at [email protected],” the press release stated.

22 COMMENTS

  1. All Gurudwara’s need an armed Sikh on duty 24 hours, preferably five. Is it not the duty of Sikhs to protect their Guru? Security cameras should be installed immediately at all Sikh institutions.

  2. Western Sikhs in harm …. what about Sikhs in India which RSS lead government together with Badals harassing its own citizens. Definitely you need help!!! Keep coming back for more but learnt nothing RSS agent!

    • Four events of

      1) Sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib
      2) Targeted Killings
      3) Coup Sarbatt Khalsa
      4) IED in Bhatinda

      is an EMPIRE sponsored programme to have a “REGIME CHANGE ” in Punjab .
      From an secular Akali -BJP government to a THEOCRATIC govt in Punjab.

      • Don’t Pick up arms
        Any rebellion in the realm of Empire of which India is a part will be dealt like this
        1) Individual are vaporized
        2) Groups of people are subjected to a controlled genocide.
        3) If Nation rebels then it will be dismantled
        The realm of Empire now exists over the whole planet Earth .

  3. God is in charge-before, then and now and for the future. We need to abide by gurbani principles. Whatever happened with our Guru’s is a lesson for us to learn not to deviate from the path of Waheguru – as waheguru only is in charge.Our Gurus unfolded the future happenings by showing us how to overcome and live through these times, similar to those then,

  4. We should be competent to survive a
    1) Nuclear Holocaust
    2) Meteor strike
    3) Burning of Earth
    4) Switching of all stars in Universe.

    Miles to go before we sleep.

    • Harish, you really need to see a psychologist / psychiatrist. I am not even joking. Take along your posts from this website (and those of your alter ego Rajagopi – save some money on split personality) and you will get proper diagnosis for your mental ailment and necessary treatment. I am not joking, you are displaying symptoms of mania and schizophrenia.

      • Yes ,you are only good for discussing RSS .
        Your whole life revolves around RSS .
        You have no answer for same major catastrophes that the community will face in the future .
        I guess you need to EXPAND your horizon and see a world beyond RSS.

      • I will make you a deal, Harish. You stop insinuating any mention of the RSS and its ‘virtues’ on this website and I will not talk of those degenerates again because I won’t have to refute your rosy propaganda. But you will still need to visit psychiatrist as you are having delusions of meglomaniac grandeur thinking you want to survive a 1) Nuclear Holocaust (why not avoid the holocaust in the first place is normal person’s thinking) 2) Meteor strike (a mass extinction event that is so remote 3) Burning of Earth? (not even sure what this means unless you are trying to stop cremations at Varansi? and finally 4) Switching of all stars in Universe. (utterly bizarre and not normal thinking). These things concern you rather than eliminating poverty in the world, bringing peace to different peoples, ensuring justice is done to victims of human rights abuses and crimes against humanity, mass educating the poor and disadvantaged and protecting the human rights and civil liberties of the most vulnerable in society.

      • Burning of Earth means that in 5 billion years once the our Sun becomes a red giant it will gobble up the EARTH.
        We will have a fiery death in case we are still stuck on this planet EARTH.

      • Because no one person control the NUKES .
        Based on your Judgement you may survive a Nuclear Holocaust
        If you are going to be long on this Planet Earth let me tell you are

        DOOMED

        The right thing for us to be is a “EXPLORER OF UNIVERSE” which is infinite.

  5. Morphological or ideological sembelance like fanaticsm , ghettoism to mid easterner will put the Western Sikhs in harms way.
    They need to live like one big happy family in there new adopted Nations.

    • Mr Harinder, More sikhs have been harassed,killed, put in jails for ever without trial,sacred books dishonoured in India. At least if something happens to sikhs in the western world the culprits are dealt legally, Where as in India culprits of genocide like Sajjan Kumar are given security by the Govt. Sikhs are lot more safer in the western world than in their home country.

      • You are wrong.
        Indian Sikhs are PM,chiefs of defence forces ,chief justices.
        1980-90 genocide and blue star was a poor understanding of world politics by our inward looking leaders.
        They can’t see beyond Mughal and British part of our history.
        The regime of 1980-90 planned to De Sikhify India to sit on its throne.

      • Mr. harinder you don’t become sikh by dress code or by name. Sikhi is shown by the actions and deeds of the person.

      • Mr Narang no one can define a SIKH .It is impossible task.
        They come in all shades,shapes and thoughts.
        Sikhs can be defined by

        1) Country Specific American ,British ,Italian ,Indian ,Canadian,French etc etc
        2) Shades of Various Akalis Dals from Mann to Badals to Delhi SGPC
        3) Sehjdhari to Amritdhari

        No one action or deed can be a signature of a SIKH.
        Please respect different shades of SIKHS.
        4)

      • Mr harinder sikhs are defined by who follows the code set up by 10 Guru’s and Guru Granth Sahib ji, whose actions and deeds are as directed by Guru granth sahibs teachings, No nationality is involved. By this definition Badal’s cannot be called sikhs.

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