NEW YORK, USA—Sikhs organizations today expressed solidarity with the victims of multiple mass shootings that shook the country over the weekend, while also remembering the victims of the tragic shooting that claimed the lives of six people at the Sikh Gurdwara (place of worship) of Wisconsin in Oak Creek exactly seven years ago.
Two mass shootings occurred in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio within 13 hours between Saturday, Aug. 3 and Sunday, Aug. 4. On Saturday morning, police said a shooter opened fire at Walmart in El Paso, Texas, killing 20 and injuring 26. Federal authorities are investigating the shooting as a case of domestic terrorism and hate crime, as the shooter allegedly posted a racist, anti-immigrant document prior to carrying out the heinous attack.
Early Sunday morning, a masked gunman in body armor opened fire in a popular entertainment district in Dayton, Ohio, killing nine people, including his sister, and wounding dozens before he was quickly slain by police, officials said.
Sunday also marked one week since a gunman opened fire at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California, killing three people and injuring 13 others.
UNITED SIKHS today shared its condolences for the victims and families affected by the recent string of mass shootings across America. As an international advocate for human rights, the global nonprofit called upon upon Congress and the Trump administration to introduce legislation that would require mandatory mental health screening for firearm ownership and strict penalties for online hate groups.
“We are deeply saddened by the recent string of shootings that claimed the lives of dozens of innocent Americans,” said Jagdeep Singh, UNITED SIKHS CEO. “Seven years ago today, the global Sikh community mourned the loss of six Sikhs who were the target of a hateful, racist attack. Sadly, we are still seeing incidents of gun violence and hate crimes reported throughout the country at an alarming rate, mounting to a humanitarian crisis that cannot be ignored. We call upon Congress and the White House to pass stronger gun safety measures and internet use laws, as we have seen the recent proliferation of online hate groups that support militant attacks against minorities.
“At a time when documented hate crimes against minority communities continue to be on the rise in the United States and around the world, UNITED SIKHS are leaders in the fight against incidents of hate, bias, discrimination and intolerance,” said Ruben Singh Gill, UNITED SIKHS Operations Manager. “In light of such tragic loss of human life fueled by racist attacks, it is more important than ever to come together as a country and demand justice for victims in the form of better mental health assistance as well as stronger gun ownership and internet usage laws. We must ensure stronger penalties against perpetrators of these senseless killings and the hate groups that spur them.”
Anjleen Kaur, Executive Director of the National Sikh Campaign said, “The Sikh American community is deeply saddened by the shooting in El Paso, Texas. As Sikhs, our central belief in our faith is that in the eyes of God all people, regardless of their race or gender, are equal and as Americans our founders declared in our founding documents that “all men are created equal”. We are disturbed by the rise in ideologies in our country that are fundamentally contrary to the core values of our nation and our faith. We pray for the victims and their families in El Paso and also in Dayton, Ohio.”
SALDEF shared the following statement –
“To pay respect to the six courageous men and women lost in the Oak Creek attack, SALDEF requests you to spread awareness about the history and significance of the Sikh religion. Sharing about who Sikhs are with your local communities will help combat hateful comments and attacks. Also, please write to your representatives to encourage them to create legislation that recognizes the Sikh community and expands our right to publicly follow our religion. Additional ways to spread awareness and bring our community together include working with SALDEF to host a Know Your Rights seminar at your local Gurdwara or a Law Enforcement Partnership Program (LEPP) at your local police station.”
