Thursday, August 16, 2012

Birmingham unites at Sikh Temple to remember Wisconsin shooting victims

By Kusum Singh

Birmingham, AL -- It was a victory for all Sikhs Sunday morning as hundreds of citizens and leaders of all faiths descended on the Sikh temple in Birmingham, Alabama to remember the victims of Wisconsin shooting and show their solidarity with the Sikh community in standing against hate and discrimination.

Most were there for the first time, joining beautiful prayer services, covering their heads, and sitting Indian style.

US attorney Joyce Vance spoke, “It’s not merely a Sikh tragedy. It’s an American tragedy. Yet as I look around this room, I see good coming from this tragedy. I see many people who have perhaps never visited this temple before. And I see friends from the Muslim community, from the Jewish community, and I see Christians and Sikhs, all people, all Americans coming together. Sikh Temple Alabama Because one of the most important things about the American tradition is that, we are a melting pot of the people. And that’s our strength. And that’s the beauty of our communities… As our community expands, we expand our understanding of the richness and the depth of the beauty that the variety of the culture that has become Birmingham and the surrounding cities give to all of us.”

Bessemer’s Police Chief, Nathaniel Rutledge Jr., similarly emphasized that “This is a crime against all Americans. In fact, this is a crime against humanity. One of the greatest and most amenable rights that we have is to serve and worship where we please. We should be able to do that without conflict with others.”

Next to speak was ACLU Alabama’s President Anil Mujumdar, who said: “One of the most important civil liberties we all enjoy, may be the thing that makes us fundamentally American, is the freedom of religion, specifically the free exercise of religion. One of the most tragic things about what occurred last Sunday was that it occurred at the place of worship … I hope it opens a dialogue, a discussion and a respect for all the places that exist here in US.”

Ashfaq Taufique, President of Islamic Society of Birmingham, added that, “[We should] resolve that we’ll not let hate conquer us. Let’s resolve that it’ll not take tragedies like this to bring us together. Let us all stand together in solidarity.”

Birmingham Sikh Temple (Gurudwara) president Nirmal Singh Gill, Temple secretary Daler Singh and Temple priest Amrik Singh were chief organizers of the event.

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