The Sunday morning that left seven dead, including the shooter, is reaching communities far beyond Oak Creek, Wis.
According to police, three bodies were found outside the temple in Oak Creek and four were inside the building. At least three others were injured, including the first police officer who responded to the incident.
Sikh communities around the country, including the in Renton, were touched by Sunday's violence, .
“Our prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives in this senseless shooting,” said Paramjit Singh of Gurudwara Singh Sabha of Washington. “We are grateful for the bravery of the police officers that responded and prevented this from becoming an even bigger tragedy.”
"We're feeling really sad right now because of the shooting," , one of the directors at the Sikh Gurdwara Temple in San Jose, the largest in North America. "It's tragic it happened in a religious place. We condemn all shootings, including the one in Colorado. We're peace loving people and we live in harmony with other communities."
And in Iowa, thoughtfully on the shootings: "I won't fight it," said Jeevanjot Singh. "I won't get angry. I'll just pray that it won't happen again."
The temple in Renton serves about 25,000 Sikhs, according to its website.
Singh said racial profiling in the form of violent hate crimes, employment discrimination, school bullying and even secondary screenings at the airports faced by Sikhs, Muslims and other communities that appear Middle Eastern are a daily reminder of the climate of xenophobia in America.
“This incident highlights the post 9/11 climate and must be used as an opportunity to have a broader dialogue on religious pluralism in America,” Singh said. “We need a national dialogue to dispel the ignorance that causes some communities to be targeted and feel like second-class citizens in their own country.”
Patch also reached out to the Gurudwara Sikh Centre of Seattle based in Bothell, but it was not available for comments on Sunday.
If you're looking for information resources on the Sikh community, the Wing Luke Asian Museum in Seattle hosted a special exhibition in 2005-2006 on the 100-plus-year history of Sikhs in the Pacific Northwest.
We ask you, Patch readers, when something violent happens such as this shooting or the recent movie theater shootings in Colorado, how do you talk about it with your family? Do you let your children watch news coverage on TV or online? Do you discuss what might have caused it, safety issues, or communities that might be different than your own? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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The Sikhs I have known embrace mankind and peace. This senseless tragedy diminishes all of us. My condolences go out to the families of victims, as well as to the community.
Irene Potter
Some people are too small-minded to separate the religion from those using it as a rallying banner for violence, and this isn't helped by the complicit silence of other Muslims, failing to denounce these jihads. But that doesn't make an attack against a large group of Muslims intrinsically "religious" intolerance. Don't respond to the shooter's ignorance and profiling with your own; see past that to the motives and it may be that he considered it a cultural or even defensive battle, with no knowledge of religion. Given that he picked on the wrong religion entirely, that seems more likely.
- Timothy McVeigh & Terry Nichols: Killed 169, Injured over 680 (they were right-wing conspiracy nuts) - Anders Behring Breivik of Norway: Killed 69, Injured an additional 110 (he was a right-wing islamophobe) - Jared Lee Loughner: Killed 6, Injured 12 (he spouted right-wing platitudes) Then you have the Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold, and James Eagan Holmes who just simply have mental issues. Maybe its time for me to be "culturally defensive" against white, anglo-saxon men!?! I don't buy your line of reasoning and chalk it up to plain old religious intolerance/bigotry or xenophobia. In fact, I'm worried about comments you make like "that doesn't make an attack against a large group of Muslims intrinsically 'religious' intolerance" and "considered it a cultural or even defensive battle". That you seem to think that there are occasions where a "cultural" or "defensive" battle against Muslims is okay is worrisome. That line of thinking is what lead to this massacre. I pray that you aren't the next assailant.
1. You respond to my short list of specifically Muslim terrorism with one of random killings united under your view of "right wing platitudes". Which is right there a term without a definition. Jared was under psych care, McVeigh was a self-proclaimed agnostic. Is "right wing" a religion now? 2. You ignore the disproportion. I didn't mention 9/11, Fort Hood, the near constant bombings in the Middle East. Look at the FBI terrorism overview (http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications); the majority of ALL terrorism in the U.S. is Muslim based. Do you then say the investigators must have been religiously intolerant xenophobes? 3. You also skipped over the "perception" bit. Quick, name, oh, 10 acts of U.S. terrorism in the last 20 years perpetrated by observant Lutherans or Jews. Oh, but in your book, pointing out Muslim terrorism in the name of Allah as religious is intolerant? 4. And then you attack me... if you as a leftist don't like what someone said, accuse them of prejudice. Which doesn't really win you debates. Yes, they stop, but not because your ideas made any points. More because that false invective you spray is unpleasant. Murder is wrong. A "culture war" isn't. It's scary that you don't consider it your duty to fight a culture supportive of rape, honor killings, subjugation of women, etc. I do pray you never become a member of any thought police!
Wow! I had no idea worldwide religious "tension" could be resolved so easily... Damn those Americans...
Let's try taking out the invective. Take CoreyAnn's point... I'm guessing since she made a hash of it in lack of proportion and use of labels, but I think she meant... "Terrorism isn't just the resort of Muslims" And then, consequentially (if fallacially), ... "Attacking a religious group is religious intolerance". Had she actually said that, it could have been discussed. But she did the equivalent of invoking "Hitler" and immediately lost by virtue of Godwin's law. I'm trying to understand your initial point, but Americans are far more diverse than, say, Persians. The country neither launches nor supports the concept of Jihad. 20% claim no religion. According to both the Millennium Study and Gallop, only 40% of Americans claim to go to weekly worshiper, and only about 23% actually do. Hardly the profile of a zealous nation. So what precisely was your point, in the context of Iran pledging to destroy all infidels, the context of Saudi Arabia claiming that even tourists bringing a bible, crucifix, Torah, in risk confiscation? If we're zealous while being the most tolerant, who's left?
The worst percentage loss for the U.S. was the Civil War. Was this religious? Perhaps the most destructive uprising for civilization was the French Revolution, which at most would be described as anti-religious (and anti-establishment and anti-everything else.) What religion foisted this upon Europe? So no, it isn't clear that the problem is "all" religions. It may be ignorance. Let's try to stamp that out, starting with correcting your assumption. ;)
We have freedom of speech, and respect that. What I mind confusing is the Topic is X in simple English about Killing innocent people, lets forget about Religion for discussion purpose. So my question is ... Are we actually have a discussion about the Topic at all? I can add - I know we will come out of it more stronger, because now we (SIKHS) have got attention from "ALL AMERICANS". I can only say, I will stronger that my son will be following me in keeping the religion faith that my Dad gave to me. Which I am very proud of. My head is high with pride, that the President of this great country ordered the Flag be flown at half-staff http://www.sikhnn.com/headlines/1906/president-orders-flag-half-staff This can only happen in this great country. And I am proud to a American-SIKH citizen and so is my son and my wife. Thank you for allowing me to live the American dream with my hard work and hopefully I can make a difference to return this to my community in USA.
In general the acts of terrorism are not only a result of religious intolerance, they are the actions of disturbed individuals who feel strongly about their beliefs and are not mentally or emotionally capable of a peaceful argument. There are numerous factors involved, and to say it is only a result of religious intolerance unjustly simplifies the argument.
Gurinder's point of view is the most poignant, and the one we all should take away from these comments.
I am not religious but I fully believe in, "Do unto other as you would have done unto you."
Thanks for sharing the info, it is good to know people care. I wanted to share this great write up which describes "Sikhs" in plain and simple English, do read it perhaps it will give a better understanding of what / who we are. http://princeofpunjab.blogspot.com/2012/08/dear-wade-michael-page.html?m=1 Thanks and good night all.