In response to the violence at Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lubana in Queens, New York, Mr. Hansdeep Singh has written a letter on behalf of United Sikhs. Read below an excerpt from the letter, which is followed by a link to the full text.
“As New York is getting ready to celebrate the Sikh Day Parade (Vaisakhi) this Saturday to commemorate the 312th anniversary of the Birth of the Khalsa, we are deeply wounded by the actions of a small group of people who have desecrated this sacred space and the identity bestowed upon them by their Gurus (Prophets).
UNITED SIKHS and the entire international Sikh community condemn in the strongest possible way the violence that occurred at Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lubana. Although unfair, as a visible minority community, the action of a few always leaves a larger stain on the entire Sikh community, a community that has struggled to fight misperceptions about our faith and beliefs. Yet, that is our burden to carry, as our Gurus recognized that our visible identity would always make us accountable for our own actions, but also, the actions of our misguided brothers and sisters. ”
To read Mr. Hansdeep Singh’s letter in its entirety: Letter from United Sikhs
ICNY supports our friends at United Sikhs as we both work to promote non-violence.
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