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When a Sikh man or woman dons a turban, the turban ceases to be just a piece of cloth and becomes one and the same with the Sikh's head. The turban as well as the other articles of faith worn by Sikhs have an immense spiritual as well as temporal significance. The symbolisms of wearing a turban are many from it being regarded as a symbol of sovereignty, dedication, self-respect, courage and piety but the reason all practicing Sikhs wear the turban is just one - out of love and obedience of the wishes of the founders of their faith.
The turban's importance can be found in just about every culture and religion, starting with the ancient Babylonians to western religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as eastern traditions. The Old Testament proclaims, Once they enter the gates of the court, implying God's court, "they are to wear linen vestments. They shall wear linen turban."
Hindus also remain the target of vandalism and harassment. This is not so much because of their religious affiliation, which enforces ideals of equality, but simply because of racism. Hindus are often mistaken for Arabs, which, in the minds of many Americans, are equated with extremist Muslim terrorists. This is not solely due to a lack of information, but to an abundance of misinformation and paranoia propagated by the media. Indeed, when a picture of an Arab individual flashes on the evening news, more times than not the corresponding story is that of a "suspected" terrorist plot.
On November 27, 2003 Metro West reported that an Ashland, Massachusetts teenager defaced a Hindu temple in Ashland on Halloween. Anthony Picciolo, 17, was convicted of spray painting hate messages. Police said Piccioli spray painted 'Sand N------ beware,' and 'head,' on a rock near the Hindu temple. Police said 'head' was short for 'towel head.' On June 25, 2003 in Boston, an Indian graduate student named Saurabh Bhalerao, who was working part time as a pizza deliveryman, was the target of deplorable abuse. He was robbed, beaten, burned with cigarettes, stuffed in a trunk and stabbed twice before finally being dumped along a road. Police suspect that the attackers mistook the Hindu man for a Muslim. As they were beating him, the attackers supposedly taunted, "go back to Iraq."
Year after year, American Jews are far more likely to be the victims of religious hate crime than members of any other group. That was true even in 2001, by far the worst year for anti-Muslim incidents, when 481 were reported — less than half of the 1,042 anti-Jewish crimes tabulated by the FBI the same year.
Some other incidences of backlash violence include: a man driving his pick-up truck into the door of the Islamic Center Mosque in Tallahassee, Florida, threatening phone calls to the president of the Arab American Institute, and other local business owners and families of Middle Eastern and Asian descent, conspiracy to damage and destroy, by means of explosives, the King Fahd mosque in California, assaults committed against two people of Indian descent who managed a hotel in Tennessee, and two jars filled with cotton and gasoline were set on fire in front of a local restaurant owned by a Pakistani-American in Utah.4 These are only some of the numerous hate crimes committed around the country after September 11.
Because groups of stupid people flock together and breed ignorance.
Originally posted by BlackPoison94
Because groups of stupid people flock together and breed ignorance.
That is completely true. To me, it seems like a disease...it spreads...and spreads..The thing is, FEAR is fuelling this to occur in all cultures/religions. Urgh, and I hate it. No one has anything to fear...people don't understand that yes, there are divisions between religion as well...e.g. fundamentalists, liberalists etc.
I agree...it is my fault...not just terrorism but due to many factors as well...especially cultural stupidity.
To be honest, I don't think it'll stop. People are too ignorant and idiotic to see behind the colour of the skin.edit on 19-2-2011 by BlackPoison94 because: BBCode error.