Oak Creek, Wisconsin Two years ago, a gunman opened fire inside the Sikh Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin killing six people and injuring four others. The thought that a man would hurt people who had done him no wrong disturbs me to no end. I can’t even imagine someone wanting to literally open fire on people because they look different, speak another language or practice a different faith. The reality is despite the progress we have made in civil rights, hate is very real. In fact around the world, from the devastating civil war in Syria to the heavy handed, and unbalanced use of force in Gaza we see an increasingly disturbing disregard for the value of human life and egregious violation of human rights. In the face of great loss, the Oak Creek community demonstrated a tremendous strength of spirit. Their resilience and commitment to the Sikh principle of Chardi Kala, “fearless and courageous optimism in the face of despair”, by responding to the senseless violence with love and courage, rather than fear and anger showed us a way forward. It is believed the gunman, an alleged white supremacist, thought he was attacking a Muslim gathering. The Sikh community responded to the tragedy NOT by attempting to distinguish Sikhs from Muslims but INSTEAD by calling for an end to hatred and violence against all people and regardless of faith, creed, colour or ethnicity. We remember the lives lost, but also the indomitable spirit of the survivors whose commitment to creating a world of compassion and acceptance inspires us all.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 03:59:25 +0000
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