“Divided We Fall” the Sikh-American experience

Sikhism boasts over 25 million followers worldwide, making it the fifth largest religion in the world, according to SikhNet.com.

They are also one of the main targets for hate crimes directed towards Muslims, Arabs and those perceived to be Muslims in the United States.

To help raise awareness about the estimated 300 cases of hate crimes since 9/11 against Sikh-Americans, the Sikh Students Association at VCU screened a documentary called “Divided We Fall” by award winning filmmaker and civil rights lawyer Valarie Kaur.

The documentary follows Americans who identify as Sikhs and Muslims in the post 9/11 era. Gurjas Singh Bajaj, president of SSA at VCU, said the board chose to screen the documentary because of the spike in negative rhetoric surrounding Sikh and Muslim communities since the start of the presidential election.

“I hope what people take away from this documentary is that we need to be unified and to accept everyone within our communities, including Sikhs and Muslims,” said Bajaj.

Sikhism is a monotheistic faith with no relation to Islam, the second largest religion in the world with over 1.6 billion followers.

According to the Sikh Coalition, an organization that advocates for the rights and protection of basic civil liberties, Sikhs often fall target to hate crimes because of their religious garbs and physical features that are distinctive to their faith. These include long beards and turbans, which coincide with the western-generated stereotype of a terrorist.

Bajaj said that though Sikhs are wrongfully targeted, he doesn’t believe anyone should fall victim to this kind of hate. He said this is a collective struggle that both Sikhs and Muslims have to face together.

“I take great pride in my faith and the identity that comes with it is a huge part of that,” said Bajaj. “A part of that identity is to stand out and look different and that’s okay.”

Some Muslims also choose to wear religious garbs including headscarves called hijabs and full body coverings known as niqabs. Many Muslim men grow beards to emulate the practice of the Prophet Muhammad. These individuals have also been a constant target for religious violence.

Hadeel Tewfig,a VCU junior studying sociology and international relations, chooses to wear her hijab despite the growing tension.

“It’s really ironic in this country that people want to infringe upon my freedom to wear the veil,” said Tewfig. “Wearing the hijab makes me feel more intune with myself. More confident.”

If you feel as if you have been a target of religious discrimination, contact the Sikh Coalition, Council of Islamic American Relations and Department of Justice.

STAFF WRITER

Hiba Ahmad
Hiba is a senior studying broadcast journalism and religious studies. In addition to writing for the CT, she is the campus editor-at-large for the Huffington Post, a blogger for MuslimGirl.net and president of United Muslim Relief at VCU. This summer, Hiba interned with the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Washington, D.C. She previously interned with Voice for America and as a web content intern for VCU’s Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture.
Facebook | LinkedIn | ahmadh@commonwealthtimes.org