April 6, 2009 (Washington, D.C.) — The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, cannot survive without your support. Please consider investing your tax refund in Sikh American civil rights to ensure that SALDEF can continue to raise the profile of Sikh Americans throughout the United States. Thanks to you, SALDEF and its allies were able to neutralize proposed legislation in Oklahoma that would have prohibited observant Sikhs from wearing dastaars (Sikh turbans) in driver’s license photographs. Almost 900 individuals and entities signed our petition, and numerous federal agencies, national civil rights organizations, and media outlets were alerted to the problem within hours of its occurrence. Thanks to you, Oklahoma legislators will now have to think twice before attempting to confront the Sikh American community. Thanks to you, we have been able to educate dozens of sangats across the country through our Know Your Rights Forums. These forums have provided a vital opportunity for Sikhs to learn about their rights and interact with government officials and have also served to enable government agencies to learn about the Sikh religion. Thanks to you, SALDEF will bring several Sikh American civil rights issues to the attention of the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and other federal agencies later this month. The agenda items include reinforcement of the longstanding national policy permitting religious headcoverings in driver’s license photographs; recruitment of observant Sikhs in the U.S. Armed Forces; and condemnation of state laws in Oregon and Pennsylvania that appear to prevent observant Sikh teachers from wearing religious articles in public schools. Your ongoing support will take us far. Your recurring monthly donation of $10, $25, $50 or $100, will allow us to continue our mission of safeguarding the rights of Sikh Americans. Together, we can create a safe and progressive environment for future generations of Sikh Americans. Please distribute this widely to family, friends and at the local Gurdwara
