SALDEF to partner with Poway Unified School District on Anti-Bullying Program Washington DC; January 15, 2009 — The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, has entered into a proactive partnership with the Poway Unified School District in San Diego to ensure that Sikh American students enjoy a safe and nurturing learning environment. Soon after announcing an anti-bullying partnership with a junior high school near San Francisco, SALDEF was alerted to an incident at a San Diego school in which a teacher made rude comments about a Sikh American student’s dastaar (Sikh turban). SALDEF engaged both school and district authorities to ensure that this incident was documented and dealt with in an appropriate manner. Recognizing the sensitivity of this matter, school officials issued a formal apology to the student and his family; secured an apology from the teacher; and took other steps to rectify the situation, including partnership with SALDEF on administering a district wide anti-bullying program. This collaboration will include the integration of SALDEF resources into a district-wide school bullying survey to ensure that the experiences of Sikh American students are taken into account. Additional projects are being planned to strengthen this partnership and create greater awareness about Sikh Americans and the problem of school bullying. “The Poway Unified School District has taken major steps toward creating a positive learning environment for Sikh American students,” said SALDEF Legal Director Rajdeep Singh Jolly. “We hope that school districts across the country will follow the example of the Poway Unified School District. SALDEF is particularly grateful to Mr. Hari Bhagat Singh, Associate Superintendent William Chiment, Ms. Sabriya Pedretti, and Dr. Tom McCoy for their leadership.” SALDEF will continue to work with school officials to foster collaboration with the Sikh American community. If you believe that your child is experiencing difficulties in school, please contact SALDEF immediately at education@saldef.org or by phone at (202) 393-2700 so that your concerns can be addressed.
SALDEF Congratulates San Diego School District For Resolution of Incident
June 15, 2009 (Washington, DC) – Late last week, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) received confirmation that observant Sikhs are still welcome to join the Yuba City Police Department in Yuba City, California. On January 23, 2007, former Yuba City Police Chief Richard Doscher corresponded with SALDEF in the context of an employment matter and wrote: “We have no policy which precludes an employee of the Sikh faith from wearing a turban or beard (or possession of a kirpan) during their employment with us.” According to current Yuba City Police Chief Robert D. Landon, “[o]ur policy has not changed and we continue to respect the customs of the Sikh faith[.]” SALDEF is grateful to Chief Landon and the Yuba City Police Department for their leadership in the cause of promoting equal employment opportunities for observant Sikh Americans who aspire to serve as law enforcement officers. SALDEF will continue to work with police departments nationwide to strengthen relations between law enforcement agencies and the Sikh American community under the auspices of SALDEF’s Law Enforcement Partnership Program.
Take Action! Tell the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to Collaborate with SALDEF on Efforts to Ensure that Revisions are Factually Accurate April 23, 2009 (Washington, DC) – The Sikh American community has successfully urged the California Science Center to remove an anti-Sikh exhibit. Last week, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) issued an action alert about the Target America museum exhibit at the California Science Center, which distorted Sikh history and unfairly associated the Sikh religion with terrorism and the narcotics trade. Regrettably, the exhibit was sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration—a federal agency. Thanks to your letters and phone calls, the California Science Center has graciously deactivated the exhibit segment relating to Sikhs, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is “assessing the content of the information displayed in the kiosk.” Please help SALDEF ensure that exhibit revisions are fair and factually accurate: (1) Contact the Drug Enforcement Administration directly by phone at 202-307-3463 (2) Express gratitude for their sensitivity to this issue; be polite and respectful (3) Encourage them to work with SALDEF on a proactive basis to ensure fairness and accuracy “We are encouraged by the speed and efficiency with which the Sikh American community responded to this matter,” said Kavneet Singh, SALDEF’s Managing Director. “Misrepresentations of the Sikh religion reinforce bias and ignorance of the sort that triggers hate crimes, discrimination, and school bullying against Sikh Americans. We commend the California Science Center for addressing our concerns with sensitivity and professionalism, and we hope that the Drug Enforcement Administration will follow suit.” SALDEF would like to thank Avneet Singh Chattha and Jagjit Singh of Southern California for proactively bringing this matter to our attention. If you see a similarly inaccurate or objectionable representation of Sikhs, or if you have been the target of bias, workplace discrimination, harassment, or a hate crime, please contact SALDEF immediately via email or by phone at (202) 393-2700.
1. SALDEF Speaks at Nation”s Top Law Schools
2. SALDEF Participates on Interfaith Panel at UC Berkeley
3. SALDEF Discussion on Warner Bros DVD
4. Get Your 2009 Sikh American Pocket Calendars Today
5. SALDEF Organizes Know Your Rights Forum in Atlanta
6. SALDEF Urges Oklahoma Senate to Support Religious Freedom
7. Upcoming Events
SALDEF Speaks at Nation”s Top Law Schools
On February 21, 2009, SALDEF participated in a panel discussion at Yale Law School at the 15th Annual Rebellious Lawyering Conference. Additionally, on February 12, 2009 SALDEF gave a presentation about its work to students and professors at the William & Mary Law School under the auspices of the Institute of Bill of Rights Law. The presentation featured a screening of On Common Ground, the law enforcement training video co-produced by SALDEF and the U.S. Department of Justice.
The discussion at Yale focused on the causes of hate crimes against East Asians, South Asians, and Middle Eastern Americans in recent decades. According to SALDEF Legal Director Rajdeep Singh Jolly, these challenges stem from, “a toxic mixture of xenophobia, Islamophobia, racism, and a powerful ignorance of the sort that relegates Arabs, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and South Asians to a single monochrome storage bin in the minds of the narrow-minded.” After recounting numerous examples of hate crimes and discrimination against Sikh Americans in recent years, SALDEF closed its presentation as follows:
“The progressive – and some might say rebellious – doctrine of the Sikh religion foreshadowed the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the women”s rights movement, and the American civil rights movement by several centuries. In principle, at least ideologically speaking, Sikhs may be the most Americans of Americans. How ironic then that they should be subjected to violence in a county whose highest ideals the Sikhs have for much longer considered their own.”
SALDEF Participates on Interfaith Panel at University of California – Berkeley
On February 12, SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh was invited to sit on a panel at the University of California, Berkeley to discuss the Role of Faith in Times of Crisis. The program, which was held in conjunction with the campus” annual Interfaith Week, was sponsored by the Associated Student Bodty of UC Berkeley and designed to explore faith”s positive influence in supporting people during challenging times. Over twenty students participated in the interactive session with representatives from the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities. Mr. Singh spoke about the role of sangat (community) and seva (selfless service) in the Sikh tradition and how as a Sikh one is mandated to be engaged in giving back to their community.
SALDEF Discussion on Warner Bros DVD
Last fall, SALDEF objected to the use of the racial slur “towelhead” as the title of a Warner Bros motion picture. Because the word has historically been used in a manner that has led to violence against Sikhs in the United States, SALDEF felt that mass-market saturation of the word was tasteless and offensive, especially because the underlying film had little to do with race and more to do with the graphic sexual exploitation of a teenage girl. Because of the controversy surrounding the word, SALDEF participated in a taped about the issue with Academy Award winning screenwriter Alan Ball—the film’s director—and Alicia Erian—the author of the book on which the film was based. The discussion focused on racism, corporate social responsibility, and the absence of Sikhs in Hollywood, and is now included in its entirety on the DVD version of the film.
Reviews of the debate have been positive, and film fans around the country have written to SALDEF to express gratitude for clarifying the significance of the Sikh turban and the nature of the challenges faced by Sikhs in the post-9/11 environment. According to one critic who reviewed the DVD version of the film:
Ironically enough, the DVD”s single special feature offers a lot more provocative and intelligent food for thought than the film proper, and those actually looking for the film suggested by the title will actually get the smart, deep dissection they were expecting. The 80-minute “Towelhead: A Community Discussion” is actually two separate panel discussions regarding the title. The first, lasting 30 minutes and moderated by Ball and featuring Bishil, Macdissi, and Hussam Ayloush of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) brings up a lot of thoughtful points about racial slurs and the role of minorities in the media, but that”s a mere warm-up for the main event, an impassioned discussion with Ball, Erian, and Rajdeep Singh Jolly, Legal Director of Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF). Jolly so eloquently attacks the issue of the title, its potential effects, and the judgment and responsibility of the entertainment industry that Ball and Erian often seem ill-equipped and at a loss for defenses.”
Get Your 2009 Sikh American Pocket Calendars
In their sixth year of production, the 2009 SALDEF pocket calendars have been fully redesigned to include updated full-color images of SIkh Americans along with more examples of core Sikh values and facts about Sikhs in the United States. On the back, the calendars have a 2009 calendar in a small, handt, easy-to-use design. The calendars are available in packages of 100 for just $10 plus shipping and handling.
SALDEF Organizes Know Your Rights Forum in Atlanta
On January 25, 2009, with the support of the Sikh Study Circle Inc, SALDEF conducted its latest Know Your Rights Forum. The Forum was attended by community members and representatives from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, U.S. Department of Justice, Georgia Department of Education, and the Atlanta Police Department. Since 2005, SALDEF has organized Know Your Rights workships for Sikh American communities in California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, and Texas. These educational forums not only allow Sikh Americans to learn about their rights and interact with government officials but also enable government agencies to learn about the Sikh religion and ongoing challenges faced by Sikh Americans, including hate crimes, employment discrimination, and school bullying. To learn more about these educational forums or to organize one for your local community, contact SALDEF at education@saldef.org.
SALDEF Urges Oklahoma Senate to Protect Religious Freedom
On March 3, 2009, SALDEF issued a community advisory and petition about the passage of a bill (HB1645) in the Oklahoma House of Representatives that aims to “strictly prohibit” individuals from wearing “head scarves” and “head garments” in driver’s license photographs. Because the legislation does not exempt religious headcoverings, the civil rights of observant Sikhs who wear dastaars (Sikh turbans) are in jeopardy. Observant Jews, Muslims, and Christians are also threatened, as are other individuals who are required to wear religious headcoverings. SALDEF has alerted several federal agencies, members of Congress, civil rights organizations, and interfaith groups to the dangers posed by HB1645 and will continue to build opposition to the bill. Because of the media pressure applied by SALDEF and other organizations so far, Senator Roger Ballenger—one of the original sponsors of the legislation in the Oklahoma Senate—has withdrawn his support. As a result, the bill faces an uncertain future in the Oklahoma Senate.
- Please help us ensure that HB1645 is thoroughly rejected by contacting Senator Cliff Branan — Chairman of the Transportation Committee in the Oklahoma State Senate. Encourage him to defend religious freedom for all Americans in Oklahoma. You can reach him by telephone at (405) 521-5543 or by email at branan@oksenate.gov. Always be polite and respectful in your comments, but do emphasize that virtually every state in the country (including Oklahoma) and the federal government permit Sikh Americans to wear religious headcoverings in identification photographs.
- Click here to watch local news coverage about HB1645, including a provocative explanation of the bill by one of its supporters — Rep. Wade Rousselot —who suggests that religious minorities should either abide by the rules of this country or forgo the privilege of a driver’s license. Please contact Rep. Wade Rousselot and politely remind him that the rules of this country permit Sikh Americans to wear religious headcoverings in identification photographs.
Washington, DC – October 7, 2008: Last week, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the nation’s oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization, was alerted to incidents of bullying and harassment at a San Francisco Bay Area junior high school, involving Sikh American students who wear daastars (Sikh turbans) and maintain their long kesh (uncut hair). School officials proactively contacted SALDEF to arrange a presentation for the entire student body, numbering over 300, about the Sikh faith, customs and articles of faith. The presentation, conducted by SALDEF’s Managing Director Kavneet Singh, was extremely well received by both the students and faculty alike. In fact, at the request of SALDEF, the faculty and administration of the school have agreed to organize an internal presentation which will:
- Familiarize school officials with the religious practices and beliefs of Sikhs;
- Better position teachers and administrators to identify how Sikhs are targeted by and subjected to harassment and bullying by their fellow classmates; and,
- Learn strategies to prevent this harassment from happening in their school.
“We commend the school officials for their vigilance in meeting the needs of their Sikh American children, and in making sure that these incidents didn’t escalate into something much bigger,” said SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh. “Knowing how to interact with the community and develop greater partnerships before something happens is the key to ensuring safety and greater appreciation for the diversity of our nation’s communities.” SALDEF has worked with school districts in the past, most notably in 2004 when the Fremont School District in California’s Bay Area, required their entire staff and faculty to view a taped presentation of SALDEF’s Introduction to Sikhism and How to Best Interact with Sikh American School Children. Also earlier this year, SALDEF was requested to make presentations to three Montgomery County Maryland Schools to prevent hate and bias attacks, in the wake of an attack on two elder Sikh American men. SALDEF will continue to work with school officials to help them develop better understanding and appreciation for the Sikh American community. If you believe that your child is experiencing difficulties in school, contact SALDEF immediately at education@saldef.org so that your concerns can be addressed before the incidents escalate.
SALDEF urges community to remain vigilant and aware of surroundings Washington, DC – August 26, 2008: The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the nation’s oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization, is shocked and concerned about the number of violent attacks against Sikhs across the United States in recent weeks. The Incidents Phoenix, Arizona: On August 4, 2008, Mr. Inderjit Singh Jassal was working at a 7-11 store in West Phoenix when 27-year-old Jermaine Canada walked in with his two children, aged 2 and 6. According to the surveillance video, Mr. Singh and Mr. Canada had a short conversation, at the end of which Mr. Canada pulled a concealed firearm from his shirt and shot and killed Mr. Jassal. New York City: On August 8, 2008, the dead body of a homeless man was found in front of a Gurdwara in Richmond Hill, New York. Published articles report that the victim was violently beaten to death to the point of being almost unrecognizable as he lay in a pool of blood. Media reports indicate that the homeless man was a Sikh, but this has not yet been confirmed. Oxnard, California: On August 16, 2008, Gurmohinder Singh, an owner of multiple convenience stores in California was shot and killed by 22-year-old Jeffery Aguilar as he walked out of the US Bank in Oxnard California. In each of these crimes where a motive has yet to be determined, SALDEF representatives are leading efforts to ensure that hate and bias are explored as possible motives until evidence shows otherwise. “Each time a violent crime occurs against a member of the Sikh community, we must stand together to ensure that the police investigation is conducted in a thorough and comprehensive manner,” said SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh. “In too many cases, Sikh Americans have been victims not only of a crime, but also of incomplete police investigations. We strive to ensure that all criminal investigations involving victims are taken seriously and conducted expeditiously.” SALDEF Responses Phoenix, Arizona: SALDEF representatives worked with local community members to help facilitate dialogue between the community and law enforcement. SALDEF also aided the victim’s family in efforts to obtain travel documents for his family to India. New York City: SALDEF immediately connected with the NYPD to ensure the investigation is conducted appropriately. Additionally, SALDEF has partnered with the National Coalition for the Homeless ito help bring awareness to crimes against the most vulnerable members of our community. Oxnard, California: SALDEF is working with local community members to ensure that their concerns are addressed. SALDEF has also contacted law enforcement officials to ensure that the assailant, who was arrested, is convicted to the fullest extent of the law. “While these instances have occurred in quick succession over the past several weeks, we do not see this as indicative of a trend,” said SALDEF National Director Rajbir Singh Datta. “It is though a striking reminder of the presence of hatred and the lack of awareness in our country.” SALDEF urges all Sikh Americans to immediately report any incidents of harassment, bullying or assault to SALDEF and your local authorities. If you or someone you know has been a victim of any racially motivated crime, please contact SALDEF directly toll free at 877-917-4547 or via email at info@saldef.org. We all have a responsibility to ensure our freedom from harassment and discrimination. Please distribute this widely to family, friends and at the local Gurdwara
SALDEF works with DMV to Retrain Staff on Religious Accommodation
Washington D.C. – March 20, 2008: The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently apologized to Mr. Ramandeep Singh Anand and the Sikh American community after Mr. Anand was initially barred from taking his drivers license photograph while wearing his religiously mandated turban at the West Covina branch of the DMV. “Please convey my apology to Mr. Anand for the unsatisfactory service he received when he was requested to remove his turban for a driver license photograph,” wrote DMV Director George Valverde in a letter to SALDEF. “It is regrettable that the proper procedures were not followed on the day of Mr. Anand’s visit.” Additionally, Mr. Valverde has instructed DMV staff to review cultural and religious accommodation policies including specific references to the Sikh turban. While Mr. Anand was able to take his picture that day, it required an inordinate amount of discussion, explanation and time that some of the most vulnerable within the Sikh community may not have understood how to navigate through. SALDEF is continuing to work with the DMV to ensure long-term protections are implemented. “We thank Mr. Valverde and the California DMV for their prompt attention to this matter,” said SALDEF National Director Rajbir Singh Datta. “Mr. Valverde and the California DMV have demonstrated the utmost sincerity in their apology and a strong willingness to collaborate against potentially discriminatory practices.” California statue requires a full-face photograph which displays the facial features (eyes, nose, and mouth). California residents are not required to remove any headgear that is part of his/her normal identification or worn due to religious beliefs such as the turban. If you believe you have been denied access or been subjected to any form of harassment due to your faith, please report it to SALDEF immediately at 202-393-2700 or via info@saldef.org.
A charge of carrying a dangerous weapon was dismissed against a Sikh man arrested in Kern County with a ceremonial dagger in his possession. Sahadur Singh, a Utah truck driver, was traveling through Kern County on Dec. 30 when he was stopped for a traffic violation by California Highway Patrol officers. Singh, a baptized Sikh, had a kirpan, a short dagger used in religious ceremonies, in his truck and the officers arrested him in part on suspicion of carrying a dangerous weapon, according to court documents. That charge and misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and taking up two or more lanes while driving were dismissed. Singh pleaded no contest to driving without a license and disturbing the peace and was sentenced to three years probation, court records said. Sahadur Singh said the arresting officers kept asking whether he was a terrorist or involved with the Taliban, said Manjit Singh, a representative of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, a non-profit civil rights organization. Intervening on Sahadur Singh’s behalf, the organization sent a letter to the Kern County District Attorney’s office explaining what a kirpan was and that, in similar cases, charges of carrying a dangerous weapon were dropped. Police reports weren’t immediately available, but there was no mention of harassment on the part of officers in court documents. And attorney Stanley Simrin, who represented Sahadur Singh, said his client never told him that officers accused him of being a terrorist. “I think it was a language or a cultural problem,” Simrin said of the incident. An interpreter was present for Sahadur Singh’s court appearances, according to court documents. [http://www.bakersfield.com] The Bakersfield Californian
Prosecutor declines to charge Sikh due to religious significance of mandated article of faith Washington D.C. – April 22, 2008: This past week, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) learned that criminal charges were dropped against a Sikh American truck driver who was arrested for wearing his kirpan (a religious article of faith) in California. Last December, Mr. Sahadur Singh, a Utah resident, was driving in Kern County, California when a police officer stopped him for a normal traffic violation. The police officer spotted the kirpan underneath Mr. Singh’s clothing and immediately arrested him for violating the State’s concealed weapon law and for resisting arrest. On his way to the police station, Kern County police officers reportedly screamed at Mr. Singh asking him, “Are you a Terrorist?”, “When was the last time you went over there, Taliban?” and “Did you ever send money to the Taliban?” On the request of Mr. Singh, SALDEF intervened and wrote a letter to the prosecutor in the case and sent the prosecutor information detailing the religious significance of the kirpan along with a list of case law documenting the dismissal of similar charges against other Sikhs across the country. SALDEF is currently assisting Mr. Singh obtain his kirpan from the local authorities. SALDEF is also working with local Kern County officials in regards to the alleged racist comments made by the Kern County police officers after the incident took place. Over the past 12 years, SALDEF has received and resolved nearly 30 cases involving Sikhs who faced criminal charges for wearing their kirpans. SALDEF thanks the Kern County Prosecutor’s office for being receptive and learning about the significance of the Sikh kirpan and deciding not to prosecute this case.
By Michael Burge UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER August 25, 2007 CARLSBAD – A religious civil rights organization has complained to the U.S. Justice Department after a member of the Sikh religion was denied entry into two Carlsbad Village nightclubs because he was wearing a turban. Dave Bindra, 22, said the Ocean House restaurant and Coyote Bar & Grill would not let him in July 27 because they have rules against do-rags, beanies, bandannas and other head wear associated with street gangs. Bindra also said that when he explained to Ocean House manager Steve Town that his turban was not a do-rag but a religious expression that he never removes in public, Town said, “ ‘Beanie, do-rag or turban, you still have a towel on your head and you’re not going in.’ ” Town denies he made the “towel” remark and said Bindra and his friends were denied entry because they were being aggressive. Bindra, a Los Angeles native and a student at Carlsbad’s Gemological Institute of America, said that after he was denied entry at Ocean House, he went to the nearby Coyote Bar & Grill. The bar would not let him in, so he asked for the manager’s name and phone number and decided to call it a night. Coyote general manager Aaron Williams said, “It had nothing to do with attacking his religion. We have a no-hat, no head wear policy when we have a DJ.” Told that Sikhs wear a turban as an expression of their faith, Williams said, “I’m not judging anyone for their religion. Anybody can come in here and say, ‘I’m wearing this because it’s my religion.’ ” Bindra said that after the Coyote refusal, three female friends had gone back to the Ocean House, which is in the same shopping center as Coyote, and demanded to see the manager. At that point, Town and Bindra agree, things spun out of control. “He was with three females who were going ballistic,” Town said, adding that Bindra threatened his employees physically and used profanities. “I said, ‘We’re not going to let you in because you’re attacking us,’ ” Town said. Bindra said his friends were yelling profanities, but he did not. “I did not get aggressive,” Bindra said. “I didn’t want to give a bad name to Sikhs by reacting aggressively.” Bindra said he was not wearing a traditional peaked turban but a patka, which uses less material and is more skull-tight. He said he also has a full beard, in observance of his religion. Town said Bindra’s head wear did not look like a typical turban, and bouncers at the club told Bindra that he would be allowed into the club, but every club employee would question him because of the strict rules against head wear. Bindra said, however, that he saw the club admit patrons wearing baseball hats and didn’t understand why a rule against do-rags applied to him. The Sikh religion is one of world’s newer faiths, having been founded about 500 years ago in Punjab, said Rajbir Singh Datta, a spokesman for the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Datta said incidents of discrimination against Sikhs have increased since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. He called the turban “the uniform of the Sikh religion” and compared it to a Jewish yarmulke. Datta said his organization has contacted the Community Relations Service of the U.S. Justice Department, which mediates in instances of racial and ethnic discrimination. If the restaurants did deny Bindra service because he wore a turban, he would have a strong claim against them, said David Steinberg, a professor of civil rights law at San Diego’s Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Steinberg said the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 explicitly prohibits discrimination in “public accommodations” – such as stores, hotels and restaurants – based upon race or religion. “The reason this person can’t come into the restaurant, unlike a hatless person, is because of his religious beliefs,” Steinberg said. “I don’t see any justification for a no-hat policy that would outweigh the very legitimate rights of the man to practice his religion.” Staff writer Steve Liewer contributed to this report. San Diego Union Tribune