SALDEF Know Your Rights Forum to be Held in Las Vegas, NV

The Know Your Rights program creates an open forum encouraging all Sikh Americans to understand their rights.

As a part of SALDEF”s ongoing effort to empower the community and strengthen partnerships with government, we are pleased to announce a Know Your Rights (KYR) Forum for the Sikh American community of Las Vegas and Clark County, NV in cooperation with the Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh on Sunday, March 20th from 2-4pm.

The following government agencies and representatives will provide community members with important information about employment discrimination, hate crimes, and government resources. Additionally, this will be an opportunity to network with government recruiters and discuss employment opportunities.

Lucy Orta
Director
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Superintendent Dwight Jones (Invited)
Superintendent
Clark County School District
Nevada Department of Education

Holly James
Community Outreach Specialist
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)


Kenneth Mead
Detective
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Since 2002, SALDEF has organized numerous educational workshops for Sikh American communities in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

SALDEF would like to thank the management of the Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh and the leaders of the local Sikh American community, as well as the participating government agencies for their support.

For additional information about this event or if you would like to organize a Know Your Rights Forum for your community, please contact Birpal Kaur by email at info@saldef.org or via phone at 213.985.1116.

Please distribute this widely to family, friends and at the local Gurdwara.

SALDEF commends Seattle law enforcement; Urges Sikh Americans to stay vigilant Last week, a Sikh American convenience store clerk in Seattle, WA, was brutally assaulted and called a member of Al-Qaida.  SALDEF commends King County prosecutors for charging the alleged assailant, Mr. Brock Stainbrook. with committing a hate crime in addition to the charges of malicious harassment and fourth-degree assault.  He is currently being held by police on $150,000 bail pending trial. READ MORE: Seattle man attacked shopkeeper, calls victim a terrorist The victim was assaulted, told he was not an American, and called a terrorist because he wore a dastaar (Sikh turban) in accordance with his Sikh faith. After initially striking Mr. S (identity kept confidential), Mr. Stainbrook yelled at the unidentified Sikh American man, “You’re not even American, you’re al-Qaida. Go back to your country.” According to sources, Stainbrook has two prior convictions for two counts of fourth-degree assault and criminal trespass.  Stainbrook is being held on a $150,000 bail. With anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant sentiment on the rise within the past several months, SALDEF commends Seattle area law enforcement for investigating and recognizing this attack as a hate crime. “These crimes based on the perceived race, ethnicity, or religion of the victim cannot be tolerated.  Unfortunately, the anti-Muslim bias and nativist feelings that motivates these attacks are based on a premise that runs counter to the fundamental freedoms and liberties that our nation was founded upon,” said SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh in a statement to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. “All Americans must be free to practice their faith without fear, and this strong action by Seattle prosecutors will go a long way in sending a message to individuals that hate will not be tolerated.” According to recent FBI Census statistics, anti-religious and anti-race motivated crimes and incidents have made up to be the majority cause of hate crimes.  To read more information about what a hate crime is, please click here. SALDEF denounces the rise in anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant sentiment that has lead to this attack and others. 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 1.877.91SIKHS or via our Report an Incident Form. We all have a responsibility to ensure our freedom from harassment and discrimination.

  • SALDEF Previews New NBC Show ‘Outsourced’
  • SALDEF National Gala – October 16 in DC
  • Department of Homeland Security Annual Roundtable
  • FBI training on Sikh Americans
  • Connecting with Sikh American Youth at Local Camps
  • Lobbying for WRFA
  • Apply to be a Fall Intern

SALDEF Previews New NBC Show ‘Outsourced’ On August 16, SALDEF met with NBC executives to preview the pilot episode of the network’s new comedy ‘Outsourced’.  The show, which features a Sikh American as a cast member, is about a manager in the United States whose call center has been outsourced and follows him as he moves to India and manage the operation. After the showing, SALDEF commended NBC for promoting diversity through its programming but also cautioned the network to remain sensitive to the Sikh American community’s perception of the character and the show.  The show will air on Thursdays at 9:30 / 8:30c starting September 23rd. SALDEF National Gala – October 16 in DC Join us for an evening of celebration, culture and achievement in the Nation’s Capital on October 16.  We will recognize individuals who have contributed to the advancement and protection of religious liberty and civil rights in this country.  The event will feature cultural performances and live entertainment.  More information coming soon to saldef.org Department of Homeland Security Roundtable in Los Angeles Last month, SALDEF participated in an annual Roundtable hosted by the Department of Homeland Security in Los Angeles, CA.  The event included an introduction to the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Margo Schlanger, as well as presentations from Arif Alikhan, DHS Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Michael Downing, Deputy Chief, Los Angeles Police Department.  Other agencies which were represented included the FBI, TSA, U.S. Attorney’s Office-Civil Rights Division, LA County Sheriffs, and ICE. Topics of discussion included partnership with Law Enforcement, community policing initiatives, and cultural competency trainings with other community and agency representatives.  SALDEF raised the issue of increased racial profiling under new community policing and anti-terrorism projects programs such as I-Watch and Counter Violent Extremism (CVE). SALDEF will continue to work with DHS to ensure that community concerns are closely monitored. FBI Training on Sikh Americans On July 29, SALDEF provided cultural sensitivity training to approximately 50 FBI agents and staff members at the FBI’s Washington Field Office.  Participants watched On Common Ground, a DVD training video produced by SALDEF in collaboration with the Department of Justice, and received a presentation about the Sikh articles of faith, religious practices, and appropriate protocol when interacting with Sikh Americans. The presentation was well received and SALDEF has been requested to hold a similar presentation in the near future. Connecting with Sikh American Youth at Local Camps This summer, SALDEF presented Anti-Bullying and ‘Getting Involved’ workshops at three Sikh Youth Camps.  At Guru Harkrishan Institute of Sikh Studies in Maryland, 50 children learned how to more effectively handle situations when they feel bullied at school.  At Guru Gobind Singh Foundation Camp, also in Maryland, approximately 80 campers learned how to more effectively communicate about their faith and identity to non-Sikhs.  At Camp Gian near Los Angeles, SALDEF discussed how young Sikhs can be involved in the community and develop leadership skills for the future.   Through the workshops, presentations and group discussions SALDEF seeks to provide support and guidance for the Sikh American youth across the country.  If we can support your child or local school, please contact us. Lobbying for Religious Freedom in the Workplace — WRFA Over the past month, SALDEF has continued to engage with the offices of several members of Congress to support the Workplace Religious Freedom Act (WRFA).  If passed, WRFA will positively impact the Sikh American community by strengthening the laws which allow for religious expression in the workplace. To read about past engagement with this bill please click below:

Apply to be a Fall Intern The SALDEF Internship Program offers Sikh American youth rare opportunities for political advocacy and leadership development. The program educates students on issues of civil rights, public policy, and the legislative process. Students will gain practical experience in community organizing, research and writing, legal issues, political action, and educational outreach. SALDEF is seeking interns to assist in the following areas: Legislation, Communication, Development and Technology/Media. The deadline to apply for the Fall is September 16. For more information, click here.

I was very fortunate to be able to attend and participate in this year’s US Social Forum Conference hosted in Detroit, MI.   SALDEF was invited as one of the participating organizations for a panel titled “The 9/11 Movement: Intersections and Movement Building Strategies.”  The panel also included Adhikaar, DRUM (Desis Rising Up and Moving), Sikh Coalition, and SAALT (South Asian Americans Leading Together) and focused on the post 9/11 climate and the intersection of perception and outcomes for minority communities. Being in an environment where there were over 10,000 activists was a refreshing change of atmosphere. Imagine walking into a building where thousands of people have gathered with one mission: to promote a national agenda of inclusive change. The USSF provides an opportunity for activists working on a range of social justice issues to network and find ways to collaborate. It was a unique experience to be sitting in a room with so many progressive South Asian voices, discussing issues that have been plaguing our individual communities in the post-9/11 era.  Inclusiveness was the name of the game for this panel, as we spent time identifying the backlash felt in terms of physical hate crimes, as well as the mental and social abuses that have increased dramatically since the attacks. One of the key discussion points SALDEF highlighted was the unfair media coverage Sikhs faced in the days after 9/11.  On the one hand, the simple case of misidentification of Sher Singh in Rhode Island as a terrorist made immediate news on outlets across the country – images of an innocent Sikh being taken off a train in handcuffs because he ‘looked suspicious’.  On the other hand, Balbir Singh Sodhi’s tragic murder, the first post 9/11 hate-crime, did not gain the national coverage it warranted. These instances underscore the Media’s attitudes and lack of journalistic responsibility in the days after the attacks. In addition to speaking about imbalances in the media, we had the opportunity to talk about SALDEF’s continued strategies to address racial and religious profiling via the Law Enforcement Partnership Program (LEPP).   We concluded the panel by discussing the need to create a “Pan-Asian” voice on hate crimes and discrimination.  Essentially, we cannot just look at the affect of 9/11 separately, but also show how it escalated and built upon many existing tensions of racial equality with minority communities and the sociopolitical contexts of these problems.

ANDREA RANE/Missourian Cody Abram, of the Department of Justice in Kansas City, has a Sikh turban wrapped around his head. He attended a cultural training session for public safety officers at MU on Thursday. By UTHAYLA ABDULLAH June 1, 2007 | 12:00 a.m. CST It was a consciousness-raising game of free association. The question: “What do you think when you see a Muslim?” Among the answers by a group of mostly police, airport security and corrections officers: “terrorist,” “prayer,” “monotheism,” “mystique” and “unknown.” The exercise was part of a cultural training session Thursday morning at MU for local and state public safety officials to help increase awareness and understanding of Arab, Muslim and Sikh cultures. The objective of the training, organized by the Department of Justice, was to “dispel misconceptions, to build relationships with the community,” said Aftab Ahmad, a trainer from St. Louis who talked about Arab and Muslim cultures. How should law enforcement respond to a complaint about a Muslim praying in public? Most practicing Muslims pray five times a day, so public prayer happens. Law enforcement officers should just wait for the prayer to be over. Then, if a question is necessary, ask away, Ahmad told the group. The group of about 70 people learned the basic tenets of Muslim and Sikh faiths and how to approach Muslims and Sikhs in non-crisis situations. Presentations included sensitivity videos about Arab-Americans and Sikhs, a clip from the Canadian sitcom, “Little Mosque on the Prairie” and role-playing exercises. Ahmad and Maysa Al-Barcha, another presenter from St. Louis, talked about the importance of understanding differences, like the significance of eye contact. During a role-playing exercise with a Kansas City detective, Al-Barcha showed how Arabs, Muslims and Sikhs avoid prolonged eye contact, especially with authority figures, because it is seen as disrespectful and confrontational. “We tend to think that people who avoid eye contact have something to hide,” Columbia Police Chief Randy Boehm said. About 12 Columbia police officers attended the training. Rajbir Datta, the Pittsburgh-born director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, talked about how Sikh men are easily identified by the turban their faith requires them to wear. “The turban now signifies terrorism or Muslim or Arab or worse,” Datta said. Cody Abram, from the Department of Justice in Kansas City, got to experience part of Datta’s morning routine: wrapping an 18-foot to 24-foot piece of cotton around his head. A slightly reluctant volunteer, Abram held the end of the cloth while Datta wrapped and the class snapped pictures. “This isn’t something you can take off and put on easily”, said Datta, as he lifted the turban off Abram’s head in front of the group, an action no Sikh would ever perform in front of anyone except close family members. Hence, the need for privacy when searching a Sikh. For Datta, it boils down to this: “Law enforcement can do their job better by knowing the community they serve.” The training, which was sponsored by a coalition that included the Department of Justice, MU Chancellor’s Diversity Initiative, MU Extension, Missouri Police Chiefs Association and the Columbia Police Department, was held at the Reynold’s Alumni Center at MU. Columbia Missourian

ACLU Considering Legal Action Against Sheriff’s Office Sikh groups are decrying the treatment of a Florida inmate who was forced into the cutting of his hair, a revered symbol of piety. The Sikh community is protesting the forced haircut and shave of Jacksonville, Fla. inmateJagmahon… The Sikh community is protesting the forced haircut and shave of Jacksonville, Fla. inmate Jagmahon Ahuja, a Sikh who had not cut his hair since birth. The Sikhs view uncut hair as a religious article and say cutting of the hair is akin to religious persecution. (Courtesy United Sikhs/Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office) The Florida chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is considering legal action against the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, saying that cutting Jagmahon Ahuja’s hair after he entered the jail system violated the state’s statute on religious freedom. And for devout Sikhs, Ahuja’s haircut represents hundreds of years of persecution. “It’s essentially like saying, ‘I don’t care about your religion. I don’t care about who you are,'” said Rajbir Datta, national director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, which has been following Ahuja’s case. Ahuja, 36, was jailed April 29, charged with a probation violation and an order of protection related to a domestic violence case. He was convicted, sentenced to 714 days in jail and is expected to be released in May 2010, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office’s Department of Corrections Web site. Court documents show Ahuja has filed an appeal. His hair was cut and his face shaved in July. Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford declined to comment to ABCNews.com, with a spokeswoman in his office citing possible litigation. And the Department of Corrections did not respond to a request for a telephone interview with Ahuja. Datta hasn’t spoken to Ahuja directly, but said the effect of such an event for a Sikh would be devastating. “For a lot of people, it is essentially akin to death,” Datta said today, noting that his own hair falls to his waist. Sikhs do not cut their hair, including facial hair, for the duration of their lives, a tradition stemming from the early 18th century guru Gobind Singh. Hair, Datta said, is “given by God.” Back in the days of Gobind Singh, turbans were worn by men of wealth and status, and the Sikhs adopted the turban for all men, poor and rich alike, to reject the idea of a caste system. The long hair, he said, also signifies Sikhs’ not being focused on their outward appearance. Historically, Datta said, opposing religious groups and governments persecuted Sikhs by cutting off their hair. The United Sikhs New York-based U.S. division, which is spearheading the protest on Ahuja’s behalf, staged a peaceful demonstration in Jacksonville Sunday with about 80 protestors, most of them Sikhs. Jaspreet Singh, the group’s lawyer, said he has met with Ahuja, who he said is divorced with two young daughters, twice, and described him as being “very distressed,” even more so after his second haircut and shave Sept. 28. “He was very happy to hear the people were taking concern over this issue,” Singh said today. Singh noted that to Sikhs, the hair is like a limb. Uncut hair is one of Sikhism’s five articles of faith, along with a small wooden comb, an iron bracelet, a short steel or iron blade and an article of clothing similar to boxer shorts. “Their reasoning for cutting the hair in the jail is you can hide contraband … or if you were to escape, you could shave yourself and alter your appearance quickly,” Singh said. The state of Florida — whose policy is closely adhered to by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s, Singh and Datta said — states that the government shall not “substantially burden” a person’s right to religious exercise and must find the least restrictive means of accomplishing the government’s interest — the safety and security of the jail in Ahuja’s case. Glenn Katon, an ACLU lawyer in Florida and director of the Religious Freedom Project, today said that cutting Ahuja’s hair as a security issue is hard to justify when the Federal Bureau of Prisons and several state corrections departments have already adopted policies allowing inmates to keep certain grooming practices for religious reasons. “I think we have a pretty good case,” Katon said today, adding, however, that the ACLU has not yet committed to legal action. There are several inmate grooming cases involving hair on the law books across the country, involving Hasidic Jews, American Indians and Rastafarians, but not Sikhs, Katon said. The outcomes of the cases were fairly mixed between rulings in favor of the inmates and the prison systems, he said. Singh noted the 2006 case of Satnam Singh, a Florida state inmate who was moved to Vermont after the Sikh community protested the impending cutting of his hair while in prison. That, Jaspreet Singh said, was a reasonable accommodation. But United Sikhs didn’t hear about Ahuja’s case until three weeks after his hair had been removed. His mother, who lives in the United Kingdom, contacted the group after getting a letter from her son saying that he was depressed and didn’t recognize himself in the mirror. Datta noted that Ahuja had been imprisoned in Jacksonville in 2006 and his hair was not cut then because of the short duration of his stay in the jail. Datta said there are about 500,000 Sikhs living in the United States. He estimated there are fewer than two dozen Sikhs imprisoned across the country. Worldwide, Sikhs number about 25 million, Singh said, with the biggest population in India, followed by the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id=5966130&page=1 ABC News

Richmond (CA) Police Department Welcomes Sikh American Police Officers; SALDEF Hopeful that Other Police Departments Will Follow Suit June 17, 2009 (Washington, DC) – Following the announcement last week that observant Sikh Americans are welcome to join the Yuba City Police Department with their articles of faith intact, Richmond (CA) Police Chief Chris Magnus issued written confirmation yesterday that observant Sikh Americans are also welcome to join the Richmond Police Department in Richmond, California. Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Richmond Police Department serves a community of more than 102,000 residents of diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds. Responding to an email dated June 16, 2009 from local Sikh American community leader Dr. J.P. Singh — an email which contained SALDEF’s recent Press Release regarding the Yuba City Police Department’s acceptance of the Sikh identity — Chief Chris Magnus confirmed that observant Sikh Americans are welcome to apply for jobs at his agency.

Chief Chris Magnus, Richmond (CA) Police Department

“The Richmond Police Department welcomes applications from members of the Sikh community for the position of police officer as well as other jobs within the Police Department.  We recognize and take pride in serving a diverse community which we are aware includes a significant number of Sikhs.  Our department continually looks for applicants who represent the diversity of the community and we appreciate the value they bring to our agency.  Any employee who is of the Sikh faith would not be prohibited from wearing a turban or having a beard.  We encourage anyone who would like information about employment opportunities with the Richmond Police Department to contact us.” SALDEF is grateful to Dr. J.P. Singh for proactively reaching out to the Richmond Police Department and to Chief Magnus and the entire Richmond 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.  As always, 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.

The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) is proud to announce that three more California police chiefs and one county sheriff have issued written confirmation that observant Sikh Americans are welcome to join their respective departments. (more…)

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.

June 10, 2009 (Washington, DC) – Yesterday, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) called upon Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler to modify a legal opinion that endangers the religious freedom of observant Sikh Americans and members of other religious groups. The legal opinion in question—94 OAG 81—was issued on May 27, 2009 in response to a law enforcement officer’s inquiry about the right of individuals to remain “veiled or masked” for religious reasons upon entering a courthouse.  Notwithstanding the narrow focus of the officer’s inquiry, 94 OAG 81 makes conspicuous reference to religious “headgear” in its title; is laced with overbroad references to “head” coverings; and can be misinterpreted to mean that deputy sheriffs can require individuals entering a courthouse to remove religious headgear for security purposes. In a letter to Mr. Gansler, SALDEF expressed concern that 94 OAG 81 would create needless confusion among security officers at courthouses throughout Maryland and potential legal liability for the State of Maryland.  For these reasons, SALDEF has urged the Maryland Attorney General to modify the opinion and collaborate with SALDEF on Sikh American cultural awareness trainings for security officers through SALDEF’s Law Enforcement Partnership Program. LEARN MORE Read more about SALDEF’s work on religious accommodation issues at courthouses: Dallas County Agrees to Adopt SALDEF Guidelines in Settlement of Lawsuit (Link no longer available) Georgia Court Apologizes to Sikh American Denied Entry Into Court House Due to His Turban (Link no longer available) Georgia Court Apologizes for Denying Sikh American Man Entrance to Court (Link no longer available) SALDEF is grateful to volunteer attorney Dawinder Singh Sidhu for bringing this matter to its attention.  If you or your children ever experience discrimination, threats, or violence because of your Sikh identity, please contact SALDEF by email at legal@saldef.org or by phone at (202) 393-2700 Ext 131.