Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Beard and Turban Day--Who's With Me?

Apparently when it was feared that the jews would be required to wear a yellow star by the Nazi's, Christian X of Denmark stated, "When you look at the inhumane treatment of Jews, not only in Germany but occupied countries as well, you start worrying that such a demand might also be put on us, but we must clearly refuse such, this is due to their protection under the Danish constitution. I stated that I could not meet such a demand towards Danish citizens. If such a demand is made, we would best meet it by all wearing the Star of David."

We have an opportunity to stand up to similar bigotry. The NYPD:

"[R]eleased video of some of the more than a dozen teens suspected of beating up a doctor Saturday evening in what the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is calling a bias attack.

Dr. Prabhjot Singh, 31, is a member of the Sikh faith, the fifth largest religion in the world. The community health expert with joint positions at Mt. Sinai Hospital and Columbia University was walking along West 110th street near Lenox Avenue with a friend when he was attacked.

'We heard ‘get Osama’ and ‘terrorist.’ I felt somebody grab my beard and hit my chin. And then minutes later I was punched a number of times,' Singh said. Medics ended up taking him to the very hospital where he works, Mt. Sinai, where some of his fellow doctors had to wire his jaw and treat him for other injuries.

Police said that a group of young men, ages 15 to 20, came up to Singh on bikes just north of Central Park.

Even though the suspects allegedly yelled slurs at Singh relating to Osama bin Laden, he isn't Muslim, and certainly has nothing to do with terrorism. Like many Sikh men, however, he does not cut his hair or shave his beard, in keeping with traditional practices of his faith."

Regardless of our religious or non-religious affiliations, we should not tolerate such behavior. We should all pick a day and everyone should wear a turban and beard and walk through a local park.

Read more: http://pix11.com/2013/09/23/sikh-professor-beaten-by-bicyclist-gang-who-shouted-osama-thought-he-was-muslim/#ixzz2fxrTO5yA

Loren M. Lambert © September 25, 2013

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