We are all one, say Americans
10 Aug 2012 2:31 PM IST
Hundreds of people from various walks of life, Indian-Americans in particular, gathered in cities across the US to mourn the killing of six Sikh worshippers at a Wisconsin Gurdwara, describing the incident as an ‘ugly and dark day’ in the US history.
Be it Manhattan in New York City, the Lafayette Square Park in front of the White House in Washington or places like Boston, Chicago and San Francisco, the mood was same everywhere, with people, including children and women, displaying pictures of the six worshippers shot dead by a lone gunman at the Oak Creek Gurdwara on Sunday.
Observing 8 August as a National Day of Remembrance and Solidarity, they also prominently displayed the pictures of police officer Bryan Murphy, who received multiple gun shots wounds when ex-Army veteran Wade Michael Page fired at him after he had indiscriminately shot and killed the six people at the Oak Creek Gurdwara.
People held up candles and wore T-shirts on which was written ‘We are all Sikhs. Oak Creek Wisconsin’. They carried banners and posters that read ‘We are all one,’ ‘We are American, we are Sikh, we are one’ and ‘Proud to be a Sikh’.
They pledged that they would emerge much stronger than ever in the aftermath of this tragedy.
Addressing the gatherings, eminent community members described the incident as an ‘ugly, dark day in the history of America.’
Those participating in the vigil said no other community has been ‘hurt or targeted more’ than the Sikhs in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in the US and the main reason behind such discrimination is ignorance.
Addressing the community members at the vigil in Manhattan, US Congressman Joe Crowley said if people are attacked and killed in places of worship in the country, then this is not the America he has known.
Crowley said it is crucial that a conversation is started in the country that questions how weapons end up in the hands of criminals.
On Sunday ‘we saw the darkest side of mankind,’ said Dr Natasha Kaur, addressing the mourners near the White House. Currently doing her residency at the George Washington University, she recollected how as an eight-year-old she along with her two brothers had the first encounter with hate crime.
Be it Manhattan in New York City, the Lafayette Square Park in front of the White House in Washington or places like Boston, Chicago and San Francisco, the mood was same everywhere, with people, including children and women, displaying pictures of the six worshippers shot dead by a lone gunman at the Oak Creek Gurdwara on Sunday.
Observing 8 August as a National Day of Remembrance and Solidarity, they also prominently displayed the pictures of police officer Bryan Murphy, who received multiple gun shots wounds when ex-Army veteran Wade Michael Page fired at him after he had indiscriminately shot and killed the six people at the Oak Creek Gurdwara.
People held up candles and wore T-shirts on which was written ‘We are all Sikhs. Oak Creek Wisconsin’. They carried banners and posters that read ‘We are all one,’ ‘We are American, we are Sikh, we are one’ and ‘Proud to be a Sikh’.
They pledged that they would emerge much stronger than ever in the aftermath of this tragedy.
Addressing the gatherings, eminent community members described the incident as an ‘ugly, dark day in the history of America.’
Those participating in the vigil said no other community has been ‘hurt or targeted more’ than the Sikhs in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in the US and the main reason behind such discrimination is ignorance.
Addressing the community members at the vigil in Manhattan, US Congressman Joe Crowley said if people are attacked and killed in places of worship in the country, then this is not the America he has known.
Crowley said it is crucial that a conversation is started in the country that questions how weapons end up in the hands of criminals.
On Sunday ‘we saw the darkest side of mankind,’ said Dr Natasha Kaur, addressing the mourners near the White House. Currently doing her residency at the George Washington University, she recollected how as an eight-year-old she along with her two brothers had the first encounter with hate crime.
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