Sikh Gay Parade slanders the Sikh faith

Loud and proud

Thursday, July 24th, 2008

News Source: www.asianpacificpost.com

Wed. July 23 2008 - More often than not, homosexuality within the South Asian community is frowned upon. But slowly, that's starting to change says a support group for gay and lesbian Sikhs in Metro Vancouver.

This year, Sher Vancouver is coming out loud and proud with its first ever float in Vancouver's annual Gay Pride Parade.

"Even we don't know what the float looks like yet," says Sher Vancouver founder, Amar Sangha.

"The woman in charge of decorating it has kept it a secret so I guess we'll all have to wait until the day of the parade to find out.

But we do know that it's not just going to be a Sikh float — it's going to be a South Asian float."

Sangha, 36, started Sher Vancouver in April after realizing that the South Asian gay community had no support group that fully understood the cultural challenges it was up against. Sher, which now has over 50 members, acts as a beacon of compassion for those struggling to come out to their families and friends.

"There is a generational difference for how Sikhs look at homosexuality," says Sangha, who lives in North Delta.

"Most younger and educated people who are familiar with Western culture are supportive. But in the end, the more people who come out of the closet, the easier I think it will be for South Asian gays to come out."

Sangha, a proud Sikh, says it was difficult to tell his family he is gay. To this day, his sexuality raises a gambit of issues, including how the family presents itself to the rest of the Sikh community, including its more traditional elements.

"My mom was supportive but my dad and his family still feel being gay is a choice," he says.

"They don't want me to be out in the media as they suffer a backlash every time I do an interview so I'm trying to tone it down."

Despite a culture that largely condemns homosexuality, there is nothing about the Sikh faith itself that takes a definitive stand on homosexuality one way or the other, says Sangha.

"The Sikh holy text isn't really solid on the issue," he explains. "It espouses tolerance and acceptance so even though it doesn't say anything about homosexuality, many people feel these values can be applied to all aspects of the human race.

"These are universal rights. They should include all gays and lesbians."

By founding Sher Vancouver and creating a strong presence in the media and in the community, Sangha hopes more gay Sikhs will be encouraged to come out.

So far, his group has raised $1,200 toward the construction of its $1,800 parade float.

"We're in a bit of a cash crunch," he admits. "Anyone interested in making a donation can e-mail me at amar_sangha@hotmail.com

Sikhi Stance On Homosexuality!

Sikhi teaches the path of truthful living and righteousness. The definition of truthful living is when you live a life according to Gods will. When one is corrupted by darkness and evil desires they live a life based on sin. Sikhs do not even cut their hair as they believe the hair have been put their according to Gods will. Anyone with common sense will know that God has created man and women to reproduce, this is a law of nature and a design of Gods will. Homosexaulity is against the will of God, in the same way as cutting ones hair is to a Sikh. Homosexuality is illegal amongst Sikh ethics and the Sikh code of conduct. The doors of the Gurdwara are open to anyone without any discrimination, but Sikh institutes will not carry out:

1: The Sikh initiation (Amrit ceremony) of a Homosexual person who refuses to stop having homosexual relationships after Amrit.

2: A Homosexual wedding.

3: Recommend the adoption or fostering of Sikh children to Homosexual couples.

The above three situations are there to protect Sikh ethics; any institute going against these is breaking the code of Sikh ethics.

In Sikhi Homosexuality is seen as devil like behaviour, although Sikhs do not see as a crime like some other religions. A person has the right to do what they want behind closed doors. But Sikhi in general does see homosexuality as a form of Maya (illusion) which keeps one away from Gods will. Homosexuality is defiantly seen as a form of Anti-Social behaviour by the Sikh religion. Gurbani tells us that evil instincts that lead us away from God are caused by the uncontrolled mind and dark energies within us. If a person does not meditate on God, this uncontrolled mind just keeps on increasing in its path of corruption and filthy desires.

This leaflet is not intended to offend homosexuals, but it is giving the honest view of homosexuality by the Sikh religion.

The love of Maya is enticing; without teeth, it has eaten up the world. The self-willed manmukhs are eaten away, while the Gurmukhs are saved; they focus their consciousness on the True Name. Without the Name, the world wanders around insane; the Gurmukhs come to see this. Ang 643 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Everything else is false. Whatever pleases Your Will is acceptable. Ang 16 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

The blind have forgotten the Naam, the Name of the Lord. The self-willed manmukhs are in utter darkness. Ang 19 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

O Nanak, the Boat of Truth will ferry you across; contemplate the Guru. Ang 20 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

The Gurmukh knows the Divine Light, while the foolish self-willed manmukh gropes around in the darkness. Ang 20 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

She has neither modesty or self-discipline; the self-willed manmukh constantly tells lies, and is ruined by the bad karma of evil deeds. Ang 786 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Frontlinepunjabi youth:

You cant be a sikh and gay, it dont work its like trying to put two swords in one case. This poeple if they want to be gay be gay but dont use the word sikh, because if you were sikh you wouldnt be a gay. They are slandering the sikh faith and going against the teachings of sri guru granth sahib ji.

Email that amar sangha geeza man, and tell him to keep the word sikh out of it.

Details of Bhai Harmander Singh jis shaheedi

Haryana Cult Clash Claims life of another Singh

Friday 18th of July 2008

Panthic Weekly News Bureau

One Singh was killed and dozens injured in the latest attacks on Sikhs

Dabwali, Haryana (KP) - The conflict between the Sikh Nation and the Sirsa based Sauda cult took another turn for the worst when clashes between cultists and Sikh protestors claimed another Sikh youth's life in the town of Dabwali in Haryana.

Furious over the latest murder, members of the Sikh community clashed with cultists for several hours before authorities managed to control the situation in the border districts of Bathinda, Mukatsar, Faridkot, and Sirsa. Tensions also flared in the districts of SriGanganagar, and Hanumangarh on the border with Rajasthan.

On Saturday, thousands of Sikhs gathered in large numbers at Shaheed Bhai Harmandir Singh's native town of Dabwali to pay tribute to the Sikh Nation's third Shaheed in the anti-Sauda Dera agitation.

Shaheed Harmandar Singh

Bhai Harmandir Singh, who was also known as Mandar Singh in the community, was a local leader of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha. His body was cremated according to Sikh rites after being taken from a local Haryana Gurdwara Sahib in a huge procession and show of strength by the Sikhs.

The Shaheed Singh's body, draped by siropas (robes of honor) presented by Sikh organizations, was carried on top of a large vehicle with his father Sardar Mohinder Singh, Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh, and other prominent Sikh leaders, and members of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha.

Emotions on Edge as 3rd Sikh Martyr is Cremated

Passions were on edge as the large numbers of mourners raised loud Jaikaras of 'Bole so Nihal, Sat Sri Akal' and 'Shaheed Harmandar Singh Amar Rahay.' Slogans against the Sirsa dera and its criminal chief were also raised through the procession.

After the Shaheed's body was brought to Dabwali's cremation ground, an emotional farewell was given by the martyr's parents, elder brother, and wife Manjit Kaur. His surviving daughter, Sukhandeep Kaur, 5, and son Gurcharn Singh, who is only two and half years old, seemed oblivious to the tragedy that occurred in their family.

The Funeral fire for Bhai Harmandir Singh's body was lit by the shaheed's father and elder brother, along with Jathedar Nandgarh and Avtar Singh Makkar of the SGPC.

After the antim-saskar, Sikh leaders such as Simranjit Singh Maan, Baba Baljit Singh Daduwal, Daljit Singh Bittu, eulogized the martyr at the local Gurdwara at Dabwali.

There was a huge presence of local police, Border Security Forces, and Rapid Action Forces throughout the area, in which the entire border area between the districts of Bathinda and Mukatsar had been sealed and a curfew put in place. Only during the antim-saskar procession was the curfew lifted for about two and a half hours.

Shaheedi

According to eyewitnesses, a local 'naam-charcha' (Sirsa cult meeting) was being organized at the residence of Sundar Dass Mehta on Friday. Volunteers of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha, including Bhai Harmandir Singh, complained to the local police officials about the meeting, but officials, who themselves sympathize with the cultists, turned a blind eye to the issue.

When the Singhs, numbering only 15-20, began to protest outside Mehta's residence, they were violently confronted by the cultists whose numbers had now surged into the hundreds-heavily armed. In the initial attack, dozens of cultists ambushed Bhai Harmandir Singh with sharp weapons and latthis (staffs), several others were injured in this melee.

When other members of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha found out about the situation, they quickly arrived at the scene and took possession of the Shaheed Singh's body, and in protest closed down the Delhi-Dabwali highway.

Police attack Protesting Singhs

According to press reports, the deputy commissioner Oma Shankar, and senior police captain Venktarmun, soon arrived at the protest scene and attempted to disperse the protesting Singhs using the infamous 'lathi-charge' tactic in which half a dozens more Singhs were injured directly due to police brutality.

As reports of the mistreatment of the Sikhs in Haryana spread, more Sangat began to pour into the town of Dabwali, in which during the evening the Sikh protesters began to retaliate against the authorities and Sirsa cultists. It took several hours and reinforcements from neighboring districts before the Police could contain the situation.

As in the past, local government officials are suspected of sympathizing with and protecting the cult dera members, and are being partly blamed for the death of Harmandir Singh. They include deputy commissioner Oma Shankar, a sub-inspector Dalip Singh, and local patwari.