Sunday, August 05, 2012

Sikhs Killed Worshipping in their Temple

What an act so illustrative of our country and the utter ignorance of some of the people who live within our borders.

As I type this news is breaking of a single white man, 40-ish, who reportedly sports “9-11” ink work on his body, having murdered 6 men observing religious rites in a Sikh temple, and wounding 3 others, including the police officer who killed him.

Tragically, though, if the shooter wanted some pay back for 9-11, as it appears right now he does, he couldn’t have chosen a more unworthy target, if we are to rate religious Muslim targets that is.

Because in the scheme of things, while Sikhs are a peaceful sect, this much is true, their own brand of religion is one of non-violence, peace, and tenderness. Sikhs are the last people that could be targeted as terrorists. Yes they wear turbans, and Osama bin Laden wore a turban, and yes they wear beards, and Osama bin Laden wore a beard, but that is just about the end of it.

But the tragedy is, to Americans, one size fits all, and to this poor example of a human, the shooter, this error may just have been the one that led him to his terrible crimes. Instead of striking a blow for mom, America and apple pie, this individual brings out the utter worst of us, the ignorant vigilante with a gun.

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