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Sikh American Expelled from North
Carolina Food Bank
WSN Network
Washington: An
American Sikh, Gurnam Singh Khera, was expelled from a community
center in North Carolina because he wore a Dastaar in accordance
with his Sikh faith.
The incident
reportedly occurred at the Union Mission facility in Roanoke Rapids, North
Carolina. Khera and his wife went to the facility to make a donation
for a Thanksgiving Food Drive and expressed interest in sending
their children to the facility during the Thanksgiving holidays to
serve food to the needy.
There he was
told by a receptionist that "this is the United States"
and that he needed to remove his Dastaar. When Mr. Khera attempted
to explain the religious significance of the Dastaar, the
receptionist refused to speak with him. When the Reverend in charge
of the facility was summoned, Khera offered a handshake, but the
Reverend reportedly refused to reciprocate and asked Khera and his
wife to leave the facility, saying: "Go donate to some other place;
we do not need your donations unless you remove your turban."
This, when Sikhs
are well known for their own traditions of langar and volunteers of
all faiths serve free meals to all visitors, regardless of race,
religion, gender, caste, or social standing. In keeping with this
tradition, Sikh Americans throughout the United States
have routinely partnered with churches and other places of worship
to feed the homeless and provide relief to victims of natural
disasters.
"We are
profoundly offended that a community center would repudiate a Sikh
American because of his religion and refuse his Thanksgiving
donation," said Rajbir Singh Datta, National Director of SALDEF.
26 November
2008
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