University of California, Merced

Taking a Second Glance: A Look at the So-Called Terrorists

Karnvir Chauhan

Professor Samantha Ocena

Writing 10-14

27 February 2017
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I was walking down the register aisle at Costco in Merced with a friend when we started

getting disturbing looks from our surrounding individuals. I noticed that we were the only

colored people around.

Sikhs have been living in the United States for the past 100 years. We wear turbans on

our heads, an iron bracelet called a Kara around our wrists and keep long, unshorn hair. We hail

from India which falls in Asia, not the Middle East. We believe in One God and stand firmly in

accordance with equality. We are no different than an African American, a Muslim, Christian or

even other brown people. After September 11, 2001, Sikhs have been hated, killed for no reason,

and judged differently. Why is it that Sikhs have to undergo torment and injustice when they

have never done anything to harm anyone?

The Sikh Coalition of individuals who defend Sikh civil rights in the United States. After

9/11, hate crimes against the Sikhs rose. According to the Sikh Coalition In the first month after

the 9/11 attacks, the Sikh Coalition documented over 300 cases of violence and discrimination

against Sikh Americans throughout the United States. evidence shows how Sikhs got mistaken

for resembling other faiths that the media portrays as being related to terrorism. Furthermore, a

2010 Sikh Coalition community survey revealed that ten percent of Sikhs in the San Francisco

Bay Area have experienced hate crimes because of their religion. (Sikh Coalition). Mistaken

identity is not a matter to be taken lightly especially 9/11 we were accused of acts of terrorism

that were committed by others, all simply because we wear turbans that bear the slightest

resemblance to those that conducted those horrendous crimes. The level of ignorance in our

society is so high that people dont even think twice before labeling an innocent Sikh man as

being a relative of Osama Bin Laden.

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While representing the Sikh faith comes with its own share of difficulties. It is exhausting

to have to walk down the same hallways every day and hear people shouting racist jokes at you

and telling you to go back to your own country, even though you were born in the same one as

them. Nor is it any easier to hear of Sikhs in your community; ones that you interact with, having

their turbans ripped off, and being beaten up and left to die in the streets of the Bay. According to

the studies done by the Sikh Coalition 69% of turban-wearing Sikh students in the Bay Area of

San Francisco have suffered bullying and harassment because of their religion and that 30% of

them had been hit or involuntarily touched because of their turbans. These attacks occur because

the Sikh articles of faith in particular, the turban are associated with terrorism and 9/11. The

evidence explains how our identity is being mistreated for because of our religion.

Growing up it was easier to just take everything in and suck it up but I thought that once

high school was over, I wouldnt have to deal with it anymore but, in UC Merced, this hasnt

changed much. You would think that people who are smart enough to invest in a higher level

education would be more accepting and know that everyone is allowed the freedom of choosing

their own religion and should not be mistreated for their decision, but that is not true, at least not

in terms of what I have seen. I was in downtown Merced with couple of other Sikh friends and

we realized as we were walking everyone looked at us. My eyes went from person to person and

all these eyes were looking at me. As I walk the streets of downtown Merced, I get negative

vibes left and right. The impact of this being my reality hurts even more because I thought this

would change once I started college.

The Declaration of Independence it states We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all

men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,

that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. In the United States; if you are
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a citizen of this country you should understand that the Declaration is telling you that everyone is

equal but, Sikhs, a good majority of whom are good citizens of America, are not being treated the

way they should. Sikhs have to fear about getting attacked both verbally and physically on a

daily basis? If there is no difference between me and the person sitting in front of me in a lecture

hall, why is it that I have to look over my shoulder before proceeding whereas getting insults

hurled at them are the least of the other persons worries? Sikhs get name- called, beaten up,

unfairly prosecuted, laid off and MUCH more simply because the faith weve chosen to dedicate

the rest of our lives to. I urge to ask yourself: Who are the real terrorists here?
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Work Cited
"Resources Archive." Sikh Coalition. Sikh Coalition, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.
"The Declaration of Independence: Full text." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall
Association, 4 July 1995. Web. 27 Feb. 2017