Do I have the right to say who I am?

[Agnostic]

"We grow beards, we wear turbans, but we are not Muslims." (http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/7205249.htm)

We are different. Please dont shoot us by mistake.:cool:

[Blueangel]

Very good point! ;)

I was lucky to have a very liberal religious education that explained the differences and common ground of most World religions.
It's a pity that the school authorities in the linked article can't see how this would be beneficial and not "preaching".

[Agnostic]

Especially, American kids need to be taught who is who. (http://acluweb.best.vwh.net/911/backlash/sodhi.html)

For starters, all turbans and beards are not Muslim.

[Missouri Mule]

I'd go for that.

[cpwill]

why would we shoot you just for being a muslim?

that's stupid and counterproductive.

[Blueangel]

Originally posted by cpwill
why would we shoot you just for being a muslim?

that's stupid and counterproductive. I find this post counterproductive.
Agnostic is trying to make a valid point about religious definition, a point that it seems certain education authorities are actively withholding from the education system.
I believe it's the authorities concerned that are being wreckless in their policy.

[cpwill]

i don't think it's all that counterproductive.

there appears to be a very real image in the rest of the world that americans think that all muslims are terrorists. i am wondering why this is so.

[Blueangel]

Not at all!
That idea appeals to the lowest common denominator as you well know. Some people want an easily recognisable enemy, and the racial attacks against Muslims in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, only go to prove that.

Do you not find it a little narrow that the education authorities refuse to deal with these issues for fear of being seen to 'preach'?

It's only human nature to associate certain aspects of a person as belonging to their enemy and education is the key to diminishing this.

The current enemy doesn't wear jack boots, a swastika armband and have a march straight from The Ministry Of Silly Walks.

[Agnostic]

"It's hard to believe I'm even going to look at this man -- at first he almost looked to me like an Iraqi," Vallot said,

And this about someone, who in all possibility, might become Governor of Louisiana, tomorrow. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38378-2003Nov13_2.html)

America is a great nation, but America is not the world. America can blow up the planet and all the other eight in the solar system if it wants to, but the bottom line is that the American education system is flawed.
There must be something radically wrong if people think all dark-complexioned people are Iraqis and all turbaned folk are Muslim.

America needs more Bobbys.:angel:

[Agnostic]

Hello! (http://www.sikhtoons.com/Eyechart.html)

[ranger]

Agnostic says "There must be something radically wrong if people think all dark-complexioned people are Iraqis and all turbaned folk are Muslim. "

There must be something radically wrong if agnostic thinks ALL Americans "think all dark-complexioned people are Iraqis and all turbaned folk are Muslim."

[Agnostic]

ranger,
I'm sorry if I conveyed that impression. I just said "people." I didnt say "all Americans." FYI, we have Yanks in the family too.;)

My point is why is that Sikh kid prevented from making others aware that he belongs to a different religion from the one that everybody loves to hate nowadays?:D

One more thing. We are darker than the Iraqis.:angel:

[bama47]

But they are close enough for me lol

[Dissent]

I think this should go for everywhere and everyone. There is so much fear and misunderstanding in the world and schools should be a first place to address this, to stop it happening in future generations.
However, schools should also teach children to be critical and question everything but they extinguish this in them very quickly. Maybe if we were taught to be critical and have a little more understanding and compassion, we would have questioned the media and our governments a long time ago. Maybe none of this would have happened or at least to the same extent.
After all, along with Governments, schools are just another institution following the status quo :(

[Dissent]

or maybe i should of said '...just another institution enforcing the status quo..'

[mahayana]

I think I like this Guru Nanak. Who would have thought that a religion of reincarnation and karma would have manifested a society full of descrimination and prejudice?

Wonder if anyone could find some examples of Sikh humor?

[Voice Of Reason]

Originally posted by Agnostic
"We grow beards, we wear turbans, but we are not Muslims." (http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/7205249.htm)

We are different. Please dont shoot us by mistake.:cool:

If you are a Muslims then condemn terrorism and what happened on 9/11/01........

I have seen very few Muslims do that.......

[vikingamerican]

We wouldn't shoot 'ya. Just stop your car when asked to.;)

[up2date]

Originally posted by Voice Of Reason
If you are a Muslims then condemn terrorism and what happened on 9/11/01........

I have seen very few Muslims do that....... I have talked to very few Muslims who haven't condemned terrorism.

[Blueangel]

Originally posted by Voice Of Reason
If you are a Muslims then condemn terrorism and what happened on 9/11/01........

I have seen very few Muslims do that....... You're missing the point.
Agnostic is a Sikh.
That's the entire point of this thread. By depriving children of proper religious education, schools are also denying them essential information about the World.

Children have enquiring minds and many valid questions were asked in my class, like, why do Sikh members of the police not have to wear helmets like other British police?

Between the ages of 11 and 16, I was taught about ALL World religions and related morality, and I believe this is essential basic knowledge. The class syllabus also included World views towards drugs, contraception, etc, and how different religions approached these issues based on their beliefs. It was the most educational class of all and had a lasting impression on all of my fellow students.

It's a matter of information and respect.

[Captain America]

I would be very interested in what the accepted "world" opinion on these subjects are.:confused:



As if the "world" coud agree on anything.

[Blueangel]

The various World religions don't agree on all the main issues that affect society, but there's a large degree of common ground that runs through all of them.

It's a matter of establishing the common ground, setting it in stone, and debating the rest.
It's must help to work on what we all agree on instead of always concentrating on the differences.

Just as an example...
when we decide legislation to control the use of illegal drugs, it helps if we take into account that some religions use cannabis as part of their religion.

[mahayana]

Blueangel, I appreciate the direction you are steering this thread.

Re your last example, the oldest civilization (China) had opium dens where addicts could do their drugs and destroy themselves with little impact on life outside. Could you imagine if our drug policy was to provide free drugs to addicts, provided they do them in government sponsored facilities?

There are plenty of confiscated drugs and available buildings so it wouldn't cost much to get started.

And it would wipe out the profits of the current violent illegal drug trade. Just a thought.

[Agnostic]

Blueangel,
I am not a Sikh. I dont follow any religion.
The Sikh religion, one of the newest religions in the world and the fifth largest, comes from the Punjab area of India. It's male followers all wear beards, do not cut their hair and wear it under a turban. I just thought it was unfair that someone with a beard and turban is automatically assumed to belong to a particular religion, and when school children want to tell people who they really are, they are prevented from doing so.

This (http://www.sikhnet.com) is the website where one can learn about Sikhism.

BTW, this is one of the reasons why we admire the Brits. (http://sify.com/news/international/fullstory.php?id=13331057)