Sir,
Life for an American Sikh teenager in the United States means concerts, dramas, listening to rock music, girls with shorts and miniskirts, boys with designer names on their shirts, shoes etc. These come naturally to us and by large the American lifestyle appears to us.
But life can be difficult faced as we are with pressures of daily life that were never there before. Somehow these pressures are felt by us. It could be that we always try to perform better grade wise than other kids. There is always an understanding amongst our parents and teachers that we should always be on top. Parents want us to go to top schools, achieve top grades and qualify for the best universities, at the same time they expect us to shut our eyes and minds to the evils that are around us. These expectations could be harmful while providing encouragement, It is no surprise that students never speak the truth, while talking of the university they attend and there are a few known to me who do not sleep and eat well, just to keep their straight A’s.
Next is the big cultural vacuum, which leads to the generation gap with our parents I cannot ask my folks to alter their values or morals, but they ought to know that I did not move with them from Punjab to this country. My life started right here,
Quite often, I am expected to overlook the facets of American life that suit me well. For instance dating is quite common with us teenagers. Restrictors on us, only complicate the relationships with the elders.
Frankly, the culture is what will make the big difference in the future. How will the Sikh culture survive and keep intact in years to come? Many of my generation born and brought up here, understand Punjabi my native tongue, but, really how many are good at it, and be able to pass it on to their children and grandchildren.
I have been lucky that, inspite of all this I lead a great life, and have links with homeland of Punjab, half way across the globe. Not many of my American pals can speak a language other than English, but I do. My folks talk of problems in Punjab and its liberation to form a new country named Khalistan. It is dear to them but I am not clear about it. If it really is going to help keep the Sikh culture: alive so be it, but the death and destruction there tums me off.
Your newspaper should appeal to American Sikh’s like me, Please give us more coverage.
Jasminder Pandher (16 years) New York
ALIBAG: Violence broke out in Mangaon Taluka in Raigad district of Maharashtra following stone throwing by a crowd on a Rath Yatra taken out by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad this morning, forcing the police to open fire.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 12, 1990
