By Desh Singh
Coping in American society as new generation Sikhs.
WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION. We are American Sikhs. We are a people who have thrived on the individuality of our identity. We are nonconformists in a country where conformity is principal in the ledger of life.
Yet, this individuality does not come without a price. Our children face constant derision, humiliation and pressure at the hands of other American children. They are constantly harassed because they have ‘buns’ on their heads or because they don’t shave their legs. The pressure they feel is tremendous; they feel as if they are alone in their distressed world.
“AS a result, many of them desire to escape from this predicament. Unfortunately, the most obvious solution that Sikh children find is simply to give in, they either begin to cut or trim their hair in order to appear more “acceptable” or they give in to other peer pressures such as drugs or alcohol. Yet instead, each one of us should realize that we are not alone. What you and I face on the streets and in our schools is nothing new. It is something that all of us second generation Sikhs have faced and in all likelihood, something that our children will also face.
This prejudice and alienation may in time, eventually be mitigated or possibly erased through educating the American masses, they need to be properly informed about who we are and why we adhere to our customs. Similarly our Sikh children need to be educated on the Sikh way of life; they need to be told that cutting their hair is not the way out of their dilemma. It is the way out of the Khalsa, but not the way out of life’s problems.
We cannot run away from all of our troubles and yet all of us cannot always be strong.
Therefore, we must learn to talk about our problems. If you cannot talk to your parents talk to your brothers and sisters. If you can’t talk to them, talk to older Sikhs who have already experienced what you are experiencing now. Talk to us by writing to us and telling us about our problems. We are all here for you.
All of us also need to remember our great Sikh tradition. We must take time out to think about the tremendous hardships and suffering that our ancestors (as well as Sikhs in India today) experienced; thousands of Sikhs became martyrs in order to protect and maintain our faith.
Yet, we still often complain about our petty social problems.
Therefore, be proud; be proud of yourself; be proud of your identity; be proud that you are different. True individuality is a much respected quality in America.
For those of you who have left the Khalsa, 1t is not too late for you to return. But you must have the faith, desire and courage to do so. Once again, you should talk to us and write to us. We are all here for vou.
It is us, the children of the Guru, upon whom the fate of Sikhism and our heritage lies. We will decide the destiny of Sikh in America. We have both a great honor and a great responsibility upon our heads. Perhaps what has been written in this article, sounds rather grandiose and dramatic, but as the Great Russian writer, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, once said, “Lift up your minds and formulate your ideals” and as science has proven, thought translates into action.
(The article has been excerpted from the forthcoming issue of “Sikh Generations,” a Sikh youth magazine being brought out by young Sikhs in New York. The magazine is slated to be published four times a year. For additional information contact: “Sikh Generations” 10409 Westside Ave, Corona, N.Y. 11368.)
They are constantly harassed because they have ‘buns’ on their heads or because they don’t shave their legs.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 26, 1990
