A movie you might be interested in, Slumdog Millionaire, is being released in major cities today and most other North American cities throughout the next few weeks. The plot might sound corny to the skeptical (it involves some romance), but if it’s as well done as it seems to be from the trailer, it could be one of those poignant, moving films that only come along once every few years (in the genre of Born into Brothels). The trailer gives away a lot, so if you like to be surprised, don’t watch all (or any) of it. (The skeptic in me is hoping it’s not a touristy, voyeuristic ride into areas that most movie-goers will only go to through the movie…)
An interesting theme that came up in the making of the movie is product displacement. Apparently Mercedes and “a well known soft drinks company” objected to their products being shown in a slum and demanded that their logos be removed, which was done digitally, costing tens of thousands of pounds. Yet, the Benz folks were perfectly happy having their logo appear on a gangster’s car when it was parked outside his mansion. So it’s ok to engage in mass (probably violent) crime as long as you’re wealthy. Mercedes will hang with you. But if you want to try to earn an honest living, and just can’t make it out of poverty- sorry, no such luck. [Timesonline]
The car manufacturer and a well-known soft drinks company believed that their brands would be sullied if their products were shown in one of Bombay’s shantytowns. [Timesonline]
Hey, Mercedes and fizzy drink company- you may have missed one of the points of the movie-you know, here’s the human struggle and spirit, from the eyes of someone you didn’t realize you had so much in common with??… Never mind. (I’m trying to not let their stupidity ruin the movie for me.)
More absurdity, synopsis and release dates below the fold.
Barack Hussein Obama’s historic victory as the 44th President of the United States Of America is being celebrated not only in America, but across the world.
He said in his victory speech that:
This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.
It can’t happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.
Thus, I leave you with a BBC news clip on how the World is reacting to Obama’s win. As people celebrate across the world, they also offer what they believe this “chance” for “change” means for American foreign relations!
As an UPDATE to my post a couple weeks ago, the Sikh Coalition has released the “2008 Presidential Elections Voter Guide For Sikh Americans”. P.S. McCain never responded … the guide contains some of his answers collected from outside resources (the Coalition became our #1 research assistant)!
According to the Sikh Coalition:
Our candidate questionnaire was provided to both the major party candidates in November 2007. Since then, the Sikh Coalition has provided all candidates multiple and repeated opportunities to answer its questionnaire. Our Voter Guide reflects the answers of the candidates who responded to our questionnaire.
The Sikh Coalition’s Sikh American Voter Guide includes information about how and where to vote on Election Day, summaries of proposed laws that affect Sikh interests, and the presidential candidates’ answers to our questionnaire. Of the 13 candidates running for president of the United States, a total of five responded to the Coalition’s questionnaire – including one of the two major party candidates.
The 25-page guide-book has a brief biographical section on all 13 candidates running for President, along with pictures (Prabhu Singh Khasla … Ralph Nader is represented)! In addition, responses from the candidates on questions addressing:
1) Relationship With Sikhs
2) Hate Crimes
3) Religious Profiling
4) Employment Discrimination
5) Discrimination
6) Asylum
7) Immigration
Check it out! Let’s us know what you think! Make copies and get them out to your sangats at local Gurdwaras before next Tuesday!
Vote On Tuesday (11/04/2008)! You can find your local polling place through Google here!
As the end of election season nears, the months of intense election coverage can get overwhelming. Hearing basically the same messages from both sides gets old. But one thing that’s been remarkable for me to see this election season is the level of civic engagement from a broad spectrum of civil society. For example, the kids in the above video sing a non-partisan song. Check it out. Half of them sing and dance for McCain and the other half for Obama (except for one stanza where they all sing for the Left, not sure why). These 7th grade students from the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta just made election season enjoyable.
Obama on the left
McCain on the right
We can talk politics all night
And you can vote however you like
You can vote however you like, yeah
Many Sikhs participate in the celebrations of Diwali, the festival of light, without actually knowing what the significance of the date is in Sikh history. I can admit that for a long time, Diwali didn’t hold much importance for me because I didn’t fully understand why we celebrated it. In fact, today is not only Diwali but also marks Bandi Chor Diwas a day where Sikhs join together to celebrate the release of the sixth Nanak, Guru Hargobind Ji from imprisonment. The historic event itself should be acknowledged with significance – particularly the fact that upon order of his release from Gwalior Fort, Guru Hargobind Ji refused to leave unless the 52 princes who had also been imprisoned would also be allowed to leave. Thinking of others’ rights were more important than simply thinking of his own.
To me, the day is a reminder of the concept of Sarbat da Balla, or the welfare of all. Sarbat da Balla is a guiding principle that hopefully makes our words and actions bring about positive change to the greater good. As we approach the upcoming election (7 days to go!), it is these principles that should help advise us on those issues that affect not just ourselves but the collective good. While the economy is the principal concern on the minds of most voters, healthcare is an important issue that will also sway votes in a meaningful way.
A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll shows that voters agree that in the face of a struggling economy “it is more important than ever to take on health care reform.”
Among Democrats, expanding coverage for the uninsured ranks second, named by 35 percent of those voters. Coverage also ranks second for political independents, named by a somewhat smaller proportion (23 percent). Relatively few Republicans (9 percent) name coverage as a health care priority. Most Democrats (69 percent) and half of independents (51 percent) think that universal coverage would help the overall economic situation in the United States, while only 34 percent of Republicans agree. [link]
As Sundari recently noted, “[o]ver the next few weeks Sikhs will join together to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.” I didn’t anticipate that Sikhs would be joined by a major politician in those celebrations. To my surprise, Presidential hopeful Barack Obama (pictured here with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama) sent greetings to Sikhs on the 300th anniversary of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. In the message — transmitted in a letter to the American Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (an organization previously discussed here) — Senator Obama said:
Throughout the world, Sikh communities are celebrating the tercentenary of the Guruship of Sri Guru Granth Sahib…. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is considered the universal spiritual leader and guiding light for the Sikh community. In 1708, Guru Gobind Singh officially ordained Guru Granth Sahib as the final and perpetual Guru of Sikhs. This worldwide celebration will commemorate the 300 years of consecration of Guru Granth Sahib and the anniversary of the accession of Guru Gobind Singh.On this momentous occasion, both Sikh and non-Sikh community members will gather together to promote [and] honour the contributions that Gurus have made to the Sikh community. [Link]
I am very pleased that a major political candidate has reached out to Sikhs and has demonstrated some familiarity with Sikh history and the importance of these celebrations in particular.
[Disclosure: In fairness, I attempted to locate any messages that Senator John McCain sent specifically to the Sikh community, but a Google search did not yield any satisfactory results. If anyone knows of any recent messages from Senator McCain to Sikhs, please provide a link in the comments section.]
The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (better known as SALDEF, and SMART before that) has been vigorously defending a turbaned Sikh man, Sukhbir Channa, who was told by Disney that he would not be hired for a position because he did not have the “Disney look.” Angela Bliss, a spokesperson for Disneyland, explained that, “The Disney look is a fresh, clean and approachable look, ensuring that every guest feels comfortable with our entire cast.” Apparently a turbaned Sikh is neither fresh, clean, nor approachable, and makes others uncomfortable. Apparently in a “magical” environment that contains oversized pigs, mice, and other characters, it is a human with a simple religious headdress that is unwelcome. Apparently a major company whose creations are an integral part of practically every American child’s upbringing cannot teach those very children the fundamental values of tolerance, respect, and acceptance in this increasingly diverse and pluralistic nation. Rather than work to alleviate any possible (though not demonstrated) discomfort with a turbaned Sikh, Disney has pandered to and thereby legitimized the notion that turbaned Sikhs are to be marginalized and excluded from aspects of American society. I could go on and on.
This week, I learned that another major company informed a Sikh that a turban should not be worn in the presence of customers.
Some ideas are just better communicated through modes other than writing. Theatre, through the unfolding of a story and through the body language of its actors, can sometimes convey meaning and ideas more effectively than just written words alone.
Some Sikh youth from Rockland, MD have decided to use theatre to engage non-Sikhs in learning about Sikhs- a wonderful idea.
Two plays are being planned for the fall expressing themes of diversity, mutual respect, interfaith and justice. They will both be staged on Saturday December 13, 2008 at the Wooten High School in Rockville, Maryland.
Where did this idea come from?
Last fall, Guru Gobind Singh Foundation had some of its kids take part in a play The Lorax, a musical adaptation from the famous Dr Seuss story book which was staged by kids from many different faiths. This play, adopted to create awareness about environment, was coordinated by the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington and was staged by the Children’s Theater Company of New York.
After going through this experience, GGSF decided to form the Rockville Chapter of Children’s Theater Company last May to explore the possibility of staging a play depicting the concepts of Guru Granth Sahib. Dedicated to “Building Character Onstage”, the Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) of New York develops in children and youth a keen sense of citizenship while introducing them to the incomparable magic of theatre through their full participation in the creation and performance of musicals and plays. [link]
One aspect of the 2008 Election is reminiscent of the Sikh community’s response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In the aftermath of that fateful Tuesday morning, Sikhs began declaring that, “we are not Muslims.” Of course, the intention was not to deflect hate or anger towards properly-identified Muslims, but to inform others that Sikhs are members of a separate faith. An implication from the “we are not Muslim” approach, however, was that it was okay to target Muslims. Some Sikhs therefore began asking themselves, ‘what if I was Muslim?’ The answer, of course, is that the discrimination and harassment would still be wrongful. As a result, Sikhs supplemented their statements by not only explaining that they are not Muslims, but openly denouncing hate directed against anyone based on their actual or perceived race or religion.
In the last few weeks, with Election Day approaching (and political strategies and rhetoric becoming increasingly bold as a result), questions have resurfaced regarding whether Senator Barack Obama is Muslim or Arab. (For example, “When a John McCain supporter at a recent rally said she didn’t trust Obama because he was an Arab, the senator replied: ‘No. He’s a decent family man.’”). The answer, to anyone who has paid attention to the news over the course of the past ten months, is no, Senator Obama is not Muslim or Arab. But the underlying question again is, ‘so what if he was?’
As we decide on the presidential candidate we will vote for this election year, their values, thought-processes, and interactional styles are as important as their policies. I feel regardless of who wins the election, their policies will ultimately change during their presidency. George Bush Senior said he would provide tax-cuts during his presidency and ultimately raised them. Bush Two wanted smaller government, but added the Office of Homeland Security. Bill Clinton promised health-care reform for insuring more Americans, but when he left office “ … there were at least 3 million more people uninsured in the U.S.”. The only stability these candidates can provide us are their values, thought-processes, and interactional styles because, at both of their ages, habits generally don’t change. These habits rooted in personality and experience, will provide insight into what kinds of policy decisions they are more likely to make when policy changes occur during their presidency for various reasons. Each candidate’s current stance on policies during the campaign season and voting record are crucial for providing insight into their values and thought-processes, but they should not be the sole measures for determining who is the better candidate. For example, how they interact at debates is critical because it reveals temperament and interactional style for engaging in “heated” moments we can expect our leader to encounter domestically and internationally, particularly after the state-of-affairs Bush is leaving us with. These debate moments along with those on the campaign trail also show us how these candidates will work “across the table” with red AND blue politicians to get legislation passed. Ultimately, we know there won’t always be a foreign policy advisor or a “cheerleader” to hold either of these candidates’ hands during these “heated” moments when you just have to act, while ensuring you’re doing the best for the American people and upholding American principles and ethics.
So another way of gaining insight into a person’s values, thought-processes, and personality is how they make and spend their money, particularly campaign money. We have heard of the battle of McCain and Obama robo-calls and Obama campaigning through video games, but what’s the overall picture look like … click here and here to decide for yourself!
Let’s us know what you think!
The Presidential election is two weeks away, and before we vote, we should know where the candidates stand on issues, not just whose campaign style we like. Below is a summary of the candidates’ positions on a selection of issues (compiled by the Associated Press). For more detailed information on their positions, check out the McCain and Obama websites.
ABORTION
McCain: Opposes abortion rights. Has voted for abortion restrictions permissible under Roe v. Wade, and now says he would seek to overturn that guarantee of abortion rights. Would not seek constitutional amendment to ban abortion.
Obama: Favors abortion rights.
AFGHANISTAN
McCain: Favors unspecified boost in U.S. forces.
Obama: Would add about 7,000 troops to the U.S. force of 36,000, bringing the reinforcements from Iraq. Has threatened unilateral attack on high-value terrorist targets in Pakistan as they become exposed, “if Pakistan cannot or will not act” against them.
Recently on TLH we have had many posts around the 2008 Presidential Campaign. How these candidate make us feel and their policy positions are equally important when deciding, which candidate to support. The qualities and values he brings to the table for organizing support around what he thinks are critical issues is important for identifying which man will make the best key leader in America. We have listened to them debate, create campaign ads, and talk on campaign trails to their supporters. At the end of the day, I personally want to know how McCain and Obama will stand on issues important to me as a Sikh. The 
economy, healthcare, foreign policy, and civil rights are important to all Americans regardless of ethnic or religious background; however, the nuances of how each ethnic/religious community is effected by these larger issues is important when their members vote for a Presidential Candidate. Many Sikhs may want to know:
“What is John McCain’s stance on racial profiling? How would an Obama administration address workplace religious discrimination?”
In an effort to answer some of these questions, the Sikh Coalition sent questionnaires to both McCain and Obama campaign offices many months ago. The intention was to have this information available when organizing Sikhs to vote at local Gurdwaras. However, only the Obama campaign responded. In an effort to provide bi-partisan information to the Sikh constituency, the Sikh Coalition is now petitioning McCain to respond, particularly when there are less than 30-days left until election-day. Sikhs deserve to hear his voice when making their decision at the ballot box. In addition, as a non-profit organization, the Sikh Coalition can not solely release Obama’s responses.
“I don’t trust Obama. I have read about him and he’s an Arab.”
So said a McCain supporter at a recent rally. To such an ignorant, bigoted, racist comment, McCain could only reply:
“No, ma’am,” he said. “He’s a decent, family man, a citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with.”
McCain did not say that Arabs are decent people, instead we are left to infer that “Arabs” and “decent, family man” are somehow antonyms. Barack Obama should not be let off the hook either as he is just as complicit. Earlier when his Democrat primary opponents were trying to smear him, he distanced himself from being Arab and Muslim (which of course he is not!), but did not stop that conversation and say Arabs and Muslims are just as American as anyone else.
In keeping with the recent Election 2008 theme on TLH, I ask you the following — which party do you think completes this sentence:
[x] believe that individuals should contribute time and resources to serving the poor, vulnerable, and less fortunate members of our society.
Do you think x refers to:
- Democrats; and/or
- Republicans.
So this past Saturday, Tina Fey, did a great job impersonating Sarah Palin’s “performance” at the Vice Presidential Debate on SNL. The body language, voice, and choice of words were right on and HILARIOUS!
Yesterday, Robin Abcarian, of the Los Angeles Times, wrote about the debate of body languages between Obama and McCain during this week’s Presidential Debate.
Abcarian wrote:
Obama sat like a jazz musician on his chair, one heel hooked at an angle, while McCain sat as if he might leap up at any moment, or stood impatiently waiting for his turn to speak.
Glass, a body language expert said that McCain was, “… like the Energizer Bunny [who] had some batteries put in. “We have never seen McCain so warm and fuzzy and likable and dynamic.”
This same expert thought that, “… Obama seemed unnatural at times. “Somebody coached him and did not do him a favor,” she said. “When he talks about an issue he’s passionate about, his gestures are fluid and real, but other times, he took his index finger and clasped it to his thumb, and it’s phony, it’s not real.”
However, at the end of the debate, body language experts declared Obama as the winner because “… a debate is won in the first 15 minutes and lost in the last two … Obama closed on a higher note than McCain.”
For our readers, who watched the Presidential Debate, what body language or mannerisms did you notice that would be great for another Saturday Night spoof?
From the Volokh Conspiracy:
Dear Senator McCain:
Repeatedly calling me and everyone else in the United States “my friends” is extremely annoying. In part, it’s just an irritating phrase. Beyond that, I’m not your friend. I don’t know you, and, from what I know of you, I don’t even really like you. Sorry to focus on such superficialities when the world economy is going to Hell, but you probably lost more votes with your constant repitition of “my friends” than from anything Obama said.
Sincerely,
David B. [link]
Reema (I’m signing on.)
Both candidates used the phrase. And of course, because of my bias, it grated on my nerves when McCain used it. It was just amusing when Obama did. Anyone who is about to control my life and the lives of all US residents is not a friend, and they shouldn’t try to be. They just better know what they’re doing because everything (economy, environment- one in 4 mammals is threatened with extinction, social security, Medicare + Medicaid) seems to be falling apart at the same time. Not to be dramatic or anything. The only suggested economic solution from a Sikh point of view I found was vague, overly ambitious, and not really very palatable either.
Has anyone else noticed how ridiculous the (US Presidential Election) campaigns have gotten? The ridiculousness has reached a new all time low in the past few weeks with both sides slinging mud, making tenuous connections, and outright lying. Admittedly, I have a preference for one side over the other, but like most people nowadays that means less than it used to and I have truly tried to be “fair” in my analysis of recent politicking. What I have seen from both sides makes me gag.
It seems to me that the strategies on both sides of the isle amount to this: avoid answering any questions; lie/stretch the truth whenever you feel you can get away with it (or even when you know you can’t), and don’t forget to act arrogant. If you doubt my generalization, I implore you to go to johnmccain.com or barackobama.com and look at the ads for yourself, watch the debates, or just snippets on youtube. What’s even worse is that the media has come to expect this childishness. Some of you may be thinking “So what?! – this is politics.” It is my hope that most of you don’t feel that way and just accept this behavior as the status quo.
I think what gets to me about this whole election cycle is how fundamentally un-Sikh-like the behavior has been. Let me explain. As a Sikh – I like to look at things through my Sikh glasses and when something is fuzzy or just doesn’t make sense, it is time to analyze why. Growing up as a Sikh and trying to live a gursikh life now, I have come to think of certain things – stand up for what you believe in, speak the truth – as almost requirements for being a good person. Gurbani provides numerous references to such virtues and while I am sure they are no different from many other religions, I think they are much more pronounced in the Sikh faith. Integrity, honesty, and courage are central to Sikhi. So from this perspective I evaluate recent campaign tactics.
Ultimately, my point is that the campaigns aren’t making their cases very well to someone like me, who is wearing gold rimmed, khanda shaped, Sikh glasses. Ideally, I’d like a President who I can feel good about, someone I see as a role model, and right now the choices leave much to be desired…
—
By the way, despite the above I feel one of the candidates is at least trying to steer clear of the muck and focus on the issues…so I give props to OBAMA for that. Go OBAMA!
Last week Bill Maher was a guest on the Daily Show, promoting his new movie Religulous and offering a clip. The clip happened to show a sardar in a London park, which was the extent of any Sikh’s appearance in the movie.
The name, ‘Religulous,’ is a portmanteau blending the words 1) religion and 2) ridiculous, and examines the overlap of those concepts. The movie’s proclaimed purpose is to promote doubt in the minds of those who have blocked doubt in religious teachings completely and subsequently hold totally irrational beliefs (i.e. reject evolution), though those who actually go to watch the movie probably wouldn’t be completely opposed to such doubt to be
gin with. Of course at some point the explanations of rationality end, and there is the unknown. The point of the movie is to admit that it actually is unknown, and show that those who claim to know, really don’t.
In the movie, Bill Maher interviews people from a variety of backgrounds and religious faiths (from a former head of the Human Genome Project and the former Director of the Vatican observatory to a British rapper). Some hold more nuanced views than others. He listens and asks questions of people who staunchly believe in literal translations of age old texts even when their beliefs scientifically absurd, and has some interesting (and comical) conversations. My favorite interview by far was with a very rational Vatican priest who happily admitted that Jesus’ birthday is not on December 25th and the Catholic church has absolutely no idea when it really is.
Often on this blog we have discussed what role our institutions should play in our lives and recently I had an opportunity to examine the issue anew. In a recent gurdwara council meeting I attended, one gurdwara decided to give a large sum of money to a group putting on a bhangra program. The group was not affiliated with the gurdwara. I will admit, I did not say anything at the time because I do not attend the gurdwara that decided to do this, but the incident did get me thinking about gurdwara funds and the concept of daswand.
When a gurdwara collects funds from the sangat – it does so under the pretence that the money is being collected to be put to some higher use, a use that we ourselves could perhaps not put it to, whether it be spiritual or practical. Usually we give the money as part of our daswand or some random seva to the gurdwara, but I think in every case it is understood that we are giving the money up to be put to a use that our Guru’s would have used it for – something necessary, something practical, and fundamentally “good.”
And as I write this post, some questions that I haven’t even answered for myself come to mind – Is the daswand I give to the gurdwara something I have a right to control – can I decide where it goes? If Sikhi is to be treated like a democracy, I would argue that absolutely I have every right to “vote” on where the funds go or at least have a chance to say something. But even in such a vote – should there be limits? Shouldn’t the funds of a gurdwara be spent on activities, which embody Sikh ideals and values? Presently, I am inclined to believe that sangat should have a say in where gurdwara funds are spent, but also that the options for spending funds should be limited to projects that actually embody and promote Sikh ideals.
But back to where we started – I brought bhangra up because it is something that can be debated – I’m not contending that it is an anti-Sikh activity, but at the same time, I don’t really think bhangra is something that perpetuates the Sikh way of life either. So I guess the dilemma in my mind in determining where the gurdwara should be spending its funds and where to draw the line…
In an effort to better understand the food habitats of Panjabi immigrants, Canadian researchers conducted a three-year study on the ingredients used in daily Panjabi meals and food choices made by Panjabi families.
Gwen Chapman, study leader and British Columbia University nutrition professor, stated:
“Since cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes are more prevalent among Indians and they are linked to food habits, we wanted to understand what ingredients went into daily Punjabi or Indian meals.”
An important part of study was also understanding how cultural affiliations play a role in Panjabi immigrant food choices.
Researchers found that “in Punjabi families in British Columbia … separate meals are often prepared to accommodate elders who need traditional roti, daal and subji, and younger family members who prefer to balance Indian and “Canadian” foods.”
While reading this article I thought about how these food choices actually play out in immigrant Panjabi homes across North America. I remember the rotis without butter for those who have high cholesterol and the weekend meal of burger and fries for us “American” kids. There were also the interesting “masalaa” pastas, lasagnas, and pizzas that had a “Panjabi” twist (i.e. tons of garam-masalaa). I recall uncles’ refusing to eat “kaa-foos” prepared by their wives, aunties making tofu-sabiji, and mothers’ substituting olive oil for vegetable oil when making tarkas. Many of these food choices were an effort to provide more healthy meals as a “preventive” form of action against heart disease and diabetes; while others were made to satisfy taste-buds.
So I was wondering what interesting food choices have you seen Panjabi families make in the Diaspora both to satisfy taste-buds and become more healthy?
