Gold Rimmed, Khanda Shaped, Sikh Glasses
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…
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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!
8 Responses to “Gold Rimmed, Khanda Shaped, Sikh Glasses”
Your attempt to be funny might excite you for moments, but me and my nation have revered the Sikh face since childhood. Please don't play with the Sikh surat. This is the form I aspire to be – you have no right.
Your attempt to be funny might excite you for moments, but me and my nation have revered the Sikh face since childhood. Please don’t play with the Sikh surat. This is the form I aspire to be – you have no right.
RSingh,
I didn't know you owned the Sikh soorat…
I used khanda glasses as a metaphor for the Sikh/Gurmukh perspective and placed them on someone who looks like a Sikh? His saroop is something I too aspire to, but simultaneously and just as important is his Sikh perspective. I used a nihung Singh b/c in my mind there is a connection between his bana and the Sikh soch. Perhaps if you read the post again it will make sense to you. If it still does not, please let me know and maybe I will spell it out some more.
It is ironic. You are the one playing with the Sikh form, not me.
It's obvious you tried to make some metaphor. Just to get your point across, you had to mess with the Khalsa form. shame on you.
p.s. have you abandoned your kesh? or do you still have it?
RSingh,
I didn’t know you owned the Sikh soorat…
I used khanda glasses as a metaphor for the Sikh/Gurmukh perspective and placed them on someone who looks like a Sikh? His saroop is something I too aspire to, but simultaneously and just as important is his Sikh perspective. I used a nihung Singh b/c in my mind there is a connection between his bana and the Sikh soch. Perhaps if you read the post again it will make sense to you. If it still does not, please let me know and maybe I will spell it out some more.
It is ironic. You are the one playing with the Sikh form, not me.
It’s obvious you tried to make some metaphor. Just to get your point across, you had to mess with the Khalsa form. shame on you.
p.s. have you abandoned your kesh? or do you still have it?
RSingh,
I am glad you understand that there is an obvious metaphor.
RSingh,
I am glad you understand that there is an obvious metaphor.