Hate Hits Home: When My Friend Became A Target
Guest blogged by Simran Jeet Singh
Last night, I received the kind of phone call that everyone dreads: a close friend was hurt, and on his way to the hospital. But the news got worse, as I learned that my friend, Dr. Prabhjot Singh, a young Sikh American professor at Columbia University, had been brutally attacked on a public street, the victim of a violent hate crime. My brother and I immediately jumped in a taxi and rushed to the hospital, where we finally saw Prabhjot being wheeled in, bloody and bruised, his face swollen from a fractured jaw. He couldn’t speak because many of his teeth had been displaced, but he waved limply to let us know that he was okay.
We joined Prabhjot in his hospital room and were surprised to find it already filled with officers from the NYPD and its Hate Crime Task Force. As he struggled to give his statement, we came to learn that his assailants had taunted him as they beat him, calling him “Osama” and “terrorist.” He described being punched in the face repeatedly until falling to the ground. And then he recalled how the punches to the head continued as he laid on the sidewalk.
I saw Prabhjot shudder as he realized how much worse it could have been. He had just returned from dinner, dropping his wife and one-year-old son at home before going for a walk. He reached from his hospital bed and grabbed his wife’s hand.
He recounted the scariest moment, seeing a young male put his arm inside his coat, as if reaching for a gun. He also remembered people pulling at his long beard. He couldn’t provide any descriptions about his assailants, and it seemed to me that in some way, he didn’t want to remember them.
Prabhjot has dedicated his life to serving the underserved. He is currently the Director of Systems Management at the Earth Institute, and he draws upon his experiences abroad to help improve the health of local communities like Harlem. In addition to serving as an Assistant Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, he is also a resident physician at Mt. Sinai Hospital. His life’s work has been to help the underprivileged access quality and affordable healthcare, and he believes strongly that his countless hours of service are an investment in improving the health of impoverished communities.
Unfortunately, his assailants did not see Prabhjot Singh, the professor, the community health expert or the local doctor. They saw a man wearing a beard and a turban–his articles of faith–and saw a target. Sadly, for many other Sikh Americans like Prabhjot, this is a story they have heard and experienced before. This past May an elderly Sikh gentleman was brutally beaten with a steel pipe in Fresno, California, and in March a Sikh male was shot while driving just outside of Orlando, Florida. And as we all know, in August 2012 a white supremacist entered a Sikh place of worship (gurdwara) in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and opened fire on the congregation.
Sikh Americans have repeatedly been targeted in hate violence throughout the country, and we believe that much of this stems from a dangerous combination of hate and ignorance. Many perpetrators of hate violence are unable to see the humanity of their victims.
It seems that Prabhjot’s assailants associated his turban and beard with Osama bin Laden and terrorism. This observation is consistent with a national study released by Stanford University researchers less than two weeks ago, which shows that more than 50 percent of Americans associate the Sikh turban with Osama bin Laden than with any other figure.
In today’s America, so many of us can be perceived as different. Whether it is our religion, our racial or ethnic background, our sexual orientation, or our gender identity, all of us are potentially someone’s “other,” and can be discriminated, excluded, or even targeted for violence because of it. In light of this incident, and all those that have come before, it is increasingly clear that we, the “others,” need to build bridges with one another, and with the community at large. We will make the hate and violence stop. We absolutely have to.
Kiran Kaur and Justin Collins contributed to this article.
Cross-posted from the Huffington Post blog with permission from the author.Â
11 Responses to “Hate Hits Home: When My Friend Became A Target”
Still waiting for those vociferous Khaliban protests against the US government, flag-burning, vows to boycott everything American, #NeverForgetPrabhjotSingh, right to carry 1 meter kirpan in the US, violation of Sikhs' human rights in the US, RSS involvement in the attack on PS, insult of turban…so on.
I guess the usual forgive and forget (#ForgetWisconsin) line would be adopted since green cards are involved here and a Jat would even marry his own sister to grab one of those.
I find it amusing that PS would like to invite the scumbags who attacked him to 'his' Gurdwara. Amusing as his gurdwara may have huge portraits of ruthless killers like Bhullar, Rajoana or Parmar or of that prophet of hate-mongers Bhindranwala. Maybe Prabhjot (who supports self-styled 'Professor' Bhullar) wants them to get a lesson in hate-speeches if some fiery katha-vachak happens to be delivering a routine gurdwara katha.
"It seems that Prabhjot’s assailants associated his turban and beard with Osama bin Laden and terrorism." – I am sick and tired of these comments. They are nothing more than miss guiding the community from the truth. Sardars are not mistaken for Muslims they are identified for having brown skin, turbans and beards hollywoods and American governments fabricate image of a terrorist to get public support for military action in middle east to expand the capitalist American empire. Our community is a victim of the propaganda used for this expansion. Mix this in with Indian diplomats and politicians whom are pushing onto UK, American and Canadian governments that Sikhs need to be kept an eye on now we have the current state. TSA has been over and over again educated about who Sikhs are by our so called Civil rights groups, unless they are hiring mentally disabled people I don’t understand how they are pulling aside sardars for random inspection other than in the background you and your kind are already declared a threat.
@Observer; exactly whom are you or we as Sikhs suppose to do a pony and dog show to impress? So because someone got called a "rag head" after 9/11 and or 1/400K+ Sikhs in America got shot we are suppose to put aside over 100K Sikhs murdered and killed in India in less then 30yrs ago? How about the 10-20% of the American population which considers you different and want you gone regardless of your religious belief? is tying an American flag turban going to change their thinking? Khalistanis believe it or not are the last resort Sikhs have for freedom not just in India on planet earth. because Khalistanis have one goal and that is the freedom of the Sikh people so they can have control over their own education system, economy, communication and military. Stop looking at the house negro as the example to live by and start looking at the Jew who has the system by its neck, yet has not let go of his/her Jameer!
"House Negro", "Jew who has system by its neck" – how about avoiding the racist stereotypes, that's the last thing one would like to read anywhere, let alone on a minority website.
Is Khalistan as real as Krypton? When reality hits, Khalistanis will pull a Jagjit Chauhan and get desperate to return to Punjab or get back to their mundane lives. The internet warrior inside would've long died. Hopefully, it happens soon, so at least one can do something worthwhile with his/her life.
Education is a process that has never experienced any beginning or ending. In case of formal, it has a beginning and ending, but in the case of informal education, there is nothing like that.
Teachers should divide the students in to groups and assign them a topic to present in class. They should make a leader among them and allow them to ask questions. This practice will help them in learning more and to know the ideas of other fellows.
I like this site – its so usefull and helpfull.Pretty! This was an extremely wonderful article. very interestinf content
Sikh place of worship (gurdwara) in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and opened fire on the congregation.
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