Sikh Shooting in Wisconsin | Information and Resources

Over the past 12 hours #templeshooting has been covering the twittersphere.  It is a reference to the tragedy that occurred early this morning in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, where a gunman entered a Gurdwara during Sunday divan and killed six sangat members, wounding many more.  Sikhs around the country reacted almost immediately to this event – posting updates on Facebook and Twitter, speaking to news outlets, filling in gaps of misinfomation, supporting Sikh organizations who have been working diligently with local officials and government agencies and community members who started up a fund for the families of the victims.  While this has been an incredibly traumatic experience for the Sikh American community, we are inspired by the actions of the police officer who came to the aid of the sangat members – potentially preventing a larger massacre.  We are comforted by the support of our friends and colleagues who have reached out to the Sikh community offering their solidarity.

Here we have started a running list of articles, resources and community gatherings.  We hope this will be a way for you to learn about the events and about ways for you to stay engaged.

:: ARTICLES ::

Seven dead in shooting at Wisconsin Sikh temple.

A gunman killed six people and critically wounded three at a Sikh temple on Sunday before police shot him dead in an attack authorities are treating as an act of domestic terrorism.

As A Sikh-American I Refuse To Live In Fear And Negativity.

We share basic principles and values including a commitment to freedom, equality, and justice. Like countless other minority communities, Sikhs have fought through various forms of discrimination, have achieved success in different industries, and have become productive contributors to American society. The Sikh experience in the U.S. is quintessentially American, and as a society we have grown together. We each have our own experiences, yet we all share a similar story of struggle, sacrifice, and success.

Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting: six killed in act of ‘domestic terrorism’.

Some Sikh members of the community told the media they feared that it was a hate crime. “We are at the beginning stages of this investigation,” Edwards said. The FBI has taken over the criminal inquiry.

A Tragic History of U.S. Hate Crimes Against Sikhs in the U.S:

Although the motives of the shooter in Wisconsin this morning are not yet clear, there is a bloody history of violence towards Sikhs in the United States since 9/11.

Reflections on Sikh Gurdwara Shooting in Wisconsin.

The way in which our public discourse takes place — vitriol in politics, the eagerness to demonize broad groups based on the actions of a few, and forgetting that people have far more in common than they ever will in conflict — provides an environment that nurses extreme ideologies and enables unstable members to society to justify extreme actions.

:: RESPONSES FROM SIKH ORGANIZATIONS :: 

The Sikh Coalition – Press Release

SALDEF – Press Release

United Sikhs – Press Release

SikhRI – Press Release

:: RESOURCES ::

In English

About Sikhs (The Sikh Coalition)

Learn About Sikhs (SALDEF)

5 Things To Know About The Sikh Religion (Huffington Post)

In Punjabi

:: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ::

Support the Milwaukee Sikh Sangat (Fund campaign)

Candlelight Vigil – Sikh Society of Michigan

Candlelight Vigil – Sikh Religious Society of Chicago

Candlelight Vigil – Walnut Gurdwara, Walnut, California

**To add to this list, please send a note to admin[at]thelangarhall.com