Sunday, August 19, 2012

Dharmic* Americans welcome First Lady’s visit to families of Gurudwara shooting on August 23, 2012

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Dharmic* Americans welcome First Lady’s visit to families of Gurudwara shooting on August 23, 2012
HASC lauds the First Lady’s support to the Sikh community

Washington, D.C. August 18, 2012.  The Dharmic* community welcomes the First Lady’s visit to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on August 23, 2012 to meet with the family members of those affected by the attack on the Sikh temple.  Milwaukee witnessed the senseless death of six innocent devotees and wounding of the brave responding police officer who answered the call of duty, on August 5, 2012. We applaud the First Lady’s visit of solidarity with the Sikh community.

HASC along with many Dharmic places of worship held prayer vigils and offered acts of seva, of solidarity, for our Sikh brothers and sisters  “The entire nation and the Dharmic community is rising above what differentiates us and is bringing to the forefront what unites us.  We are showing, regardless of our faith, whether we identify as Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Muslim, Christian or Jewish, in moments like this, as human beings, we come together and stand in unity”, observed, Anju Bhargava, Founder of Hindu American Seva Charities.

We are all Sikhs in this heart breaking moment. 

At the recent Ifthar dinner, the President said, “…..And while we may never fully understand what motivates such hatred, such violence, the perpetrators of such despicable acts must know that your twisted thinking is no match for the compassion and the goodness and the strength of our united American family. …. we declare with one voice that such violence has no place in the United States of America. The attack on Americans of any faith is an attack on the freedom of all Americans.  No American should ever have to fear for their safety in their place of worship. And every American has the right to practice their faith both openly and freely, and as they choose.  That is not just an American right; it is a universal human right. And we will defend the freedom of religion, here at home and around the world. And as we do, we’ll draw on the strength and example of our interfaith community…..”

This tragedy underscores the need for our Dharmic community to be able to train itself and build capacity to better protect itself.  HASC is working with public officials, (such as at the White House and Department of Homeland Security), to assist the Sikh and Dharmic community increase security of faith infrastructures.
We appreciate the administration’s support to help Dharmic communities strengthen their places of worship. 


*Dharmic generally refers to people of eastern traditions: Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and Sikhs

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