Americans know little about Sikh compatriots

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 27

A nationwide survey conducted in the US has revealed that Americans know nothing or little about US Sikhs or Sikh culture.

The survey was conducted by a leading research organisation on behalf of the US-based National Sikh Campaign. The latter is a non-profit organisation working to build the image of the Sikh community and to highlight the impact they have made in the US.

Sikhs started migrating to the US about 150 years ago. They continue to experience discrimination and prejudice from their fellow Americans. More than half of Sikh children are subjected to bullying in their schools and the number is even more for children who wear turban (66 per cent).

Since 9/11, there has been a dramatic increase in hate crime against Sikhs. US President Barack Obama referred to the attack on Oak Creek Gurdwara at Wisconsin while addressing youths in Delhi today.

For the sample survey, whites, African Americans, Hispanics, school, college and university students, Democrats, Republicans and others were contacted for their opinion. Worried over attacks on the community members, various Sikh groups have been trying to spread information about the Sikh identity and religion among Americans, who usually mistook them as people from the Middle East and subject them to humiliation, hate and discrimination.

It has come to light in the survey that many Americans have never personally interacted with someone who is Sikh and a significant proportion has never heard of the religion. Sixty per cent of Americans have admitted that they know nothing at all about Sikh Americans and Sikhism. Only 40 per cent say they know at least something about Sikh Americans. They are, however, more familiar with Hindu Americans (62 per cent), Muslim Americans (76 per cent) and Jewish Americans (86 per cent).

Only 11 per cent Americans say they have a close friends or acquaintances with a Sikh while at least three times (31 per cent) have never seen or interacted with a Sikh person. Thirty five per cent Americans say they have seen Sikhs but have not interacted with them. Only 3 per cent have Sikhs as close friends.