[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17027]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 INDISCRIMINATE ATTACKS ON SIKHS MUST STOP; SIKHISM IS VERY DIFFERENT 
                               FROM ISLAM

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 13, 2001

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, a despicable 
terrorist attack was carried out on the United States of America. I am 
pleased to see how all of us, Republican and Democrat, liberal and 
conservative, are pulling together in support of our nation. That is 
inspiring and it shows the greatness of America.
  At the same time, it is very unfortunate that some Americans have 
been made targets of violence simply because of the way they look and 
the way they dress. That is unacceptable. Despite the anger that we all 
share against those responsible for the terrorists attacks, we must not 
sink to their level and become a people who extract revenge 
indiscriminately.
  It appears that there have been several attacks on Sikhs, largely in 
the New York area but elsewhere as well, including a beating of an 
elderly Sikh man with baseball bats. Apparently, some Sikhs are being 
singled out for attacks because their turbans and beards remind people 
of the terrorist chief Osama bin Laden. Other Sikhs are being mistaken 
for Muslims.
  Attacking innocent American Muslims is wrong, and we should stand 
together in condemning attacks on them. However, it must be emphasized 
that Sikhs are not Muslims. Sikhism must not be mistaken for Islam, 
Hinduism, or any other religion. Every Sikh is required to wear a 
turban; it is part of the religion. Very few Muslims wear turbans. 
Osama bin Laden is one of the few Muslims who does. The style in which 
a turban is worn by a Sikh is quite different from the style that is 
worn by some Muslims. In addition, Sikhs can be identified by the 
kirpans (small ceremonial swords) that they carry and the bracelets 
they wear. These are two of the five things that identify a practicing 
Sikh. Tragically, some people, who are ignorant of Islam and Sikhism, 
have targeted innocent Sikh-Americans for violence. It must be made 
clear that Sikhs do not hold any ill will toward America. Sikhs from 
around the world have always looked toward the United States as a 
beacon of freedom to be emulated, not a nation to be destroyed.
  Mr. Speaker, attacks against Sikhs must stop. I am calling for an end 
to this violence against Sikh Americans and anyone else of any faith 
who was not involved in the terrorist attack on our country. I call on 
our nation's leaders to speak our forcefully against these attacks. I 
also believe that it is the responsibility of the media to expose these 
attacks and denounce them. All Americans are justified in being very 
angry about what happened on September 11, but that does not justify 
acts of violence against innocent Americans.

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