[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 25758]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   SIKH-OWNED GAS STATION BURNED DOWN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 7, 2004

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, in the early hours of 
Thanksgiving morning, two Sikh brothers, Sarabjit and Sukhjinder Singh, 
arrived for work at the gas station they owned, only to find it burned 
to the ground with racist graffiti scrawled all around the burning 
rubble.
  I am glad to say that this sad incident was immediately reported to 
the local Chesterfield County police, to the FBI, and to the Civil 
Rights division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and all are now 
diligently working to make sure that whoever perpetrated this heinous 
crime is brought to justice.
  It seems obvious from the graffiti left at the scene that whoever 
committed this crime intended to target Muslims--not Sikhs--proving 
that this unknown arsonist was not just a bigot, but an ignorant bigot. 
If they had been Muslims, this would still be a senseless and horrific 
crime, and one to be condemned in the strongest possible terms, because 
to attack innocent practitioners of any religion for the acts of a 
handful of misguided fanatics is inexcusable.
  But these men were Sikhs. Sikhs are not Muslims; they are not Hindus. 
Sikhism is a noble independent religion that traces its roots back 
hundreds of years. It is not part of any other religion. Furthermore, 
Sikhs believe in one God and in equality for all--an ideal that forms 
one of the very pillars of our own society.
  Swift prosecution and severe punishment of the perpetrators of this 
crime is the best way to combat this type of bigotry. I am sure every 
Member of this House joins me in urging the police, FBI, and Justice 
Department to promptly and thoroughly investigate this matter and bring 
the perpetrator or perpetrators of this crime to justice. I am sure all 
of my colleagues will also join me in extending our best wishes and 
prayers to Sarabjit Singh, Sukhjinder Singh, and their families during 
this traumatic time.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that one day--a day in the not too distant 
future--we will live in an America where this type of crime, born out 
of ignorance and fear, is forever a thing of the past.

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