Sikh on American Idol Show Surprises Many 

Last night was a moment of surprise and pride for many Sikhs and Punjabis as they watched a member of their own community perform live on "American Idol", the popular competitive singing show.  Gurpreet Singh,s  appearance was cherished by many, however a large number of people expressed ignorant remarks about the singer on social networks.  Gurpreet Singh was termed as “terrorist”, “Osama”, “Arab”, etc. in a number of comments across various websites.
Gurpreet Singh Sarin is a member of the Sikh community and distinct from all other participants in terms of his identity.  Sikhs are often mistaken as members of the Muslim religion, however both faiths are distinct. Post 9/11, Sikhs and Muslims alike became targets of hate crime due to their appearance. Ever since, Sikh organizations across United States have tried to raise awareness of the outward identity some have. For Sikhs, having a turban and a beard meant constant stares, slurs, violence, and sometimes, even fatal violence. Last year, a Sikh place of worship (Gurdwara) in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, was targeted by a white supremacist that shot and killed 6 worshippers.  Many media agencies covered the incident at a large scale and President Obama ordered U.S. flags to half-staff in memory of those who lost their lives.  Despite much media attention, it has become evident that many Americans remain naïve about the Sikh identity. Much accelerated efforts are necessary to stop racism against American Sikhs. Last year in December, the U.S. Department of Justice had asked the FBI to begin tracking crimes against Sikhs and other minorities.  This was done in light of the Wisconsin shooting and growing hate crimes against the Sikhs - this was a step forward as such incidents have never been recorded in past. Gurpreet Singh has moved onto Hollywood for next week, however just like the Sikhs in America have a large battle to tackle ignorance and hatred, he will also need to prove his singing skills.
Gurpreet's American Idol audition video can be viewed here - [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxoQ5PBRETw[/youtube]