Sikh News Sikhs Say Hoax Youth Should Be Charged (Canada.com)

[Neutral Singh]

Members of the Lower Mainland Sikh community are calling for charges to be laid against a 17-year-old Sikh youth who made up a story that he was attacked by five thugs who beat him up and cut off his hair. But one immigration expert says criminal charges aren't the answer.

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/search/sikh/SIG=138rgn085/*http%3A//www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=fa133599-c33e-4fc7-b84a-0159be5fb696

 

[Amerikaur]

I don't agree with the "immigration expert".

Every country has laws. Citizens and aliens alike must follow them. If filing a false report is a crime in Canada like it is in the US, then charges should be considered.

Parental pressure does not preclude one from not indulging in criminal activity.

 

[Arvind]

This news is very disturbing one. So embarassing it is. There are so many faces to this event e.g.
1. Immigrants inter-generational issue
2. If boy is charged, this will give a lesson to other similar aspirants, who bring defame to community by single thoughtless action. Also, it may give an upper hand to fanatic people who do things ritualistically without giving any thought of rationale behind it.
3. If boy is not charged, it becomes an acceptable thing within community, to raise hoax without any grounds. On the same note, last case in Surrey, BC also should be considered. I am disturbed at the fact, if there is really some genuine case of hate crime, that may get painted with the brush of this hoax.

Personally, I find parents more responsible for this. If they had some idea about what their boy is thinking, and intend to do, why raise it to such high levels to bring shame to total community?

On a more serious note, I feel, most of us commit mistakes in our own lives, and not perfect all the time. Even the saints err due to Kaam, Krodh, Lobh, Moh, Ahankaar. Magnitude differs though. High time for parents to maintain more friendly relations with kids. Typical case not only for sikhs, but all immigrants or still specifically the cases with generation gaps.

Waheguru sab nu sikhi daan bakhshan.

 

[singhaj]

I donot think he should be charged, but should be fined some $$$, that would hurt the pocket of his parents atleast.

 

[Amerikaur]

Remember there is more involved than just the boy cutting his hair. He lied to the cops about white kids beating him up, intentionally involving a racial dynamic (I am assuming by the stories, that the boy is of Panjabi ethnicity and is not Caucasian himself).

There are many people that make mistakes, or that rebel against their parents, or that challenge something sacred. This can be done without breaking the law. I have trouble keeping my own 5 thieves under control. I get angry when someone does injustice to me or to someone that I care about. But I don't let that anger escalate to indulging in a criminal act. Indulging in a stupid act, certainly But not a criminal act.

Nor do I think it is a good thing to be promoting the notion that Panjabis are under so much pressure from their parents, they will be driven to commit crimes. We already have enough negative stereotypes about those of us that keep swaroop.

This isn't the first time that such a crime has happened. There have been at least two well-publicized cases in the Eastern U.S. where a Sikh kid called the cops and lied about a physical assault. I think there have been other cases in Canada, too, where this has happened.