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Sikh News Against Ignorance And Hatred: Balmeet Singh's Journey

Tejwant Singh

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Balmeet Singh confronted ignorance, hatred and more. He was on a journey to learn be educated. And he learned about ignorance and hatred, perhaps more than he bargained for. Read his story. I am told that Balmeet may join the forum to answer questions of members who would like to know more.

Courtesy of our forum member and mentor VaheguruSeekr ji

Vaisakhi 2009 Reflection

As Vaisakhi 2009 celebrations come to an end, I reflect on the incident that helped me realize the importance of Sikh Saroop (physical embodiment of values).

Location: Liviv, Ukraine
11/03/2007 9:00pm

My Story:

I am a visible Sikh who is an American Citizen who traveled abroad on a student exchange program to Budapest, Hungary from August to December 2007. While taking a weekend trip to Liviv, Ukraine I was attached from behind by a group of 6-8 skinheads while walking to a concert. They knocked me to the ground from behind and repeatedly kicked my head, chest, and back. My Dastaar was knocked off and lost. After about 2-3 minutes of the beating, they ran away. My wallet, camera, passport, etc. were all untouched. At this point I passed out and woke up at the hospital. The details in between were recounted to me by a friend. I was found by some people within the club and brought inside. My friend & others called an ambulance and waited for about 20 minutes for it to arrive. After it did not, they took me in a cab to a hospital where i was treated. I was then taken to our hotel to give a statement to the police in which they basically told me Ukraine is a dangerous place for non-Caucasian looking people and that unless I could identify the skinheads, there wasn't anything they could do. Afterward, I was taken back to the hospital for rest. I stayed for a day and checked myself out the next day to travel back to Budapest. I contacted the US embassy while in the hospital and they told me that Ukraine is a dangerous place, they sympathize with me, but could offer no other support. After I returned to Budapest by train, I contacted the US embassy there and received the same response. They provided me with a list of treatment centers which they recommended. I spent the rest of my exchange program dealing with doctor's appointments on a weekly basis.

I suffered severe trauma to my head, nose, and right ear, and bruising to the rest of my body. My nose & right ear were stitched up. My right ear is deformed. My eyes were filled with blood for about a month afterward. Attached are some pictures taken at the hospital in Ukraine.

I make this story public for the first time in the hope that it helps me to:

1) Acknowledge my past and move beyond victim mentality.

2) Inspire myself and others to continue to fight against ignorance and hatred.

In the year and a half since my memorable trip to Ukraine, I have achieved many of my personal goals. I now hope to continue that progress to Vaisakhi 2010 and beyond.
 

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spnadmin

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Aman Singh ji

Thank you for copying in the pictures. I used the email text from Tejwant ji and there were no pictures. Very effective illustration of what hatred can create: pain, suffering, maiming, lost days of a life, the list is endless.
 

Admin

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Just trying to keep up the Spirit of a Sikh from being undermined... :)

Note: if the images are disturbing please remove them. Regards
 

jaysangh

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Oct 22, 2006
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I have been a member of this website for about a year or so. I get the emails and sometimes decide to stop by the website and check things out. Mostly I find the articles are dry, boring, and lacking of intellectually stimulating content. This is a very moving piece. If the only thing that I ever had a chance to read on this site was this article, then joining this site would have been worth it.
 

Mai Harinder Kaur

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This sort of thing needs to be heard and confronted and discussed by all of us Sikhs.

This kind of hate, on a much larger scale , was what happened in the Bluestar Massacre and, even more, in the Delhi Pogrom of 1984. On a large or small scale, this can happen to any or all of us, as individuals or as a group.

Since I have begun writing and sharing publicly about the murder of my family in Delhi, I have been encouraging my sister and brother Sikhs, especially the Khalsa, to be prepared. "Anything can happen to anyone at any time."

We need to be able to defend ourselves. We need to learn gatka. I know this is controversial, but I believe the kirpans we carry should be sharp and able to be used effectively, if necessary, in self-defence. Each of the kakkars has a miri meaning as well as a piri meaning. I believe that Guru Gobind Singh Ji expects his children to be armed. This calls for training - so that our kirpans cannot be used against us - and tremendous self-control and self-discipline, not to misuse them. These are supposed to be traits of each Khalsa; we really need to work on these.

Ultimately, I believe that the only way we will ever achieve anything like personal and collective security is when we have realised the dream of our own country, usually referred to as the Republic of Khalistan.

A word of caution, however, while we need to be prepared and willing and able to act, we must act without hatred, without anger as well as without fear. In the words of Stephan Stills, in a context not really all that different:

"If we can't do it with a smile on our face, if we can't do it with love in our hearts, then children we ain't got no right to do it at all. That just means we ain't learned nothing yet. We're supposed to be some kind of different. Dig it! Dig it!":shy:
 

wizesikh

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Nov 8, 2007
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Must have been a really scary incident, when traveling to countries like these, its always a good idea to carry something handy like a kirpan ;)
 

Mai Harinder Kaur

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Whew! Thanks, aad0002 Ji. You had me worried there for a minute. All for the best, though. It gave me a chance to make one of my impassioned pleas!

I must go check out Undermining Sikhism before it disappears, too.
 

Admin

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I have been a member of this website for about a year or so. I get the emails and sometimes decide to stop by the website and check things out. Mostly I find the articles are dry, boring, and lacking of intellectually stimulating content. This is a very moving piece. If the only thing that I ever had a chance to read on this site was this article, then joining this site would have been worth it.


Dear jaysangh ji

Welcome back! :welcome:

well, a forum is what a avid member shapes it to be like... if we would not participate actively and share our ideas then how are we going to enhance the general standard of the forum.

You joined around two and half years back and things might have improved... find yourself sometime to explore the network... i an sure the network has something nice to learn from you,

Warm Regards

Aman singh
 

Mai Harinder Kaur

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Aman Ji,

You said
Note: if the images are disturbing please remove them. Regards

The images are disturbing, of course, and that is why they should, must stay. We are Sikhs and adults and need to look the truth straight in the face, or the ear, as in this case.

And his thumbs up in the first picture is strong and beautiful.

My opinion, for what it's worth.
 
Last edited:

pk70

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Since I have begun writing and sharing publicly about the murder of my family in Delhi, I have been encouraging my sister and brother Sikhs, especially the Khalsa, to be prepared. "Anything can happen to anyone at any time."

We need to be able to defend ourselves. We need to learn gatka. I know this is controversial, but I believe the kirpans we carry should be sharp and able to be used effectively, if necessary, in self-defence. Each of the kakkars has a miri meaning as well as a piri meaning. I believe that Guru Gobind Singh Ji expects his children to be armed. This calls for training - so that our kirpans cannot be used against us - and tremendous self-control and self-discipline, not to misuse them. These are supposed to be traits of each Khalsa; we really need to work on these.

Mai Ji

That is the truth All sikhs should bear in mind, "anything can happen any where." Guru Sahib Ji's concept was to be ready for the bad time with weapons. If you see his Hukamname, weapons were asked to bring not to fight but for self defense because he or his followers never initiated any fught. Today Sikhi is alive because of Guru Gobind Singh ji's concept, miri piri concept was well practiced. As you have stated Gatka should be taught to every Sikh girl or boy, legal weapons should be kept in case, nothing is wrong with it. To have khalsa spirit is all about self defense.
:)
 

dhanvinder

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Apr 3, 2009
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balmeet singh ji,waheguru ji ka khalsa ,waheguru ji ki fateh.
sorry my english is week........bhaji eh jakham jehre tuhade lagge ne yakeen karyo.........koi pichle janma da lekha hai ,,koi pralabhta hoyegi ji tuhadi ,,,,,eh jo satta han pata nahi guru ne kehra dukh katya hai tuhada ..............je taa mayadhari sansaar di taraa sochiye ta ehh theek hai ke tusi nasalvaadi shikaar hoye ho par je guru ji di sikhya manniye taa sab kuj us de hukam vich ho reha hai te iss kar ke sarbat da bhala mango veerji te iss gall nu hor tull na deyo te sikhi de rastey te aggey vadho te bhaana meetha kar ke manno..........haa pa ikk gal hai us wele je tusi una da mukabla kar sakde taa jarooor karo par hun jo ho gaya so ho gaya sab bhaane vich hai........waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh.....
 

RRSINGH

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Feb 12, 2009
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Dear Balmeet Ji,

Its heart breaking to read about your experience in Ukraine. Thanks to the Waheguru ji with whose grace you are back home and recovering from the physical anguish. I think all of us should send emails to the Ukraine Embassy here with the copy to the States Department. Wishing you a fast physical and mental recovery.

R. Rohit Singh

PS: Also, watch this short movie done on the Sodhis of Arizona (9/11 victims)
Watch Dream in Doubt - SnagFilms
 

Gogs Singh

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Jan 18, 2009
6
1
satsiriakaal baljit jee.after hearing your story may i say i was extreamly distressed.beeing singh myself and growing up in england i have come across violent racesism many times from whites muslims hindus and blacks.the only way iv found to deal with this is thruogh guruhargobinds meeri and peeri.when you wear a distaar you have too relise you will be spotted from a mile away and no othe race has had this onour before .therefore you must relise if you are going too repersent my guru you have to have the phisical streangth to defend it!from your story i can find that you did not even try and fight back or did not have the strength or confidence too.my frend we re desighned to fight 125,000 men on a battle field sohow could youfall to 8 with out even fighting back?from the age of eight years old have tought myself too fight and wight trained to make my body as strong as bani will make my mind!we are of a warrior race and in this yug of kalyug sometime god may test us on that so therefore be ready too be tested.i mean this in the most hummblest of ways and if you want i am ready to go to the ukrain and find these *******s but we can not always be together so therfore we must learn to be strong alone.and atleast your not dead mate hatever dosnt kill you just makes us stronger!
 

Shahryar

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Dec 21, 2004
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How dare you compare this attack with racist bias with the Bluestar event which was due to Pakistan-sponsored Sikh terrorists? What kind of {censored} wishes for a "khali" (Arabic for EMPTY!!!) sthan?
 

JimRinX

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Aug 13, 2008
166
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Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.
I hope it makes you feel better that there are people - 'Caucasian-looking' ones, like me - who were raised to Hate these kinds of Haters as much as they Hate you and other People like myself.
According to them, I'm a "Traitor to my Race - and I don't even have Jesus"!!!
The "Prince of Peace" needs some more appropriate followers - like, maybe the Sikhi?
At least when you're feeling a bit Militant - or Soldierly - you try to be 'Saintly' about the whole affair!
I've stood up to these people - on yours and others behalfs, as well as in the name of the Honor of us 'Caucasian-looking people' - for over 25 years! We'll either win with Love - or they'll take us all down the path to destruction with them.
Try not to lose your Faith in these troubling times; I myself had an "Austin Texas Klansman" (they Hate me with a Passion!) identify me on a Light Rail Train (how'd he know who I was? Bush?), snark at me for having "ticked off the wrong people" (who told him that? Bush? Ashcroft - a former Klansman from Missouri?), and then invite me to, "Get off the train with me at the next station - then 'put em up' (my fists, that is).
I told him that I'd "Tick those same people off all over again, if I was in the same situation; only I'd tick em off twice as bad, this time!" ('Those people' being the same type who hurt you); then I indicated that - since he seemed to know so much about me - then he must know that I have a Physical Disability, and that I'm fairky easy to Injure Permanently; and so I thus bowed out on his Challenge to duke it out.
That would've, in Portland Oregon, be a "Measure 11 Offense" after all; and that's a (mostly) Good Law that we passed to prevent violence, by mandating a stiff 5 year Prison Sentence for anyone who commits a Violent Crime.
Maybe you should come to Portland for a little rest - in a safe harbor! We have a lot of Strangers in a Strange Land here; lot's of Sikhs.
 

pk70

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How dare you compare this attack with racist bias with the Bluestar event which was due to Pakistan-sponsored Sikh terrorists? What kind of {censored} wishes for a "khali" (Arabic for EMPTY!!!) sthan?

What is your base to call "Sikh Terrorist?' Is it Indian Government?
Indian Government that has been promoting Mr Gandhi as a Saint though his own relative proves otherwise. It has been ignoring Indra's dictatorship -period and naming Air Port in her name, oh she should be forgiven!!! You are questioning others how they compare but you base your judgment on Sikhs on no actual fact. Who was to bring Sant Bhindrawale on the front, wasnt it mother Indra? Remember BBC was ousted, why? To cover up. Why Guru Arjan Dev Ji's Martydom day was chosen to attack Harmandar Sahib. Those poor Sikhs just went to pay respect to Guru was terrorist? You guys will never try to seek the truth or justice, you are doomed to play group -faithfulness., why couldnt they wait for 3-4 days more? No wonder you language carries harsh words
. When people lose reason, they lose everything. This thread is about terrible tragedy, here is you to jump on to protect those guys who lied through teeth:rolleyes:
 

Mai Harinder Kaur

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Originally Posted by Shahryar
How dare you compare this attack with racist bias with the Bluestar event which was due to Pakistan-sponsored Sikh terrorists? What kind of {censored} wishes for a "khali" (Arabic for EMPTY!!!) sthan?
What is your base to call "Sikh Terrorist?' Is it Indian Government?
Indian Government that has been promoting Mr Gandhi as a Saint though his own relative proves otherwise. It has been ignoring Indra's dictatorship -period and naming Air Port in her name, oh she should be forgiven!!! You are questioning others how they compare but you base your judgment on Sikhs on no actual fact. Who was to bring Sant Bhindrawale on the front, wasnt it mother Indra? Remember BBC was ousted, why? To cover up. Why Guru Arjan Dev Ji's Martydom day was chosen to attack Harmandar Sahib. Those poor Sikhs just went to pay respect to Guru was terrorist? You guys will never try to seek the truth or justice, you are doomed to play group -faithfulness., why couldnt they wait for 3-4 days more? No wonder you language carries harsh words. When people lose reason, they lose everything. This thread is about terrible tragedy, here is you to jump on to protect those guys who lied through teeth:rolleyes:

My dear Sisters/Brothers, Shahryar and pk70:

I see you are both passionate in your beliefs about the Bluestar Massacre (June 1984) - and hold opposite views. This is OK, we all have our opinions on these things. My opinion is well-known to those who know me and those who have read what I have written on this subject. I would like to give my opinion that this is a very important topic which needs to be discussed, especially during this 25th anniversary.

However, I think in this thread it would be most useful to discuss the attack on Balmeet Singh and our reactions to that and leave the Khalistan/ Sant Bhindranwale argument to another thread.

If you start such a thread, I'll be happy to contribute there. I was in Amritsar during Bluestar and in Delhi during the Pogrom, so I could say quite a lot, I think,

For now, here, may we please concentrate on this good Brother?

.
 

pk70

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My dear Sisters/Brothers, Shahryar and pk70:

I see you are both passionate in your beliefs about the Bluestar Massacre (June 1984) - and hold opposite views. This is OK, we all have our opinions on these things. My opinion is well-known to those who know me and those who have read what I have written on this subject. I would like to give my opinion that this is a very important topic which needs to be discussed, especially during this 25th anniversary.

However, I think in this thread it would be most useful to discuss the attack on Balmeet Singh and our reactions to that and leave the Khalistan/ Sant Bhindranwale argument to another thread.

If you start such a thread, I'll be happy to contribute there. I was in Amritsar during Bluestar and in Delhi during the Pogrom, so I could say quite a lot, I think,

For now, here, may we please concentrate on this good Brother?

.


Thanks. Mai Ji
If some one compared helplessness of victims of 84 in context of this good Sikh story, nothing is wrong, no one needs to jump on that. Sorry I felt to respond to that.

Regards
G Singh
 

Gyani Jarnail Singh

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How dare you compare this attack with racist bias with the Bluestar event which was due to Pakistan-sponsored Sikh terrorists? What kind of {censored} wishes for a "khali" (Arabic for EMPTY!!!) sthan?

This is like comparing apples to grapes..
and distorting words as well. KHALISTAN is not about "empty" but KHALIS..meaning pure.
Pakistani interference etc is merely speculation.
Anyway this about INDIVIDUALS fight against racist bias,,racism.. not all out genocide/mass murder/civil unrest in which a country's armed forces are heavily involved.

Lets get back to Balmeet Singhs tragedy...and how we can assist/find solutions
 

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