Thank you for this article. That the FBI took until 2015 to begin tracking hate crimes against Sikhs is disturbing. That we can't trust statistics compiled by police to be complete is a stain upon law enforcement. I applaud the work of Sikh organizations.

As do I.

@ProPublica and those willing to be interviewed: Thanks for bringing these heinous crimes to light.

I feel saddened for the individuals in this article. Racism is the big stain on the U.S. No one seems to want to do anything about it. Our president has made it so much worse.

The Sikhs, all over the world, in India, the UK, the US, have something called a langar. Anyone can go to a Gurdwara and get a meal and a place to rest. It is a generous, kind, vigorous community. They are ready to help any and all in times of disasters and calamities. It was (some places still is) a tradition for the eldest son in a Hindu family to become a Sikh. They harm no one and help anyone. Most Sindhis are practicing Sikhs though Sindhi men may not wear the turban

Thanks Ashok for the comment. I really respect the Sikh community. but can you give some more details about ur comment about Sindhis being sikh? Having lived in sindh, i know we have a sizable hindu population. but never heard about sikhs in interior sindh.

Hindu Sindhis follow the basic faith of Sikhism. As symbols you will find a picture of Guru Nanak and the Guru Granth Sahib. The teachings are in Punjabi which not all Sindhis understand, though these have been translated into Sindhi. I remember a Sindhi friend of mine reading a booklet called the Sukhmani which is sort of the essence of Sikh teachings. Weddings will have a Granthi as well as a Hindu priest. Sindhi men do not, as a rule, grow their hair or wear a turban. So there are no visible indications of their faith. Both the Punjab and Sindh were influenced by Guru Nanak, Baba Farid and Bulle Shah. It was a blend of the Bhakti movement (gnostic, devotional) and Sufi Islam. I do not know much about the Hindus in interior Sindh

Thanks Ashok for the info !

dear america,
meet our minister of national defense (you read that right) harjit sajjan (a sikh).
cheers,
canada

That is not a surprise. Canadians by and large seem to be tolerant, open minded, rational and caring. This is based (narrowly) on their health care system, acceptance of refugees and conversations with (hopefully representative) Canadians I have met while travelling.

Sadly that multicultural acceptance appears to be wearing thin in Vancouver as hundreds of thousands of Chinese nationals have settled there over the past couple of decades, with almost one in three Vancouver residents from East Asia, and property prices going through the roof.

Sikh experience in British Columbia prior to 1940s is not very different from that in the US.After all State of Washington is not too far from British Columbia.Racisim against Sikhs and other Indians was rampant in Canada.They were denied their basic civil rights.The right to vote was granted only after India became independent and just before Nehru's visit to Ottawa.Things only started to improve in 1960s and especially after Trudeau became Prime Minister.

The instigators of the hate need to be punished right along side the actual perpetrators. Men like Trump who spread hate need to feel the effects of the law on them personally.

As part of campaigning I have knocked on doors of thousands of Sikhs. Unlike Anglos who are often rude, Sikhs are always polite, many friendly, always treat me with respect which I return. As I see it, Sikhs make this country a better place and I am always pleased to meet them and listen to them. I am grateful they are here. --mike

I have yet to meet a Sikh who was other than honourable honest and hard working. I would trust a Sikh over one of the middle eastern religions any day of the week.

I have seen many Sikhs, but I have only talked with one, and that briefly -- but even so, I have little to no trouble telling at sight a Sikh man. For one thing, the style of the turban is distinctive; for another, there is the bracelet.
From what I know, nobody has anything to fear from any Sikh or group of Sikhs, and Sikhs are easily discerned. It makes no sense to harm anyone for his ethnicity or relationship with Deity -- least of all a Sikh.

It's better for Sikhs in Canada and the UK than it will ever be in America. At least in those countries, people know who Sikhs even are.

To the "Crimson Vertebrata" and their ilk in the US, a Turban is a Turban. Yes it is sad.

Insightful piece. Worth the read.

Nice coverage of episodes of hate crime committed against Sikhs because they are easily identifiable and singular while moving around. Lack of knowledge and understanding is one factor for the perpetrators while inaction and matter-of-fact attitude of law enforcement is a greater problem.
Most times mainstream media does not cover minority communities at work, this also blankets out their exposure and contributions. Sikh soldiers have contributed substantially towards success of Allied forces with turbans on their heads and willfully opting out steel helmets yet lot of efforts had to made to make an entry into US military.
Efforts by Sikh bodies named in this article are really laudable. Good luck to them.

As a Christian I experience hate regarding continual court battles for suppression of my faith. Similar to what happened in Mexico years ago, The Christians were backed by laws into their Churches and not allowed any voice outside of their churches. Look at Mexico now. God was removed.

Hate started when Adam and Eve's son Cain killed Able. Hate will stay with us forever. It is intrinsically in man/woman to be angry and hate. God says anger is not a sin, it is what you do with it and how you use it. "Mothers against drunk Driving" is one good example. Our society wants to know how and why hate? It is inside man/woman to be angry; period. Have you ever hated, yet acted with integrity? Where does integrity come from? Who will teach the haters integrity and will their "God given free will " even care to learn. Our society asked God out of the U.S. and our schools. Due to free will, God will NOT cross anyone's boundaries ever ! For those who don't want him to. Where is integrity going to come from? Everyone does what is right in their own eyes and we have chaos. The more people that back God out of their lives the more chaos. We can predict it.

Just gotta say these comments are a lot better and more tame than I thought they would be. Nice.

In the 80s I worked as an airspace engineer I was given a young college age Sikh as an intern one summer. The boy was the Son of a Sikh engineer at the company . This tall dark skin Indian was raised in Pittsburgh and he loved the Steelers and the Pirates. His smile and personality would light up the room! I was sad when he left that fall and years went by as I moved from Phoenix to Tucson. One day in a book store, there he was! We talked and talked and I found out that my Sikh friend had become a Doctor! When will this country become more intolerant? All of this hate and wall building is sad.

terrible terrible

This excellent investigative reporting reminds me of the late, great reporting of Wayne Barrett. The United States is a corporate pigmentocracy. The darker your skin, the less you are respected in this demented hierarchy. While living in NYC in the 1970's and 80's my father politically supported the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Many Irish pubs in the United States had a kettle behind the bar to collect money to send to Belfast in support of the IRA. My father was never the victim of racial abuse or called a terrorist because he had white skin, unlike the Sikhs in this article. To me, a Celtic Kilt and a Turban are an equal expression of culture. Unfortunately, when my Dad wore a kilt he was admired in a July 4th Parade, but if a Sikh wears a turban he should be deported in Trump's America. I work with a Sikh in a workplace consisting of about 250 employees. This guy is one of the greatest guys I have ever met in my life. He gets along with everyone. I have never met anyone like him before. When I asked him if he thought people preyed on his kindness, he replied "What do you mean?" Our sick media perpetuates this pigmentocracy. I think the actress Lynda Carter who portrayed Wonder Woman on TV in the 1970s and 80's was half Irish and half Mexican, but because she had fair skin she was at the top of the pigmentocracy as the corporate ideal female role model. The female Sikh attorney in this article representing the Sikh coalition should be the real American Wonder Woman, but corporate, racist Hollywood would not allow that. Not long after 9-11, I was walking into an Ice cream shop and saw a freckled faced Irish looking boy of about ten, point at a muslim girl around his age and he said "YUK." I will never forget that. I would never tolerate any racism from any of my kids. Not for a second.

This is just a heartbreaking story. That people like the Sikhs should be treated so badly mostly because this so called'Christian" country practices anything but Christianity, this is really is an insult to the Prince of Peace.

Christians don't have to follow the teachings of Christ; they just have to claim they do.

It is sad

My biggest issue in the Wisconson shooting aftermath was Obama not visiting the temple. So sad that he sent his wife. No president has visited a Gudwara, even on trips to India. They have been advised not to visit, simply because they do not want their voters seeing them with their heads covered.

and you can't see why? look at what the media has done to Michelle because she is not straightening her hair. called her all sorts of names They are already branded as terrorists

What's your definition of recent? Yuba City has had a strong Sikh community for over fifty years. Didar Bains is the American success story personified.

All the Sikhs I have met have been kind and respectful people who often are quite successful. I can only imagine this culture of hard work and success is somehow threatening to racists who do the hate crimes. Very sad.

I don't think we are preaching. I think we are saying that hate crimes won't be tolerated. And this is a good thing that should to be "preached".

GET TO THE F##### POINT WITH THESE ARTICLES !

No one forces you to read them.

Whoa there John! Stop showing us how educated and classy you are! We can't handle it!

And here I thought I was the only one who found John's probing methodology, erudition and sophisticated perspective to be intimidating. Whew!

So you aren't interested in the people who are affected by hatred. You just want to be told that bad things are happening and what law enforcement is/is not doing about those bad things. Three paragraphs at the most.

Here's a quick tip: don't read the articles.

fuck off.

reported

Thank you.