Yesterday I viewed a video that hurt my heart and infuriated my mind. It brought tears to my eyes, and caused my fists to ball up. It would be ignorant to believe that racism doesn’t still exist today- yet seeing this video still shocked me to the core. The video I’m referring to is of a young Sikh boy in England. As bystanders look on and record the assault, the young boy is physically assaulted by a few caucasian boys. They hit him and push him. He fights back. They pull off his head covering and his long braid becomes undone. They boast in pride, then mock and laugh at him. I can’t understand what is funny about it at all.
I was once told by a white man that racism no longer existed. “Well at least not explicit racism in such obvious forms” was his argument. As a dark skinned, very Indian looking woman, I know racism exists because I feel it in those inexplicit ways and it doesn’t make it any better. My waitress being short with me and ignoring me for the table of white people next to mine, instead of just verbally assaulting me doesn’t leave much room for ambiguity. It also doesn’t make it okay and still makes me feel awkward and upset. Racial microaggresions = explicit racism. But I can tell you this much- I’m sure that those boys who assaulted this young Singh have definitely seen adults around them display racism. Hate is taught. Racism is taught. Humans do not walk out of the womb believing that they are superior to other people based on their skin colour and religion.
Why isn’t the world more angry? I’ve only heard about this incident from other Indians and Sikhs. This is an awful hate crime committed against an innocent child. A child was attacked and his religion was attacked. This was more than just a physical assault or a bullying incident. It was an assault on our religion and our beliefs. It was an assault on what that young Singh represented. I can’t imagine there not being a greater uproar if the roles were reversed- a young sikh boy insulting a Christian boy’s religion. A cross being ripped off his neck and him being mocked for wearing a necklace. It is so easy for people to accept racism and bigotry towards this young Singh, scapegoating it on innocent childhood ignorance.
As my anger began to subside, I simply felt sad. Sad for this boy who must have been so frightened. Sad that he was humiliated and that there is a video of him circling the internet. Sad that he felt vulnerable and exposed. Sad that there might have been a moment where he wished he was not Sikh and did not have long hair that he wore in a patka. Sad that he might have felt safer if he were not a proud Singh. Sad that he might have felt that his religion and skin colour were the cause of this hurt. Sad that he had to endure this physical and mental pain as an innocent child. Sad thinking about his parent's reaction when he came home. Sad that his parent's probably felt responsible for their child's pain. I wonder how scared he must have been. There was only one of him and at least 3 of them.
Today I am disappointed. Disappointed with the world. Disappointed that my child with her dark skin will most likely experience the same racist encounters her parents did, 30 years later. Disappointed that the bullies in this video were not taught better. Disappointed that Sikh’s continue to face so much racism around the world- especially Sikh men who proudly wear their dastaars and keep long beards. Disappointed that Sikh’s continue to have no safe place where they are not the minority. Disappointed that our young Sikh children continue to endure injustice and pain hundreds of years after our Guru’s did. Disappointed that a peaceful religion such as ours, is constantly met with a plethora of violence.
To the young boy in the video: I’m sorry this happened to you. Do not blame yourself or wish to change yourself. It was not your skin colour, nor your religion that is to blame. Blame the hate those bullies were taught. Blame their insecurities. You continue to shine. We stand with you.
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