Saturday, July 18, 2009
Blow to Sikhs: European court upholds French turban ban
Blow to Sikhs: European court upholds French turban ban
I P Singh, TNN 18 July 2009, 04:03am IST
JALANDHAR: In a major blow to Sikhs in Europe, European Court of Human Rights has upheld French ban on turban by dismissing the first petition filed against it. France had passed a law in 2004, prohibiting religious symbols in schools.
The judgment, which came close on the heels of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh raising the issue with French president Nicolas Sarkozy, was communicated to the lawyers of NGO United Sikhs, who had filed the petition on behalf of Jasvir Singh, on Thursday. It does not require France to respond to Jasvir's legal arguments.
Last December, the NGO had filed another petition before the United Nations Human Rights Committee on behalf of Bikramjit Singh, who was expelled from school along with Jasvir Singh when they refused to remove their turbans. France has filed a response to Bikramjit's claim.
with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4791396.cms
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
A Sikh web portal
I P Singh, TNN 18 July 2009, 04:03am IST
JALANDHAR: In a major blow to Sikhs in Europe, European Court of Human Rights has upheld French ban on turban by dismissing the first petition filed against it. France had passed a law in 2004, prohibiting religious symbols in schools.
The judgment, which came close on the heels of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh raising the issue with French president Nicolas Sarkozy, was communicated to the lawyers of NGO United Sikhs, who had filed the petition on behalf of Jasvir Singh, on Thursday. It does not require France to respond to Jasvir's legal arguments.
Last December, the NGO had filed another petition before the United Nations Human Rights Committee on behalf of Bikramjit Singh, who was expelled from school along with Jasvir Singh when they refused to remove their turbans. France has filed a response to Bikramjit's claim.
with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4791396.cms
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
A Sikh web portal
Friday, July 17, 2009
Sikh organisation unhappy with 'Adil Ray Show'
Sikh organisation unhappy with 'Adil Ray Show'
Jul 17, 2009 08:14 AM
The Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO) Media Monitoring Group has expressed concern about output on the 'Adil Ray Show' on the BBC Asian Network.
In the programme aired on Wednesday this week (15th July), the stand-in presenter, Tommy Sandhu (pictured) shared that he was growing a beard for his wedding.
The verbatim then led him to a 'Dhari room' (beard room) in the 'big baba house' (Big Brother house) to get advice on his itchy beard from 'big baba' (Big Brother). He was exhorted by 'big baba' to maintain his traditional Dhari with turban, even though he explained that it was uncomfortable, itchy and that he felt like he was 'in disguise' and not like 'the real me'.
The Secretary of the media monitoring group expressed concern over the content of the broadcast. "It is vital that BBC Asian Network maintain their sense of humour, however not at the expense of indirectly mocking traditions where turbans and beards are sacred, such as Sikhism."
He added, "We are disappointed with the utter disregard to sensitivities of the community and really hope BBC Asian Network refrain from such toilet humour in the future."
This affair represents an unfortunate example of media misrepresentation of people that adhere to the obvious symbols of the Sikh faith.
This follows on from recent concerns expressed by the media monitoring group on religious output by the BBC in both television programming and exclusion of Sikhs on the issue of faith leadership on a flagship Radio programme earlier this year. A number of MP's have also expressed their desire to rectify the imbalance in religious television programming to allow for proportionate coverage on Sikhism.
with thanks : source : http://media247.co.uk/bizasia/newsarchive/2009/07/sikh_organisati.php
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
A Sikh web portal
“White Sikhs” - foreigners who found faith in Sikhism
“White Sikhs” - foreigners who found faith in Sikhism
16 July, 2009, 22:29
Sword-carrying Sikhs roaming the Indian city of Amritsar are a normal sight; but white people wearing turbans definitely are not. The strangeness lies in the fact that they are non-Indians who converted to Sikhism.
Most of them attend the Miri Piri Academy (MPA), an International boarding school in Amritsar where foreigners who converted to Sikhism leave their children to immerse themselves in the religion. And don’t let the teacher’s name, Mahan Atma Kaur, mislead you. She is Svetlana, a Russian-American national who has been teaching there for two years.
Read more
The 34-year-old white Sikh converted in 2004 and changed her name to Mahan Atma, which means “greatest soul” in the Indian language.
Why? “It feels to me that I did not 'choose' to be a Sikh. We all are Sikhs, as 'seekers of the truth'. As soon as I felt my heart’s yearning for the guru’s word, I knew it was my path. It is my life,” Mahan told RTV during an interview.
The current student body represents 13 countries and 8 languages from various countries in Asia, Europe and America.
Although Sikhism does not have missionaries around the world, more white people are converting to Sikhism in the 21st century. Sikhism as a faith has never actively sought converts, thus the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous racial group.
Why Sikhism?
After the September 11 attacks, some people associated Sikhs with terrorists or members of the Taliban. Research suggests there has been an increase in hate-crimes against Sikh men in America and England. Still, there has been an increase in the number of foreigners who convert to Sikhism. Why?
Gurusewak Singh Khalsa, who was born to parents of American/European descent, told RTV via email, “Some might say Sikhism is a strict religion. At first glance this makes sense – physically, men have beards, wear turbans and kirpans (knives), and women don't cut their hair.”
“But once one sees past the physical I have found that there is a lot more openness, freedom, and acceptance in the Sikh teachings compared to other religions,” he added.
Amrit Kaur does not look like a Punjabi in any way, but practices Sikhism. Born in Toronto, Canada, her mother was an atheist and her father was Catholic.
“I researched many religions and practiced different ones… but nothing 'belonged' to me. It wasn't until the summer of 2004, when I first met a Sikh, that I learned about the existence of Sikhism,” she writes in her blog ( amritkaur.blogspot.com).
We talked to Dana Singh, who calls herself "gora (white) Sikh" and is dedicated to the cause of Sikhism. Born in Latvia (former USSR), she met her Sikh husband in Ireland, and he introduced her to his culture and religion. Though she has not formally converted to Sikhism, she still considers herself a Sikh.
“Earlier I had never heard about Sikhism and wasn't aware that this is the fifth largest religion in the world. We married in Amritsar in a traditional ceremony. It was so different from European weddings – like a fairy tale,” she revealed in an interview.
Ask her why she chose to live her life as a Sikh and she replies, “I didn't convert formally but just live and learn everyday more and more about Sikhism.”
Conversion Through Kundalini Yoga
Due to the activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi via his Kundalini Yoga, which focuses on 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) Organization, Sikhism has witnessed a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents.
It was estimated that in 1998, these 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as “gora” or “white” Sikhs, totalled 7,800 members, and were mainly centered around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California.
Most foreigners turn to Sikhism through an indirect route of Kundalani Yoga from Harbhajan Singh Khalsa, better known as Yogi Bhajan, a renowned Sikh yoga teacher who came to America in the late 1960s, and died in 2004.
After the death of Yogi Bhajan, the U.S. Congress passed a bipartisan resolution honoring his life and work, thus equating his life with a select few – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Theresa, and Pope John Paul II.
Like her teacher Yogi Bhajan, Mahan Atma Kaur, a psychology major from St.-Petersburg State University in Russia, also teaches Kundalini yoga. “I decided to move to the U.S. and came in contact with Yogi Bhajan. As I started my daily Kundalini Yoga practice, I found an experience of God within me; it has enriched my life and opened my heart.”
Ask Mahan how her family reacted to her “transition” and she says that her mother was “very supportive and said ‘I don't understand what it is, but whatever it is you do, it makes you great! You are as clear and pure as crystal!’"
The most obvious effect of Kundalani Yoga can be seen in Espanola, New Mexico, where Yogi Harbhajan Singh lived. There are about 50 yoga centres in the state of New Mexico, and a number of people have converted to Sikhism.
Conversion
The views on conversion from one religion to another are varied. Brij Bedi, a social activist from Amritsar and a descendant of Guru Nanak Dev (the Sikhs' first guru), said in a telephone interview, “Be it Islam, Christianity, Hinduism or Sikhism, all religions teach the same principles of equality, non-violence, faith, selflessness and love towards humanity.”
Ethelred, a member at a public forum (stormfront.org) writes, “Most people convert because they're told to be ashamed of their own culture and history. All I know is I'd die before converting to either.”
Matt Borghese, a content writer based in Florida, said in a telephone interview that the “third world religions are catching on in the first world. Who would have thought it? That is a growing trend in the U.S. I see white guys in Sikh turbans all the time.”
“One I saw over the weekend had a white turban and bright red beard. I don't see the appeal in those two religions myself,” he added.
Famous White Sikhs In History
Historically, the phenomenon of conversion of whites to Sikhism is centuries old. Max Arthur Macauliffe (1841-1913), a senior British administrator who was posted to India during the British rule of Punjab, converted to Sikhism in the 1860s. As a prolific scholar and author, Macauliffe is held in high esteem among the Sikh community, in particular the intelligentsia, for his monumental translation into English of the Sikh Scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib.
In more recent times, earlier examples of conversion includes Vic Briggs, a 64-year-old London resident and former blues musician (The Animals). He converted and took the name Vikram Singh Khalsa. Later, he became the first non-subcontinental to perform religious chants at the Golden Temple.
Dr. Lonnie Smith, a 67-year-old New York resident, is a jazz musician, recognized as an exceptional player of both the Hammond B3 organ and piano, also converted to Sikhism but did not change his name.
Nidhi Sharma for RT
with thanks : source : http://www.russiatoday.com/Top_News/2009-07-16/_White_Sikhs__-_foreigners_who_found_faith_in_Sikhism.html/print
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
A Sikh web portal
16 July, 2009, 22:29
Sword-carrying Sikhs roaming the Indian city of Amritsar are a normal sight; but white people wearing turbans definitely are not. The strangeness lies in the fact that they are non-Indians who converted to Sikhism.
Most of them attend the Miri Piri Academy (MPA), an International boarding school in Amritsar where foreigners who converted to Sikhism leave their children to immerse themselves in the religion. And don’t let the teacher’s name, Mahan Atma Kaur, mislead you. She is Svetlana, a Russian-American national who has been teaching there for two years.
Read more
The 34-year-old white Sikh converted in 2004 and changed her name to Mahan Atma, which means “greatest soul” in the Indian language.
Why? “It feels to me that I did not 'choose' to be a Sikh. We all are Sikhs, as 'seekers of the truth'. As soon as I felt my heart’s yearning for the guru’s word, I knew it was my path. It is my life,” Mahan told RTV during an interview.
The current student body represents 13 countries and 8 languages from various countries in Asia, Europe and America.
Although Sikhism does not have missionaries around the world, more white people are converting to Sikhism in the 21st century. Sikhism as a faith has never actively sought converts, thus the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous racial group.
Why Sikhism?
After the September 11 attacks, some people associated Sikhs with terrorists or members of the Taliban. Research suggests there has been an increase in hate-crimes against Sikh men in America and England. Still, there has been an increase in the number of foreigners who convert to Sikhism. Why?
Gurusewak Singh Khalsa, who was born to parents of American/European descent, told RTV via email, “Some might say Sikhism is a strict religion. At first glance this makes sense – physically, men have beards, wear turbans and kirpans (knives), and women don't cut their hair.”
“But once one sees past the physical I have found that there is a lot more openness, freedom, and acceptance in the Sikh teachings compared to other religions,” he added.
Amrit Kaur does not look like a Punjabi in any way, but practices Sikhism. Born in Toronto, Canada, her mother was an atheist and her father was Catholic.
“I researched many religions and practiced different ones… but nothing 'belonged' to me. It wasn't until the summer of 2004, when I first met a Sikh, that I learned about the existence of Sikhism,” she writes in her blog ( amritkaur.blogspot.com).
We talked to Dana Singh, who calls herself "gora (white) Sikh" and is dedicated to the cause of Sikhism. Born in Latvia (former USSR), she met her Sikh husband in Ireland, and he introduced her to his culture and religion. Though she has not formally converted to Sikhism, she still considers herself a Sikh.
“Earlier I had never heard about Sikhism and wasn't aware that this is the fifth largest religion in the world. We married in Amritsar in a traditional ceremony. It was so different from European weddings – like a fairy tale,” she revealed in an interview.
Ask her why she chose to live her life as a Sikh and she replies, “I didn't convert formally but just live and learn everyday more and more about Sikhism.”
Conversion Through Kundalini Yoga
Due to the activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi via his Kundalini Yoga, which focuses on 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) Organization, Sikhism has witnessed a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents.
It was estimated that in 1998, these 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as “gora” or “white” Sikhs, totalled 7,800 members, and were mainly centered around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California.
Most foreigners turn to Sikhism through an indirect route of Kundalani Yoga from Harbhajan Singh Khalsa, better known as Yogi Bhajan, a renowned Sikh yoga teacher who came to America in the late 1960s, and died in 2004.
After the death of Yogi Bhajan, the U.S. Congress passed a bipartisan resolution honoring his life and work, thus equating his life with a select few – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Theresa, and Pope John Paul II.
Like her teacher Yogi Bhajan, Mahan Atma Kaur, a psychology major from St.-Petersburg State University in Russia, also teaches Kundalini yoga. “I decided to move to the U.S. and came in contact with Yogi Bhajan. As I started my daily Kundalini Yoga practice, I found an experience of God within me; it has enriched my life and opened my heart.”
Ask Mahan how her family reacted to her “transition” and she says that her mother was “very supportive and said ‘I don't understand what it is, but whatever it is you do, it makes you great! You are as clear and pure as crystal!’"
The most obvious effect of Kundalani Yoga can be seen in Espanola, New Mexico, where Yogi Harbhajan Singh lived. There are about 50 yoga centres in the state of New Mexico, and a number of people have converted to Sikhism.
Conversion
The views on conversion from one religion to another are varied. Brij Bedi, a social activist from Amritsar and a descendant of Guru Nanak Dev (the Sikhs' first guru), said in a telephone interview, “Be it Islam, Christianity, Hinduism or Sikhism, all religions teach the same principles of equality, non-violence, faith, selflessness and love towards humanity.”
Ethelred, a member at a public forum (stormfront.org) writes, “Most people convert because they're told to be ashamed of their own culture and history. All I know is I'd die before converting to either.”
Matt Borghese, a content writer based in Florida, said in a telephone interview that the “third world religions are catching on in the first world. Who would have thought it? That is a growing trend in the U.S. I see white guys in Sikh turbans all the time.”
“One I saw over the weekend had a white turban and bright red beard. I don't see the appeal in those two religions myself,” he added.
Famous White Sikhs In History
Historically, the phenomenon of conversion of whites to Sikhism is centuries old. Max Arthur Macauliffe (1841-1913), a senior British administrator who was posted to India during the British rule of Punjab, converted to Sikhism in the 1860s. As a prolific scholar and author, Macauliffe is held in high esteem among the Sikh community, in particular the intelligentsia, for his monumental translation into English of the Sikh Scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib.
In more recent times, earlier examples of conversion includes Vic Briggs, a 64-year-old London resident and former blues musician (The Animals). He converted and took the name Vikram Singh Khalsa. Later, he became the first non-subcontinental to perform religious chants at the Golden Temple.
Dr. Lonnie Smith, a 67-year-old New York resident, is a jazz musician, recognized as an exceptional player of both the Hammond B3 organ and piano, also converted to Sikhism but did not change his name.
Nidhi Sharma for RT
with thanks : source : http://www.russiatoday.com/Top_News/2009-07-16/_White_Sikhs__-_foreigners_who_found_faith_in_Sikhism.html/print
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
A Sikh web portal
Sarkozy assures PM no ban on Sikh turbans
Sarkozy assures PM no ban on Sikh turbans
IANS 16 July 2009, 09:40pm IST
SHARM-EL-SHEIKH (Egypt): French President Nicolas Sarkozy has assured Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that there is no ban on Sikhs wearing
Sarkozy's assurance came after Manmohan Singh handed over to him a 'non-official' memo two days ago in Paris, official sources said here on Thursday.
France is considering a bill to ban wearing of any religious symbols in the state schools.
The country's 6,000-strong Sikh community in France has been up in arms against the proposed legislation, saying that turban is not a religious symbol but an integral part of their life.
with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-World-Indians-Abroad-Sarkozy-assures-PM-no-ban-on-Sikh-turbans/articleshow/4786457.cms
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
A Sikh web portal
IANS 16 July 2009, 09:40pm IST
SHARM-EL-SHEIKH (Egypt): French President Nicolas Sarkozy has assured Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that there is no ban on Sikhs wearing
Sarkozy's assurance came after Manmohan Singh handed over to him a 'non-official' memo two days ago in Paris, official sources said here on Thursday.
France is considering a bill to ban wearing of any religious symbols in the state schools.
The country's 6,000-strong Sikh community in France has been up in arms against the proposed legislation, saying that turban is not a religious symbol but an integral part of their life.
with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-World-Indians-Abroad-Sarkozy-assures-PM-no-ban-on-Sikh-turbans/articleshow/4786457.cms
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
A Sikh web portal
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Sikh students : Last date for getting benefit from Delhi Govt is 26th July, 2009
Sikh students in Delhi can get the fees back from Delhi Govt., in case they meet certain conditions. Last date to avail this benefit is 26th July, 2009. If you know about this scheme, please hurry up. If you wanna get the complete brouchure, please mail us your valid E Mail ID immediately. You can mail us your E Mail Id by clicking on the link below to fill the FEED BACK FORM : http://www.sohnijodi.com/membership.htm
SikhsIndia
SikhsIndia
Sikh Captain Court Marshaled for false allegations of sexual harassment
Wed, Jul 15, 2009 9:56:43
Sikh Captain Court Marshaled for false allegations of sexual harassment
Captain Poonam Kaur claimed she had been sexually harassed, her allegations have resulted in her dismissal form the Indian army
An Army General Court Martial (GCM) on Saturday dismissed of the Army Service Corps (ASC) of Captain Poonam Kaur
The GCM, conducted at 5-Armoured Regiment in Patiala, indicted Capt Kaur on several other counts as well, including disobeying the orders of her Commanding Officer (CO), for providing false information to get married accommodation in Kalka and for addressing the media to discuss her service matters in contravention of Army rules, Indian Express has reported
Kaur was, however, acquitted of the charge of “having an unbecoming conduct and character” and with regard to allegations of her having physical relations with her former driver Sepoy Sunil Kumar.
Capt Poonam Kaur of ASC had, during her Kalka posting (beginning in October 2007), charged her Commanding Officer Colonel R K Sharma, besides two other officers Lt Col Ajay Chawla and Major Suraj Bhan with physically and mentally harassing her after she turned down their physical advances. A Court of Inquiry subsequently set up by the Army had found Capt Kaur guilty on 20 counts last July. A General Court Martial was later held in Patiala, where Capt Kaur was attached with the 5 Armoured Regiment, Indian Express went on to report.
with thanks : source : http://www.emgonline.co.uk/news.php?news=6323
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
A sikh web portal
Sikh Captain Court Marshaled for false allegations of sexual harassment
Captain Poonam Kaur claimed she had been sexually harassed, her allegations have resulted in her dismissal form the Indian army
An Army General Court Martial (GCM) on Saturday dismissed of the Army Service Corps (ASC) of Captain Poonam Kaur
The GCM, conducted at 5-Armoured Regiment in Patiala, indicted Capt Kaur on several other counts as well, including disobeying the orders of her Commanding Officer (CO), for providing false information to get married accommodation in Kalka and for addressing the media to discuss her service matters in contravention of Army rules, Indian Express has reported
Kaur was, however, acquitted of the charge of “having an unbecoming conduct and character” and with regard to allegations of her having physical relations with her former driver Sepoy Sunil Kumar.
Capt Poonam Kaur of ASC had, during her Kalka posting (beginning in October 2007), charged her Commanding Officer Colonel R K Sharma, besides two other officers Lt Col Ajay Chawla and Major Suraj Bhan with physically and mentally harassing her after she turned down their physical advances. A Court of Inquiry subsequently set up by the Army had found Capt Kaur guilty on 20 counts last July. A General Court Martial was later held in Patiala, where Capt Kaur was attached with the 5 Armoured Regiment, Indian Express went on to report.
with thanks : source : http://www.emgonline.co.uk/news.php?news=6323
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
A sikh web portal
Sikhs protest school exemption in Oregon religious freedom bill
by Harry Esteve, The Oregonian Wednesday July 15, 2009, 8:41 PM
A bill passed by the Oregon Legislature that broadens religious freedom in the workplace has prompted protests by some faith leaders because it exempts schools.
The bill requires employers to allow workers to wear certain clothing, grow beards and take certain days off to observe their religious practices. But it specifically carves out school districts in Oregon, one of two states that expressly forbid teachers from wearing religious clothing.
The exemption drew the ire of some groups, especially Sikhs, whose members wear turbans and other distinctive clothes -- and have been barred from teaching in Oregon as a result.
The new law "fails in its essence if it doesn't honestly and comprehensively provide religious freedom for all Oregonians," said Rajdeep Singh Jolly, law director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund in Washington, D.C.
"It smacks of irony," Jolly said of the bill, which was hailed by legislative leaders as improving the climate for diverse religions in Oregon. "It takes two steps forward and 10 steps back."
The bill, titled the Oregon Workplace Religious Freedom Act, grants workers wide religious leeway as long as the activity, clothing or other practices don't cause an undue hardship on the employer. Religious organizations typically applaud such measures.
But the school exemption has highlighted what some think is a glaring hole in Oregon's efforts to expand religious freedoms.
"It seems like it would apply to a Muslim woman wearing a hijab or a Jew wearing a yarmulke," said Richard Foltin, director of national and legislative affairs for the American Jewish Committee in Washington, D.C. "We're especially concerned about that."
Oregon has had a law on the books for decades that states, "No teacher in any public school shall wear any religious dress while engaged in the performance of duties as a teacher." Pennsylvania has a similar law.
Oregon's law was tested in the 1980s, when a Sikh teacher was suspended from her job as a Eugene special-education teacher for wearing a white turban and white clothes to class. The case went to the Oregon Supreme Court, which upheld the suspension. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
"The underlying policy reflects the unique position that teachers occupy," said Jake Weigler, spokesman for the state Department of Education. "In this case, the concern that a public school teacher would be imparting religious values to their students outweighs that teacher's right to free expression."
Sikhs tend to stand out in such cases because the religion requires members to wear turbans, said Hari Nam Singh Khalsa, a Portland attorney who said a judge once told him to remove his "hat" or leave the courtroom. After a discussion in the judge's chamber, the matter never came up again.
Khalsa said he understands that schools present a tricky problem because of the clash between freedom of expression and church-state separation.
But, he said, "It's hard for me to imagine that just because somebody is wearing something that is required by their religion that this is in any way suggestive to students of an endorsement of the religion."
Jolly, the Sikh legal fund representative, has written a letter to Gov. Ted Kulongoski urging a veto of the bill. A spokeswoman for Kulongoski said the governor expects to sign the bill because vetoing it would not change Oregon's law prohibiting teachers from wearing religious garb.
Yet even the bill's strongest champion, House Speaker Dave Hunt, D-Gladstone, admits it falls short. He said he offered a similar bill in 2007 that would have allowed teachers to wear religious clothing, but it didn't pass.
"I think all Oregon workers should have the right to freely exercise their religion and do their job," Hunt said. But the bill didn't have the votes to pass without the exclusion for teachers, he said.
"It was one of those legislative compromises you do."
with thanks : source : http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/07/school_exemption_in_religious.html
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
A Sikh web portal
A bill passed by the Oregon Legislature that broadens religious freedom in the workplace has prompted protests by some faith leaders because it exempts schools.
The bill requires employers to allow workers to wear certain clothing, grow beards and take certain days off to observe their religious practices. But it specifically carves out school districts in Oregon, one of two states that expressly forbid teachers from wearing religious clothing.
The exemption drew the ire of some groups, especially Sikhs, whose members wear turbans and other distinctive clothes -- and have been barred from teaching in Oregon as a result.
The new law "fails in its essence if it doesn't honestly and comprehensively provide religious freedom for all Oregonians," said Rajdeep Singh Jolly, law director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund in Washington, D.C.
"It smacks of irony," Jolly said of the bill, which was hailed by legislative leaders as improving the climate for diverse religions in Oregon. "It takes two steps forward and 10 steps back."
The bill, titled the Oregon Workplace Religious Freedom Act, grants workers wide religious leeway as long as the activity, clothing or other practices don't cause an undue hardship on the employer. Religious organizations typically applaud such measures.
But the school exemption has highlighted what some think is a glaring hole in Oregon's efforts to expand religious freedoms.
"It seems like it would apply to a Muslim woman wearing a hijab or a Jew wearing a yarmulke," said Richard Foltin, director of national and legislative affairs for the American Jewish Committee in Washington, D.C. "We're especially concerned about that."
Oregon has had a law on the books for decades that states, "No teacher in any public school shall wear any religious dress while engaged in the performance of duties as a teacher." Pennsylvania has a similar law.
Oregon's law was tested in the 1980s, when a Sikh teacher was suspended from her job as a Eugene special-education teacher for wearing a white turban and white clothes to class. The case went to the Oregon Supreme Court, which upheld the suspension. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
"The underlying policy reflects the unique position that teachers occupy," said Jake Weigler, spokesman for the state Department of Education. "In this case, the concern that a public school teacher would be imparting religious values to their students outweighs that teacher's right to free expression."
Sikhs tend to stand out in such cases because the religion requires members to wear turbans, said Hari Nam Singh Khalsa, a Portland attorney who said a judge once told him to remove his "hat" or leave the courtroom. After a discussion in the judge's chamber, the matter never came up again.
Khalsa said he understands that schools present a tricky problem because of the clash between freedom of expression and church-state separation.
But, he said, "It's hard for me to imagine that just because somebody is wearing something that is required by their religion that this is in any way suggestive to students of an endorsement of the religion."
Jolly, the Sikh legal fund representative, has written a letter to Gov. Ted Kulongoski urging a veto of the bill. A spokeswoman for Kulongoski said the governor expects to sign the bill because vetoing it would not change Oregon's law prohibiting teachers from wearing religious garb.
Yet even the bill's strongest champion, House Speaker Dave Hunt, D-Gladstone, admits it falls short. He said he offered a similar bill in 2007 that would have allowed teachers to wear religious clothing, but it didn't pass.
"I think all Oregon workers should have the right to freely exercise their religion and do their job," Hunt said. But the bill didn't have the votes to pass without the exclusion for teachers, he said.
"It was one of those legislative compromises you do."
with thanks : source : http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/07/school_exemption_in_religious.html
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
A Sikh web portal
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Sikh women celebrate Teeyan and Jago
Tue, Jul 14, 2009 11:00:33
Hundreds of excited clamorous women met to celebrate the age old culture of Teeyan at Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College in Chigwell Essex.
The event was organised by the Sikh Women's Alliance's successfully for the third year, aiming to promote traditional village singing and women getting together to celebrate and have a fun day.
Teeyan is a traditional panjabi event where women come together to celebrate the beginning of the monsoon season. Teeyan is about happiness, prosperity and well-being.
In today's 21st century, women still living in patriarchal society face many problems to do with alcohol abuse, mental illnesses, family breakdowns, depression, divorce, female foeticide, demand for expensive weddings and dowry and the list goes on.
One of the main aims of this event, organised by Sikh Women's Alliance and Ekta Project to empower and inspire women to see themselves as equal and important, and not be made into an inferior gender through age old cultural customs and superstitions.
Over 200 women attended with many stalls selling jewellery, clothes, shawls and food was plentiful for all, with demands for more such events in towns all over UK.
Women themselves spontaneously got up and sang old traditional poetry, passing on their skills to the younger generation.
Original rap music was started originally in the villages of Panjab, but with
the modern bhangra tunes, this tradition has been forgotten whereby you make your own music and poetry and banter with each another about issues and have a laugh.
By Councillor Balvinder Saund
Chairperson
Sikh Women's Alliance UK
with thanks : source : http://www.emgonline.co.uk/news.php?news=6280
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
A Sikh web portal
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