WHEREAS, Believing that every human being, regardless of
race, gender or creed, is equal in the eyes of God, Sikhism
emerged as a pioneer of social justice; and
WHEREAS, Sikhism widely encourages female participation in
religious ceremonies and interfaith efforts to fight oppression
regularly suffered; and
WHEREAS, The religion's emphasis on loving service to
humanity inspires Sikhs to make lasting social contributions,
such as providing free food to the less fortunate; and
WHEREAS, Despite their progressive principles and charitable
deeds, the American-Sikh community commonly experiences
discrimination, often by individuals who are unaware of the
beliefs and practices of the faith; and
WHEREAS, Nearly 60% of Americans admit to knowing nothing
about the religion or its practitioners; and
WHEREAS, Sikhs disproportionately experience school bullying,
with estimates indicating that more than 50% of all Sikh
children, and roughly 67% of turbaned Sikh children, endure
physical or verbal abuse at school; and
WHEREAS, National rates of anti-Sikh bigotry rose
dramatically following the September 11th terrorist attacks; and
WHEREAS, Deadly assaults against the Sikh community, such as
the hate-inspired murder of six worshipers at the Sikh Temple of
Wisconsin in August 2012, are all-too-common occurrences across
the country; and
WHEREAS, Although the Sikh community continues to peacefully
overcome each attack on its cultural identity, public awareness
of the Sikh faith and memorializing the lasting contributions of
its Sikh residents is essential; and
WHEREAS, During the early 20th century, thousands of Sikh
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