Spent the day at a celebration/conference for Sikhs, commemorating the new Sikh exhibit going up in the Library of Congress. It was humbling and saddening to realize how much the idiotic hate crime spree that started after 9/11 has affected the community. many discussions surrounded this, referenced it somehow. So many people who came here and are just trying to have a life in America, are contributing to society in so many ways, getting attacked for just having a similar headwrap as osama bin laden. and these ignorant people are trying to drive them away. Being surrounded by the community made me really feel the injust stupidity of it all for the first time. feeling really grateful to have had the oppourtunity to immerse myself there for a day.
In any case, the event was celebrating something pretty happy, and represented a real acceptance, at least by the LoC and by extension the most mainstream american america. palpable giddy pride all around me. and met many "young people", 2nd generationers, who were doing various things (making films, taking photos) to try and fight the incorrect stereotypes about the group, to create pride in their sikh-ness, and to knock down misperceptions person by person. heartening.
interestingly, a generational divide emerged between the immigrants and the 2nd generation. 2nd generation definitely more "activist" feeling, also more inclined to accept their sikhness however they defined it, not necessarily traditionally. one conflict: how to grow up american and sikh? i think the immigrant gen. didn't really understand how central it was to the next gen. to be accepted by the mainstream peer group - for the immigrant generation, acceptance was something non essential, just icing. for the 2nd gen, its unavoidable, identity formation must be navigated.
sorry if this is embarrassingly non linear and not completely thought out. just trying to get some words out about it. My article will be much more straightforward and specific and fact based...
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