Sikh man is hit by a truck and beaten by two men in Fresno hate crime

[Recursion]

Source: LA Times

A Sikh man who was hit by a truck, then further attacked by two of its occupants over the weekend, was the victim of a hate crime, Fresno police said Monday.

It was unclear whether the man was mistaken for being Muslim -- something that has led to other attacks on Sikh men in the past.

The 68-year-old man, who has a long gray and white beard and was wearing a turban, was attacked as he crossed the street before 7 a.m. Saturday while waiting for a ride to work, police say.

According to police, the incident began while the man was waiting on the sidewalk for a ride to work. As he waited, two white men pulled up in a truck and began hurling curse words at him, authorities said.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-sikh-fresno-attack-20151228-story.html

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I try not to talk much about religion on DU. That said.

Sikhs are literally the best people in the world. Over and over again they prove that.

[Gregorian]

1. I remember 1979.

For some reason I decided to grow a beard. I'm walking out of my house when a car of young men shout at me to go back to Iran. It was odd because I consider myself to be about as American as they come, getting ripped and listening to Iggy Pop after school. Riding my dirtbike, and customizing sports cars. And that was in Palo Alto. I was never so shocked, and maybe a bit frightened. The irony of it all was that my girlfriend lived in Tehran, and was a student. Her dad delivered the Shah's babies!

We have to work at changing our behavior. We all do it. Love isn't easy sometimes.

[Recursion]

2. Iranians also like listening to Iggy Pop and fixing motorbikes...

I was 3 in 1979 but I get your point. There came a time when our natural allies in the region became dangerous to be friends with... Thank you, Reagan...

[Gregorian]

7. That's a super important point. We are all "me".

I think America has a bad case of us versus them.

[Recursion]

8. Yep

That's the main problem...

[Plucketeer]

3. Ignorance & Hate

Two of the more prominent facets of being human.

[trillion]

4. Trump supporters.... I mean white supremacists...

I mean, Republicans.

[niyad]

6. pretty much. .

[Bluenorthwest]

5. Sikhs are really good neighbors I used to live in a neighborhood with lots of Sikhs and places of

worship and yoga and they are super nice in a sort of active way. Terrible that they or anyone else should be victim of such a crime as this.

[whatthehey]

9. Turbans aren't worn by very many US Muslims are they?

I mean sure in North Africa and among some traditional clerics in Iran etc, but how many immigrant groups over here wear them? It's not like I live in the nation's greatest melting pot or do religious card-checks but everyone I recall seeing in one was a pretty oibvious Sikh, almost always with the bracelet one of the 5 K's at least, that I can never remember the name of.

[Recursion]

10. Turbans are worn by a small faction of Shiite muslims

As well as by Sikhs.

If you see someone in a turban, they are probably not Muslim, and certainly not Arab.

[Rockyj]

11. Sikhs are the most PEACEFUL...

...loving people! The GOP is the most hateful group of IGNORANT racist bigots!

[jberryhill]

12. "It was unclear whether the man was mistaken for being Muslim"

That line is this species of story - "Sikh attacked by whackjob" - always bothers me, and I can't quite place my finger on why.

It sneaks into this type of story as a kind of "identity mistake" error on the part of the assailant, as if it would have been okay if the assailant had correctly identified and attacked a Muslim. I realize that's not what is really intended by that line, but I never quite understand what that line is supposed to be doing in this class of news item.

As you note, Sikhism is an exceptionally well balanced school of thought, and I get that it makes these types of attacks peculiarly tragic and bizarre, but it is not as if it would have been in any sense "better" if the assailants had been any more clueful.

[Recursion]

14. Right?

It's phrased as if the victim's being muslim would have made it OK. Which is exactly the opposite of anything the victim would have accepted.

[Amimnoch]

15. I was thinking the same thing.

It does kind of lend an unspoken insinuation that it would have been less of a bad thing if it had been a Muslim male.

[forsaken mortal]

13. Disgusting

I hope the perps live long, miserable lives behind bars.

[Dawson Leery]

16. The assailants need to die in jail.

[passiveporcupine]

17. Hate is hate, no matter who it is aimed at

Rather than see bigots and racists die in jail, I'd prefer that they become informed and educated. Dying in jail just makes them a martyr for some other bigot or racist. Education and love can turn them into someone who can help others learn to love.

Oh, and one more thing about how hate distorts your thinking...my ex Brother-in-law is American now but was born in Tehran. He came over here to escape the persecution of Christians by the Iranian government in the late 60's. He married my sister and they had a beautiful little girl (my niece) who now has a beautiful little boy, who both could pass for Iranian by looks. None of them are Muslim and both offspring are half Caucasian. But people who learn to hate and fear a certain "look" don't know the reality of whom they may be attacking. Hate blinds your soul.

[JI7]

18. i agree. overall i think sikhs are kinder than hindus

And i come from a hindu family though I'm not religious.

Sikhs also do a lot more in giving back to others.