Sunday afternoon, white supremacist Wade Michael Page entered a sikh temple outside Milwaukee and opened fire, leaving at least seven people dead, including himself.
Page was a neo-Nazi extremist, involved in a group called End Apathy to spur whites to action and a member of two bands, called "Blue Eyed Devils" and "Definite Hate." Their lyrics include songs about killing Jews, blacks, gays, and other minorities.
Much of the media focus has been on how Sikhs, practitioners of a monotheistic religion that originated in South Asia, are often confused for conservative (in stupid media parlance: "extremist") Muslims who wear head dresses and have long beards (Sikhs have beards and wear turbans). In the years following the September 11 attacks, they have been targets for hate crimes. In February, a Sikh temple was defaced and in late 2010 a Sikh cabdriver beaten. In both instances, the perpetrators made false allegations of connections to al-Qaeda and militant Islam.
Missing in this conversation: are all Muslims that wear headwear and have long beards "extremists?" No. I know many who are good people, conservative, yes, but would not turn to violence.
Even more disturbing, would the attack have been more acceptable had it been against conservative Mulisms? As if their headwear-beards-beliefs would somewhat excuse Page's attack?
Page was a neo-Nazi extremist, involved in a group called End Apathy to spur whites to action and a member of two bands, called "Blue Eyed Devils" and "Definite Hate." Their lyrics include songs about killing Jews, blacks, gays, and other minorities.
Much of the media focus has been on how Sikhs, practitioners of a monotheistic religion that originated in South Asia, are often confused for conservative (in stupid media parlance: "extremist") Muslims who wear head dresses and have long beards (Sikhs have beards and wear turbans). In the years following the September 11 attacks, they have been targets for hate crimes. In February, a Sikh temple was defaced and in late 2010 a Sikh cabdriver beaten. In both instances, the perpetrators made false allegations of connections to al-Qaeda and militant Islam.
Missing in this conversation: are all Muslims that wear headwear and have long beards "extremists?" No. I know many who are good people, conservative, yes, but would not turn to violence.
Even more disturbing, would the attack have been more acceptable had it been against conservative Mulisms? As if their headwear-beards-beliefs would somewhat excuse Page's attack?
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