103![On 19 June 1862 slavery was abolished in the territories of the United States. On the eve of the day, the US officially abolished slavery, Houston resident and thinker Bhupinder Singh says, ‘We have come a long way since then. Yet, as the events of the last month have shown us, we still have a long way to go.’ Reminiscing the sad demise of George Floyd, he says, ‘one knee-down, symptomatic of the hate that still exists, has placed the […]](https://www.theworldsikhnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/George-flod.jpg)
On 19 June 1862 slavery was abolished in the territories of the United States. On the eve of the day, the US officially abolished slavery, Houston resident and thinker Bhupinder Singh says, ‘We have come a long way since then. Yet, as the events of the last month have shown us, we still have a long way to go.’ Reminiscing the sad demise of George Floyd, he says, ‘one knee-down, symptomatic of the hate that still exists, has placed the issue again in perspective. Yet, the subsequent pardon-seeking knee-down by police and some politicians, the peaceful protestations by people of all colours, including Sikhs, provides hope that humanity will cover the remaining journey howsoever difficult and arduous it may be.
SO, HERE WE GO AGAIN. AS IF OVER 119,000 DEATHS FROM COVID19 are not astounding and mind-numbing, we have to add one more “knee down” death to reignite the divide of Black and White in the United States of America. It is rekindled the spirit of revolt against discrimination across the world.
Instead of the nation sobering from the devastation of Covid-19 with “knee down” we have reopened the wounds of Black pain. It is really painful that we are still treating lives differently based on the colour of the skin.
Even the cries of “I can’t breathe” cannot be heard by uniformed personnel trained “to protect and to serve” over the chest of the victim. It is truly the viral capability of the video clip that has laid bare the anger and frustration of the segment of society being treated this way. The tragedy of this death has become a “trigger moment” for pent up anger and frustration aimed at the law enforcement department.
In Houston where you grew up George Floyd, we are mourning for you, Minneapolis is mourning for you and so is the whole country and the world. We are all mourning so that we can make the world a better place to live – free from hate and discrimination. The word of our Guru -Gurbani reminds us to reiterate fatherhood of God and brotherhood of humankind.
Those who consider themselves as being the elite, privileged, because of the colour of the skin and perpetuate discrimination will do well to answer the question posed by saint poet Bhagat Kabir to the so-called elites of his times in Banaras in these words:
ਜੌ ਤੂੰ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੁ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਣੀ ਜਾਇਆ ॥
ਤਉ ਆਨ ਬਾਟ ਕਾਹੇ ਨਹੀ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
ਤੁਮ ਕਤ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਹਮ ਕਤ ਸੂਦ॥
ਹਮ ਕਤ ਲੋਹੂ ਤੁਮ ਕਤ ਦੂਧ॥੩॥
If you are indeed a Brahmin (elite),
born of a Brahmin mother,
then why didn’t you come in some other way?
How is it that you are a Brahmin,
and I am of low social status?
Does milk flow through your veins
and blood in mine?
Guru Granth Sahib, Page 324
This is a reality check to dispel the perception of superiority. After all, we all human beings, and have blood flowing through their veins along with similar functioning organs and body. The intrinsic design of everybody is the same, and colour of skin or differences in facial features should not create a tiered totem pole. When organ transplants are performed the race, colour or status is not the criteria for the donors or the recipients. Guru Ji has put his stamp on the oneness of mankind in these words:
ਸਭੈ ਘਟ ਰਾਮੁ ਬੋਲੈ ਰਾਮਾ ਬੋਲੈ ॥
ਰਾਮ ਬਿਨਾ ਕੋ ਬੋਲੈ ਰੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Within all hearts, God speaks; only God speaks. Who else speaks, other than the God?
Guru Granth Sahib, Page 988
Guru Sahib is saying it is God only speaking in everyone. It is time for us to ask Dr Martin Luther King to come back again to make us realize that. Why is that after the civil rights movement of the sixties we find ourselves in this predicament today? We need you again, as there is unfinished business. We need you to give voice to your famous words:
“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.”
ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਹੈ ਸੋਇ ॥
Amongst all is the Light-You are that Light.
It is tragic that after over 50 years of that historical movement, the situation today is still of despair, frustration, pain and anger. The frenzy that has gripped the nation is saying it loud and clear that it is time for soul searching again. The laws of the nation were changed by your movement but now we need to change the hearts. It is time to remember that we are all children of one God so that we see more of what is common than what is different. Guru Sahib has reinforced this subject in these words:
ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਹੈ ਸੋਇ ॥
Amongst all is the Light-You are that Light.
Guru Granth Sahib, page 13
Because we are all from Your Light, You are our father:
ਏਕੁ ਪਿਤਾ ਏਕਸ ਕੇ ਹਮ ਬਾਰਿਕ ਤੂ ਮੇਰਾ ਗੁਰ ਹਾਈ॥
The One God is our father; we are the children of the One God. You are our Master (Guru)
Guru Granth Sahib, page 611
“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.”
The knee-down by the police, politicians and people at large in remorse brings hope that all is not lost and George Floyd did not die in vain. He has triggered another wave of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ revolution which will bear results for a peaceful and equal United States, nay, the world.
An engineer by profession, hailing from Myanmar, educated in India, Bhupinder Singh is a Houston-based businessman, with a keen interest in writing books and articles on Sikh history, motivation and spirituality.
Cartoon Courtesy: Houston Chronicle
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