Personal Narrative: The Unknown Religion

The Unknown Religion The sun was out, the air was warm, it was the perfect Sunday and my family and I were getting ready to leave for the Gurdwara, also known as the Sikh temple. Ever since my brother and I were children, our parents instilled a weekly routine of attending our local temple every Sunday afternoon. Although some children might say it was boring to sit for ninety minutes listening to hymns, and sermons, I enjoyed going to the Gurdwara. After the sermons, we ate langar, which was a free meal welcome to all, where I was able to eat great food, socialize with my friends, and do seva. Seva is a central theme of Sikhism, and was my favorite part of going to the temple. I learned the importance of seva by watching my father, along with countless …show more content…
Sikhs are victims of misinterpretation in the media. Sikhs are seen wearing a turban which is often associated with a Muslim or an Arab. On November 27, 2011, National Geographic issued an apology for portraying Sikhs as terrorists. The program, entitled “Inside Al Qaeda,” examines the Islamic terrorist network and the overall threat of terrorism in America and around the world. Forty-six minutes into the show, images of two Sikhs visiting the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC are shown. Although the program provides important insight into the issue of terrorism, it serves a great disservice to the Sikh American community by correlating them with Al Qaeda and extremists (“National Geographic Apologizes for Portraying Sikhs as Terrorists”). This issue had to be addressed because the media cannot continue the misconceptions Americans have about Sikhs, by drawing attention to the rise in discrimination, harassment, and hate crimes against Sikhs who are wrongfully perceived as terrorists. In fact, 99% of men who wear turbans in the United States are Sikhs (“What’s Under There?” 51 ). This simple fact can change the entire perception of what and who the Sikhs