Source: Daily Herald

http://www.dailyherald.com/search/main_story.asp?intid=3797110

On December 16, 2003 the Daily Herald reported,"U.S. Army Spc. Uday Singh of Lake Forest has left an indelible mark on his Sikh community, which is hailing him a hero and martyr for giving his life in Iraq. Singh, who fought with American troops, was the first Indian casualty of the war. He died Dec. 1 after an attack on his unit in Habbaniyah. Now the 21-year-old is being...

Source: The Indian Express

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=37174

On December 14, 2003 The Indian Express reported, "Last month the bombing of a mosque [in the North Indian city of Nanded] triggered riots that went on for a week. In a place where Hindus and Muslims clash at the drop of a grenade, the Sikh community plays the all-important role of the neutral party that often mediates and mends. They enjoy a peaceful existence away from the...

Source: Sikhnet

http://www.sikhnet.com/s/DetroitWomenConference

On December 13, 2003 Sikhnet reported that over two hundred delegates from the United States and Canada attended a Sikh Women's Conference at Oakland University. The conference was hosted by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the World Sikh Council – America Region.The conference focused on "the need to recognize and remove all barriers to change, and to adopt the philosophy and model laid...

Source: CBC News

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/12/11/subway_sikh031211

On December 11, 2003 CBC News reported, "A Sikh man who owns four Subway sandwich shops says he was told he couldn't wear his turban in his own stores. Hardip Singh Brah, who filed a complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission, says a representative from the Subway chain visited one of his outlets and told him the traditional head gear wasn't part of the official Subway uniform. 'He said I...

Source: The Sacramento Bee

http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/7935171p-8872512c.html

On December 11, 2003 The Sacramento Bee reported that "supervisors voted 5-0 to appeal last month's federal court ruling that they had erred when they used land-use regulations to block a new Sikh temple on 28 acres west of Yuba City. In a 48-page order, U.S. District Judge Lawrence K. Karlton struck down the supervisors' 2002 decision to deny the Guru Nanak Sikh...

Source: Courier News

http://www.c-n.com/news/c-n/story/0,2111,867026,00.html

On December 10, 2003 the Courier News reported that "Sikh leaders, saying their beards and turbans have often made them targets for discrimination, gathered at the Statehouse on Tuesday to launch an information campaign aimed at ending hate-based insults they have endured since 9-11. The start of the New Jersey Sikh Civil Rights and Civic Initiative displayed a marked contrast to many...

Source: The Sikh Coalition

On December 10, 2003 the New Jersey Sikh Coalition released a press statement announcing that, together with the Presidents of New Jersey's eight gurdwaras, they had released a state civil rights agenda. "The agenda, jointly agreed to by the leaders of New Jersey's 30,000 Sikhs, calls on state and federal officials to work more closely with the community to address discrimination in four areas of concern: hate crimes, employment discrimination, school harassment and profiling. Since September 11, 2001, Sikh Americans have...

Source: Today's Sunbeam

http://www.nj.com/news/sunbeam/local/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1071040821212090.xml

On December 10, 2003 Today's Sunbeam reported that "New Jersey's 30,000 Sikhs, Asian Indian immigrants who sport turbans and beards and are often misidentified as extremist Muslims, are increasingly becoming the mistaken targets of anti-Muslim hate crimes, religious leaders said Tuesday. The Sikh Coalition, a national advocacy group,...

Source: The Arizona Republic

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/1208sikh08.html

On December 8, 2003 The Arizona Republic reported that a new gurdwara in Phoenix will be the focal point for the Valley's Sikh community, which has grown steadily in this neighborhood for the past 30 years. The Valley is home to more than 1,000 Sikh families from Glendale to north Scottsdale to Mesa, many of whom recently emigrated from India in the...

Source: New Straits Times

http://www.emedia.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/National/20031208074840/Article/

On December 7, 2003 the New Straits Times reported on a forum on "Religion and Violence: The Spiritual Response to Terrorism" held by the Malaysian Interfaith Network (MIN): "Speaking as chairman [of the MIN], [Datuk Anwar Fazal] saw much of the world not being at peace with itself because people were not at peace with themselves and...

Source: Independent

http://www.theindependent.com/stories/120503/opi_letheby05.shtml

On December 5, 2003 the Independent published an article celebrating the diversity of religious holidays that take place during the months of November and December. Some notable holidays include the Day of the Covenant -- the last will and testament of Baha'u'llah, founder of the Baha'i faith, the holy month of Ramadan, the birthday of Sikh founder Guru Nanak, Hindu Diwali...

Source: The Salt Lake Tribune

http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Nov/11292003/saturday/saturday.asp

On December 2, 2003 The Salt Lake Tribune reported on the daily rituals of Sikhs practicing in the Salt Lake Valley. According to the article, local Sikhs worship in a gurdwara that "rises from an asphalt parking lot on Redwood Road in Taylorsville, looking like any second-rate office building except for the Sikh banner flying from its dagger-topped flagpole, an emblem...

Source: Sikh Network

http://www.sikhnet.com/s/NCgurdwarasymposium

On November 28, 2003 Sikh Network reported that "Sikh scholars and other participants came from far and near to the national conference organized to celebrate the 297th anniversary of the canonization of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, and to dedicate the new Gurdwara in Charlotte, North Caroline... Dr. Harbans Lal, President of the Academy of Guru Granth Studies, outlined the need and scope of the proposed Sikh Research...

Source: The Mercury News

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/7367406.htm

On November 28, 2003 The Mercury News reported that "Sikh gurdwaras, or houses of worship, are always open to all who want to enter, but over the next several weeks many temples across the country are making a special effort to invite outsiders inside. The open houses are part of a continuing effort by Sikhs to educate the public about their 500-year-old religion and let...

Source: The Eyeopener

http://www.theeyeopener.com/storydetail.cfm?storyid=812

On November 25, 2003 The Eyeopener reported, "As executive director of the Canadian Arab Federation, Audrey Jamal documented an alarming increase in hate crimes after the Twin Towers were toppled in 2001...In a report released in September, Statistics Canada noted that 20 per cent of visible minorities aged 15 and over said they had been victims of racism in the last five years. For Arabs...