Source: Newsday

On September 13, 2001, Newsday reported on a hate crime against a Muslim woman; "one of several on Long Island that authorities and victims attributed to a backlash of hatred generated by Tuesday's terrorist attacks." In the attack, a man tried to hit a Pakistani woman with his car. The suspect was reported to have "screamed that he was 'doing this for his country' and was 'going to kill her.'" The article noted that this was one of several reported "incidents of violence directed toward Middle Easterners, or those perceived to be Muslim."...

Source: The Boston Globe

On September 13, 2001, The Boston Globe reported on the arrest, and subsequent release, of a Sikh man yesterday. Religion reporter Michael Paulson wrote, "The man on the Amtrak train from Boston had a green turban on his head, a long beard on his chin, and a blade strapped to his chest, and apparently, that was enough evidence for federal and local authorities." (The blade was a kirpan, a ceremonial sword worn by Sikhs.) The article noted that as the man was arrested, "teenagers shouted, 'Let's kill him,' and a woman yelled, 'Burn...

Source: Salon.com News

http://salon.com/news/feature/2001/09/13/backlash/index.html

On September 13, 2001, Salon.com News featured the article "Anti-Arab passions sweep the U.S." This article stated, "Within hours of the destruction of the World Trade Center, the Net was flooded with hysterical anti-Arab sentiment. It did not take much longer for the attacks on the streets to begin. On Wednesday alone, the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee confirmed 30...

Source: MSNBC

http://www.msnbc.com/news/628515_asp.htm

On September 13, 2001, MSNBC continued their coverage of backlash against Muslims, Arab-Americans, and Sikhs. The web site offers an overview of some of the incidents, as well as local coverage of reports of an attack on Sikh Gurdwara in Sacramento and an attempted firebombing of the Islamic Society of Denton, Texas.

Source: Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force Press Release

http://www.sikhmediawatch.org/latest_news.htm

On September 12, 2001, a press release from the Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART) stated, "the Sikh American community would like to join their fellow Americans in condemning the horrific acts that took place on the morning of September 11, 2001. We are saddened by the tremedous loss of life...and our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims."...

Source: New England Sikh Study Circle Press Release

On September 12, 2001, the New England Sikh Study Circle issued a press release regarding the attacks on the U.S. "The Sikh American Community of Boston would like to express our deep pain and shock about the horrific attack on the people and property of the United States." The press release continues, "Sikhs, with their turbans and beards, might be mistaken for associates of certain well-known terrorist leaders...In the past 36 hours since the attack on America began, there have been confirmed reports of Sikhs...

Source: The Washington Post

On August 13, 2001, The Washington Post reported on the gala dinner at the National Museum of Natural History held to raise money for the Smithsonian Institution's Sikh Heritage Project, whose purpose is to help preserve Sikh culture. "Pakistan's deputy chief of mission, Akram Zamir, and the Indian ambassador, Lalit Mansingh, attended..., despite the uncomfortable diplomatic air between their neighboring countries...The project's first phase, now underway, is the identification and collection of artifacts for exhibit in a window...

Source: rediff.com

On August 8, 2001, rediff.com reported on the gala of the Sikh Heritage Foundation. "The event, featuring a dinner, lectures and entertainment, will be held at the Smithsonian Institution on August 11 in Washington DC...The Foundation, founded last year by Sikh Americans, seeks to showcase and preserve Sikh art and cultural artefacts...Materials such as manuscripts from the 18th and 19th century royal courts, gilded arms and armour, paintings and jewellery will be showcased" at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. For...

Source: Messenger-Inquirer

http://www.messenger-inquirer.com/columnists/owen/3382699.htm

On July 28, 2001, the Messenger-Inquirer reported on the growing religious diversity in the Bible Belt. "About 200 Jains and about as many Sikhs live in west-central Kentucky and Tennessee now... Bowling Green has 2,000 actively practicing Muslims, mostly Bosnian immigrants... Nashville has about 24,000 Hispanics, compared to 2,700 a decade ago." Thomas Russell and...

Source: The Record

http://www.bergen.com:80/bsouth/hatsrc20010724.htm

On July 24, 2001, the Bergen County Record reported that "four months after a bouncer turned him away at the door, a 15-year-old Sikh youth has won the right to wear his religious headdress inside the Groove Lounge dance club in Lyndhurst {New Jersey]...After four months of phone calls between lawyers, the club agreed to change its 'no hats' policy," which will now exempt religious head coverings.

Source: The Kansas City Star

On July 4, 2001, The Kansas City Star reported that the nearly all white congregation of the Full Faith Church of Love West, installed the Rev. Don Lewis, an African-American, as its new senior pastor. "Guests at the installation included Charangit Hundal of the Sikh gurdwara and Anand and Dipti Bhattacharyya of the Hindu temple."

Source: The Fresno Bee

On June 30, 2001, The Fresno Bee reported that "several Fourth of July celebrations will be offered...by the Fresno faith community: The Interfaith Alliance of Central California's Celebration of Diversity picnic, a Sikh vegetarian brunch, will be held...at California State University, Fresno...The Fresno Rescue Mission will host a barbecue dinner and fireworks show for [the] homeless."

Source: The Times-Picayune

On June 14, 2001, The Times-Picayune reported that "Dya Singh, a world-renowned Malaysian musician, recently debuted in New Orleans by singing at the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Festival... Singh also sang...at the Guru Dwara, the Sikh Community Worship Center...in eastern New Orleans. People of the Sikh community in the city, neighboring towns and out of state, including Texas and Tennessee, came to the worship service." Singh was "very impressed by the cultural diversity of New Orleans."

Source: Newsday

On May 29, 2001, Newsday reported that "area Sikhs joyously welcomed their supreme leader, who arrived in Queens...during his first U.S. tour since he became head of the world's fifth-largest religion 10 months ago." There are about 70,000 Sikhs in the New York metropolitan area.

Source: The Seattle Times

On May 28, 2001, The Seattle Times reported that "the population of Asian Indians in [Washington] nearly tripled from 8,203 to 23,992 during the 1990s, the largest percentage increase among Asian ethnic groups, newly released census figures show...The settlement of Indians here is largely a suburban phenomenon." Many are drawn by jobs in high-tech. "Sikhs, many of whom are originally from the Punjab region of India, are moving here from other states to be near relatives in British Columbia."