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What is it like to be a bearded, turbaned man in a post 9/11 world? From an American’s perspective? Really scary. They are quickly type-casted and generalised as terrorists. Which is sad, humiliating, ignorant and racist, all-rolled-into-one opinion.
Something alarming came to light, when a Sikh professor of Trinity University in San Antonio, posted a thread about how a Sikh man was taken to be a Muslim on a flight.
Professor Simran Jeet Singh, who teaches ‘Religion’ at the San Antonio College, took screenshots of a Snapchat user travelling to Indianapolis. The flyer’s Snap story was not only offensive but extremely racist.
This series of snaps should give you a sense of what it's like for anyone who appears to be Muslim to travel by plane. *Thread* pic.twitter.com/9uHoVH4f6E
— Simran Jeet Singh (@SikhProf) June 22, 2017
Here are the snaps of the flyer.
Now, this is infuriating in itself. But, what Mr. Singh tweeted as a thread about being a Sikh man, resembling Muslims, is really saddening.
1. He cited how he’s no stranger to the glares and people’s misconceptions.
2. His turban and beard, often give people a reason to believe that he is a Muslim (who they perceive as terrorists, sadly).
3. This complexing thought is heart-breaking.
4. Because “the eyes” on him are judging him (or any Sikh or a Muslim) at every step of the way.
5. And, his reality is deeply grievous.
6. We desperately look forward to those days when they would be free of all judgments.
7. He pinpointed his reason behind sharing it and clearly mentioned how this is a conversation starter.
This is just a sample of their plight. And, it evoked Twitter outrage.
1. While some condemned the act of the racist guy snapping a Sikh man
It is unfair to put the burden of "not scaring others" on you. You should be able to just be.
— AnitaCatitaSoneca (@almavogler) June 23, 2017
2. Some were ashamed that people in the land of America go through this.
It IS a shame that you have to think about those things. I'm sorry, I can't imagine. Sometimes the people of my country embarrass me. ☮️
— BlessedBetheFight-Replace em all #NewWave2020 (@FloridaVoterNPA) June 23, 2017
3. And, for some it was deplorable.
This is deplorable. Imagine having a Snapchat feed about fearing movie theatres if a white man with a backpack was around.
— FORM A WALL (@_shireenahmed_) June 24, 2017
Out of the 27 million Sikhs worldwide, 5 lakh are in the U.S. They have time and again been victims of racism and in instances been abused and killed because of people’s Islamophobia. This is downright disturbing. And, it really needs to stop.
As Mr. Singh hopes, we too are looking forward to the days where one can travel freely, without the fear of being judged or typecasted. And, hopefully, THAT day comes soon.
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