What the Sikhs can teach us about Humanity

     I confess that like many americans I knew little about the Sikhs, their religion or their customs.  When I first saw the report on the news I was horrified and angry, I was not even a minute ago trying to answer my little brother's question:

"Why do people hate and discriminate against other people." 

     And yet at the vigil the Sikhs were not filled with hatred, anger and a lust for vengence, but compassion, and even forgivness for the shooter, who was himself killed by the police.

     Law enforcement official'spresent such as the towns cheif of police John Edwards, was amazed by their reaction:
   
     "In 28 years of law enforcement, I have seen a lot of hate. I have seen a lot of revenge. I've seen a lot of anger. What I saw, particularly from the Sikh community this week was compassion, concern, support,"

     They were all honored individually:

Satwant Kaleka, 65, is the victim most often talked about in the wider community because, the vigil was told, he "died defending the temple he built attempting to fend off a gunman who attacked worshippers on Sunday". The FBI told Kaleka's family that he tried to stop the killer with a knife. He was mortally wounded but his attempt bought time for other people to get away. HIs wife, Satpal, was hiding in a closet during the massacre. Kaleka came to the US in 1980 with only $100 but he built a successful business.

Paramjit Kaur, 41, was the only woman killed. The audience heard her described as "selfless" in putting her 18- and 20-year-old sons first, and a great value on education. She arrived with her husband, Inder, from the Punjab region eight years ago and worked at a medical instruments company.

Suveg Singh was, at 84, the oldest victim. He was a farmer who moved to the US with his wife only eight years ago in order to live with his sons. Singh was described as devout, "always happy" and a man willing to engage with anyone.

Sita Singh, 41, was a priest at the temple born in India who moved to New York and then arrived in Oak Creek earlier this year. The vigil heard that he was a "top and dedicated man who was very easy to talk to". He is survived by his wife and four children. He led morning services at about 5am.

Ranjit Singh, 49, was Sita's Singh's brother and a former priest at the temple. More recently he played drums during prayer services. He left India 15 years ago and has not seen his son, who was just seven months old back then, in that time. Singh and the boy were to be reunited during a visit to Delhi in November. His body is expected to be returned to India for burial along with his brother.

Prakash Singh, brought his wife and two children, ages 11 and 12, family to the US from India only six weeks ago after seven years apart. Singh was a priest and received his permanent resident card at the beginning of the year after living in the US for nine years.

The world lost 6 good human beings in this massacre, let us remember them and let us look to them