Sikhs in metro Detroit fear misdirected hate is behind Wisconsin temple attack

[Douglas Carpenter]

News that a gunman killed at least six people Sunday inside a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee stirred fears in the metro Detroit Sikh community that the religion once again may have been targeted with a misdirected hate crime.

"They think we are Muslims," said Amrinder Singh, who was praying Sunday at the Sikh Society of Michigan in Madison Heights when news spread about the attack on an Oak Creek, Wis., temple.

Observant Sikh men can be confused with Muslims because they wear full beards and turbans.

Earlier this year, anti-Muslim graffiti was sprayed on a new temple in Sterling Heights that the Madison Heights group is building, Singh said. The graffiti included a cross, a pistol and several misspelled words, including "Don't Builed" and "Mohmed."

http://www.freep.com/article/20120806/NEWS05/308060135/Sikhs-in-metro-Detroit-fear-misdirected-hate-is-behind-Wisconsin-temple-attack

[AsahinaKimi]

1. Because Fox News Viewers

Can't tell the difference or don't care to know the difference, these people are just "other" to them. Because they wear a turban, all they have in their heads are "The adventures of Sinbad" or "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" or other such nonsensical sterotype.

I would imagine if they were fearful of North Koreans in this country, every ASIAN in this country would be targeted.

[get the red out]

2. Hate is misguided

The idea of killing innocent people is just evil! Killing the wrong people thinking it was other innocent people you wanted to kill is hate and ignorance.

[malaise]

3. Sikhs need to be very careful that their words are not being interpreted as

support for attacks on Muslims. No person of any religion should be attacked.

[tanyev]

4. "Observant Sikh men can be confused with Muslims because they wear full beards and turbans."

Because Muslims don't wear turbans? Because Muslim men may or may not be bearded? WTF?