It's the same old story (see Kenan Malik in the previous post): define people by their faith, and talk endlessly of "the Muslim community", "the Sikh community", as though they're a monolithic bloc. Then it's left open for those with the loudest voices to set themselves up as community spokesmen - and for those loud-mouths to be accepted by secular liberals as the "authentic" voice of that community.
We've seen it with Muslims, ever since the Rushdie affair. Now with the latest absurd Jay Leno scandal we're seeing it with Sikhs. From the original BBC report:
The Sikh community has launched an online petition over the comment.
The whole Sikh community?? Or perhaps just the odd loud-mouth, like the man who's suing Leno over his "racist" remarks:
Indian-American Randeep Dhillon says Leno "hurt the sentiments of all Sikh people in addition to the plaintiff".
All Sikh people??
Now this idiot assumes the mantle of the authentic voice of Sikhs everywhere. Some MPs are quick onto the bandwagon in support of the supposedly outraged Sikh community:
That this House notes with concern the sketch on the NBC Jay Leno Show where the most sacred Sikh shrine, the Golden Temple, was disrespected by Jay Leno when it was referred to as GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney's summer home; expresses concern and regret that this depiction of the Golden Temple as a home of the rich shows a complete misunderstanding of the Sikh faith and is derogatory to Sikhs across the world; believes that these comments are not acceptable to all those who believe in respect for all religions; calls on Jay Leno and NBC to apologise to all Sikhs for this disrespectful depiction of the Golden Temple; and further calls on the Government to make representations to the US government that while recognising principles of freedom of speech there should be more understanding and respect shown to the Sikh faith.
Which is perhaps the most pathetic Early Day Motion I've yet read - though to be fair I don't make a habit of reading them.
Meanwhile most Sikhs are no doubt feeling more embarrassed than outraged. But this is the logic, when the world is divided into faith communities: the hard-liners, the demagogues, rise to the top.
Ummm, that would be the same Golden Temple that was allegedly used for weapons storage, and as a base for Sikh terrorism?
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-mayor/article-23479481-battle-inflamed-by-attack-on-golden-temple-is-at-a-turning-point-in-britain.do
Apparently 'Holy' has a whole 'nuther meaning (I resisted the pun) for Sikhs.
Posted by: DaninVan | February 02, 2012 at 06:15 PM