Sikhs and Sacred Ground
***** Imagine the terror.
You are in a temple, a safe, sacred place, preparing for a morning service. In the kitchen, you are busy cooking food for lunch, while others read scriptures and recite prayers. Friends begin to gather for the soon-to-start service.
At the front door, you smile at the next man who enters. He does not smile back. Instead, he greets you with a hateful stare and bullets from his gun.
Such was the scene Sunday at a Sikh gurudwara in Oak Creek, Wis., just south of Milwaukee, where a gunman, Wade Michael Page, killed six and critically injured three others before being shot down by law enforcement agents.
As Page began his shooting spree, terrified worshippers sought shelter in bathrooms and prayer rooms. Rumors of a hostage situation surfaced, and those trapped inside asked loved ones outside not to text or call their cell phones, for fear that the phone ring might give away their hiding place.
The first police officer to arrive on the scene stopped to tend to a victim outside the gurudwara. He looked up to find the shooter pointing his gun directly at him, and then took several bullets to his upper body. He waved the next set of officers into the temple, encouraging them to help others even as he bled.
That magnanimity is a common theme among the stories of victims and survivors of the Wisconsin shootings. Amidst terror and confusion, Sikhs offered food and water to the growing crowd of police and news reporters outside the gurudwara as part of langar — the Sikh practice of feeding all visitors to the house of worship.
We now know that Page was part of a neo-Nazi movement. But let us not take these moments to look into the heart of hate. May we instead shed light on a religious tradition of peace and generosity, the kind of generosity that inspired distraught worshippers to feed others just minutes after they had been brutally attacked.
The Sikh community has been one of welcome and hospitality since its founding in India 500 years ago. With their belief in a supreme Creator and a deep respect for all human beings, Sikhs place strong emphasis on equality, religious freedom, human rights, and justice.
Sikhs from India began immigrating to the United States in the late 19th century, and currently the Sikh popuation numbers about 314,000 in America and 30 million worldwide. Today, Sikhs are successful business people, active community members, and advocates for social justice.
Their love for all humanity inspires the hospitality we witnessed so vividly outside that Oak Creek gurudwara, though it has not protected them from being the targets of numerous post-9/11 hate crimes.
In living out that hospitality, Sikhs remind us of our own quintessentially American generosity. A core American idea is that we welcome contributions from all different groups and build cooperation between people of diverse backgrounds. It’s the theme of my new book, Sacred Ground: Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America.
While today we hear news stories of division and hate, American history tells a different story.
The shooting in Oak Creek reminds us that the forces of prejudice are loud. They sling bigoted slurs and occasionally bring 9mm guns to places of worship. But we are not a country of Wade Michael Pages.
We are a country whose first president, George Washington, told a Jewish community leader that “The Government of the United States…gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.”
We are a country where Jane Addams welcomed Jewish and Catholic immigrants streaming in from Eastern Europe in the 19th century as citizens, not as strangers.
We are a country where a young black preacher, Martin Luther King, Jr., learned nonviolence not only from Jesus Christ, but also from an Indian Hindu named Gandhi and from a Buddhist monk named Thich Nhat Hanh.
And we must be a country where a new generation of leaders rises up to write the next chapter in the glorious story of American pluralism, or else we will forfeit the territory to those who would shoot at our neighbors while they worship.
Already we see the forces of pluralism in action. Donation sites for families of the victims have sprung up, and supporters have updated their Facebook profiles with pictures saying “I Pledge Humanity.”
Groups in Madison, Minneapolis, and Detroit have held vigils in solidarity with those affected by the shooting, and survivors of the recent shooting in Aurora, Colo., have reached out to Sikh victims via social media.
As Sacred Ground discusses, there have been periods in American history when the staunch opponents of pluralism have won the battle. But they didn’t win the war, because irrepressible people of good faith refused to surrender their nation to such fear and hatred.
Let us remember that we cannot cede this moment in our history to the forces of intolerance. And may we draw inspiration from our Sikh neighbors as we build a world where people of all backgrounds are honored for their unique contributions to America.
Eboo Patel is founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core, a Chicago-based international nonprofit that promotes interfaith cooperation. His blog, The Faith Divide, explores what drives faiths apart and what brings them together. His latest book is Sacred Ground: Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America.
Hana Suckstorff, a communications associate for the Interfaith Youth Core, also contributed to this article.
According to authorities, 911 calls about a gunman at the place of worship started coming in around 11:25 a.m. ET. One of the first police officers on the scene, officials say, was ambushed an armed man in the parking lot. Another officer exchanged fire with the gunman, who was killed. The officer who was ambushed was seriously wounded. Later, officers reported finding four people dead inside the temple and another three — including the gunman — outside.
Details are still developing about just what has happened in Oak Creek, Wis. It's the second mass shooting in slightly more than two weeks. On July 20, a gunman opened fire on an audience at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., killing 12 people and wounding 58.
Some of the more solid reporting on today's shooting is coming from Milwaukee's Journal Sentinel.
We'll monitor and update as information becomes clearer.
Update at 6:34 p.m. ET. Home Being Searched
The Journal Sentinel is reporting:
"Shortly after 5 p.m., neighbors said a team of law enforcement officers, including from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, had entered a home in Cudahy. Authorities have blocked off several streets surrounding the house.Update at 5:15 p.m. ET. "Domestic Terrorist Type Incident":
"It was unclear whose home it is and how the search may be related to the shooting itself."
Oak Creek Police Chief John Edwards just told reporters that "we're treating this as a domestic terrorist type incident" and that the FBI will be taking the lead in the criminal investigation.
He also gave new details about the encounter between the suspect and police. Initially, authorities said that the same officer who was shot had exchanged fire with the gunman and "put him down." Edwards, however, said the gunman "ambushed" an officer and wounded him. It was a second officer who shot the gunman, Edwards said.
According to Edwards, there were seven fatalities (presumably including the gunman) and three other people injured.
Update at 4:40 p.m. ET. Obamas and Romneys Say The Victims Are "In Our Thoughts And Prayers."
The White House just released this statement on behalf of the president:
"Michelle and I were deeply saddened to learn of the shooting that tragically took so many lives in Wisconsin. At this difficult time, the people of Oak Creek must know that the American people have them in our thoughts and prayers, and our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who were killed and wounded. My administration will provide whatever support is necessary to the officials who are responding to this tragic shooting and moving forward with an investigation. As we mourn this loss which took place at a house of worship, we are reminded how much our country has been enriched by Sikhs, who are a part of our broader American family."And the campaign of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney just released this statement on his behalf:
"Ann and I extend our thoughts and prayers to the victims of today's shooting in Wisconsin. This was a senseless act of violence and a tragedy that should never befall any house of worship. Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and the entire Oak Creek Sikh community. We join Americans everywhere in mourning those who lost their lives and in prayer for healing in the difficult days ahead."Update at 4 p.m. ET. More About The Sikh Religion.
Reuters writes that:
"There are an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 Sikhs in the United States. The Sikh faith includes belief in only one God and that the soul goes through cycles of rebirth and death before reaching human form. The goal of life is to lead an exemplary existence."Update at 3:15 p.m. ET. About The Sikh Religion.
As the Journal Sentinel writes:
"More than 20 million people worldwide follow the Sikh religion, established about 500 years ago in the Punjab region of India. Devout male followers must wear long beards and their hair in a turban, and in America are sometimes mistaken for Muslims; the two religions are not affiliated. Sikhism is an offshoot of Hinduism, but unlike Hindus, who believe in multiple deities, Sikhs are monotheistic."Update at 2:47 pm. ET. Seven Thought To Be Dead:
Officers who have searched the temple say at least four people have been found dead inside and that there are three bodies outside the temple — including that of the gunman who was "put down" by the first officer on the scene — Greenfield, Wis., Police Chief Bradley Wentlandt just told reporters. He's acting as a spokesman for the agencies involved in the investigation.
Wentlandt also said it is not known for sure at this time whether another gunman might have been involved. Though there were multiple reports of more than one gunman being seen at the temple, those might have been different people seeing the same person, he said.
Update at 2:15 p.m. ET. Three People Known To Be In Critical Condition:
Three men now at Froedtert Trauma Center in Milwaukee are in critical condition with gunshot wounds, the hospital's chief medical officer — Lee Biblo — just told CNN.
Update at 2:09 p.m. ET. Gunshot Or Explosion Reportedly Just Heard:
"SWAT team members were still sweeping the building about 1 p.m. [2 p.m ET] and a gunshot or explosion was heard from the building at that time," the Journal Sentinel says.
It adds that "among those who were shot was the president of the temple, Satwant Kaleka, who was taken to a hospital. Deepinder Dhaliwal said Kaleka, his brother in law, was shot in the back, but has now been taken to a hospital in St. Francis."
Update at 2 p.m. ET. "Shooter Put Down":
On CNN moments ago, a police spokesman told reporters that one suspect "is down." He was shot by a police officer who responded to a 911 call about a gunman at the temple. That officer was "shot multiple times," but is expected to survive. Authorities are now trying to determine if there might be another gunman or gunmen inside the temple.
Update at 1:50 p.m. ET. Live TV Coverage:
Milwaukee's WISN-TV has started streaming its coverage here.
Update at 1:45 p.m. ET. Four Shot, Not Killed?
As often happens in breaking news situations, what's being reported is changing from minute to minute. WTMJ, which earlier said that images taken from a helicopter showed at least four people who had been killed, now says the pictures "showed at least four people who were shot."
The Journal Sentinel is saying "at least four people were shot just after 10 a.m. Sunday."
Update at 1:35 p.m. ET. Emergency Radio Traffic Online:
RadioReference.com has put one channel of the Milwaukee County Fire Department's radio traffic online here.
Update at 1:30 p.m. ET. Fatalities Reported; Not Confirmed:
Milwaukee's WTMJ Newsradio says pictures taken from news helicopters show "at least four people who were killed." Authorities, though, have not said anything about any victims.
Update at 1:27 p.m. ET. Possible Hostage Situation:
WISN-TV from Milwaukee is reporting that police suspect a gunman may still be inside the temple and that there may be hostages.
Update at 1:25 p.m. ET. Some Injured At Hospital:
A spokeswoman for the Froedtert Trauma Center in Milwaukee just told CNN that two with gunshot injuries have been brought to that facility
Wade Michael Page Identified As Sikh Temple Shooting Suspect (LIVE UPDATES) 6AUG12
The Southern Poverty Law Center says that Wade Michael
Page, the suspected shooter at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, was a singer
in a "skinhead" band called End Apathy
The suspect in the Sikh temple shooting who killed six in Wisconsin on Sunday has been identified as 40-year-old Wade Michael Page.
Authorities told CBS News this morning that Page -- who was also killed in a shootout with cops -- opened fire at a suburban Milwaukee temple, critically wounding three and killing six worshipers during Sunday services.
Page is reportedly a former U.S. Army soldier, once attached to the Fort Bragg Army installation in North Carolina, Fox News reported.
Police and the FBI haven't revealed a possible motive in the Sunday morning rampage that shocked Oak Creek.
A man claiming to be Page's landlord told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel said that he was white and single. The duplex Page rented from Kurt Weins was searched by police on Sunday.
An agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms told ABC News that the shooter had tattoos. The station also cited unnamed sources who alleged that the shooter was possibly a "skin head" or "white supremacist."
Photos from the scene (story continues below):
Four people were shot dead inside the large temple where members were gathering for mediation at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin. Three, including Page, were killed outside.
UPDATE: Page was the leader of a white supremacist band called End Apathy, and gave an interview to a music website declaring that he wanted to "end people's apathetic ways" and that "I was holding myself back," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Page said he had been part of the white power movement since 2000.
"The inspiration was based on frustration that we have the potential to accomplish so much more as individuals and a society in whole," he said in the interview with Label 56.
Authorities told CBS News this morning that Page -- who was also killed in a shootout with cops -- opened fire at a suburban Milwaukee temple, critically wounding three and killing six worshipers during Sunday services.
Page is reportedly a former U.S. Army soldier, once attached to the Fort Bragg Army installation in North Carolina, Fox News reported.
Police and the FBI haven't revealed a possible motive in the Sunday morning rampage that shocked Oak Creek.
A man claiming to be Page's landlord told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel said that he was white and single. The duplex Page rented from Kurt Weins was searched by police on Sunday.
An agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms told ABC News that the shooter had tattoos. The station also cited unnamed sources who alleged that the shooter was possibly a "skin head" or "white supremacist."
Photos from the scene (story continues below):
Wisconsin Shooting
1 of 38
Four people were shot dead inside the large temple where members were gathering for mediation at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin. Three, including Page, were killed outside.
UPDATE: Page was the leader of a white supremacist band called End Apathy, and gave an interview to a music website declaring that he wanted to "end people's apathetic ways" and that "I was holding myself back," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Page said he had been part of the white power movement since 2000.
"The inspiration was based on frustration that we have the potential to accomplish so much more as individuals and a society in whole," he said in the interview with Label 56.
Live Blog:
6:16 AM – 08/ 7/2012
Gun Used In Wisconsin Shooting Popular In Mass Attacks
Wisconsin shooter Wade
Michael Page used a Springfield 9mm semiautomatic handgun to carry out
the attack at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis., Reuters reported.
According to gun experts, the semiautomatic handgun is the same type
used in other recent U.S. mass shootings, including one at a theater in
Colorado and the attack on a congresswoman in Arizona.
Full story here.
Full story here.
12:36 AM – 08/ 7/2012
Lawmaker Urges FBI To Count Hate Crimes Against Sikhs
Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.)
has for months been advocating that the FBI collect data on hate crimes
against Sikh Americans. Sunday's tragedy in Wisconsin, in which six
people were killed at a Sikh temple, underscores his push.
"This is not the first time that Sikhs have been attacked," Crowley, whose New York City district includes parts of Queens and the Bronx, told The Huffington Post in an interview on Monday. "Unfortunately it's been growing consistently, on an ongoing basis. That's what my concern has been."Full story here.
8:44 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Feds 'Looked At' Gunman On Multiple Occasions Prior To Shooting
Wade Michael Page was the subject of federal attention more than once prior to Sunday's deadly shooting, according to the Los Angeles Times:
Federal investigators had “looked at” Sikh temple gunman Wade Michael Page more than once because of his associations with right-wing extremists and the possibility that he was providing funding to a domestic terrorist group, but law enforcement officials at the time determined there was not enough evidence of a crime to open an investigation, a senior U.S. law enforcement official said.Full story here.
7:03 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Obama: America Needs "Soul Searching" On Gun Violence
Reuters reports:
President Barack Obama said on Monday that mass killings like the weekend shooting rampage at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin were happening with "too much regularity" and should prompt soul searching by all Americans on ways to reduce gun violence. "All of us are heart-broken by what happened," Obama told reporters at the White House a day after a gunman opened fire on Sikh worshippers preparing for religious services, killing six before he was shot dead by a police officer.Full story here.
Asked whether he would push for more gun-control measures in the wake of the shootings, Obama said he wanted to bring together leaders at all levels of American society to examine ways to curb gun violence.
That echoed his pledge last month in a speech in New Orleans to work broadly to "arrive at a consensus" on the contentious issue after a deadly Colorado shooting spree highlighted the issue in an election year. But like his earlier comments, Obama offered no timetable or specifics for such discussions.
6:24 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Band Spotlights Skinhead Hate Music
Via HuffPost Entertainment:
The connections between mass media and mass murder are often tenuous -- commentators were reluctant, for example, to indict the "Dark Knight" movie trilogy for the horrific shootings at Aurora, Colo., three weeks ago. But it's harder to dismiss the revelation that Wade Michael Page, the man shot to death by police after a shooting spree that killed six worshipers in a Sikh Temple in Wisconsin on Sunday, belonged to a hardcore skinhead band called End Apathy.Read more here.
Why? Because according to TJ Lindley, who was an active skinhead for 15 years before defecting and writing a book about his experiences, bands like End Apathy often have direct connections with the white supremacy movement.
"If you're in a white supremacy band, you are extremely active. You do not get involved in a band and doing stuff like that unless you are completely 100-percent dedicated to the movement," Lindley said.
6:20 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Shooting Suspect's White Power Past
Alleged Sikh temple shooter Wade Michael Page
joined a skinhead group in 2011 and played in bands with violent
lyrics. The Daily Beast's Eliza Shapiro explains why he’s been on the
Anti-Defamation League’s radar.
6:09 PM – 08/ 6/2012
A Final Act Of Heroism
Oak Creek (Wis.) Patch reports:
Satwant Singh Kaleka’s final action at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin was one of heroism. When Wade Michael Page, the suspected gunman in Sunday’s tragic shooting, opened fire, the 65-year-old temple president rushed to stop him — possibly preventing more deaths.Full story here.
“He was trying his best to give time for people to get to security,” said his son, Amardeep Kaleka, during a news conference at the Salvation Army in Oak Creek Monday.
5:50 PM – 08/ 6/2012
How You Can Help
Funds are starting to be set
up for victims and families affected by Sunday's tragic shooting at the
Sikh Temple of Wisconsin. Head over to HuffPost Impact for a roundup of ways you can help.
5:38 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Obama Orders Flags At Half Staff In Wisconsin
Via HuffPost Politics:
President Barack Obama ordered flags at all U.S. government facilities both at home and abroad to be flown at half-staff Monday, a response to a mass-shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin over the weekend. "As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on August 5, 2012, in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, August 10, 2012," Obama wrote in the proclamation.Full story here.
5:18 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Former Army Psychiatrist Addresses Whether Suspect May Have Had PTSD
Dr. Harry Croft, a former
Army psychiatrist who has evaluated more than 7,000 PTSD patients,
delivered an emailed statement to The Huffington Post on this
possibility:
"People need to be cautious and not jump to conclusions that this was another soldier suffering from PTSD or another mental condition. It’s quite possible his military background played no part in this, because it would appear that if he served from 92-98, he would have not been deployed in Desert Storm, Iraq or Afghanistan - and it’s extremely unlikely for a veteran suffering PTSD or other mental condition would commit such a heinous act."
"People need to be cautious and not jump to conclusions that this was another soldier suffering from PTSD or another mental condition. It’s quite possible his military background played no part in this, because it would appear that if he served from 92-98, he would have not been deployed in Desert Storm, Iraq or Afghanistan - and it’s extremely unlikely for a veteran suffering PTSD or other mental condition would commit such a heinous act."
3:55 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Sheriff's Office Releases N.C. Gun Permit for Wade Michael Page
From Fort Bragg Patch:
The spokesman for the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office has posted redacted gun permits dated in 2008 for Wade Michael Page, identified by authorities as the suspect in Sunday's Wisconsin Sikh temple shootings. The five permits issued are good for five years. According to the North Carolina Rifle & Pistol Association, all handgun transfers in North Carolina require that the intended recipient obtain a Pistol Purchase Permit from his/her local Sheriff.
One Pistol Purchase Permit is required per handgun at $5 apiece. When the owner takes possession of the handgun, they must present the permit to the seller, who must keep it in his or her records. It is a Class 1 misdemeanor if the transaction takes place without the permit being presented.
2:47 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Photo: Alleged Wisconsin Shooter Pictured With Swastika
Pictures are emerging of the alleged shooter of seven people at a Wisconsin Sikh temple on Sunday.
Wade Michael Page reportedly had ties to white supremacist groups and was alleged to be a member of a heavy metal band that promoted an ultra-right-wing 'white power' agenda.
The picture below, supplied by the Anti-Defamation League, shows Page in front of a Nazi symbol.
Wade Michael Page reportedly had ties to white supremacist groups and was alleged to be a member of a heavy metal band that promoted an ultra-right-wing 'white power' agenda.
The picture below, supplied by the Anti-Defamation League, shows Page in front of a Nazi symbol.
2:32 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Milwaukee Shooter On Radar Of Anti-Hate Group Since 2010
Wade Michael Page, the
suspected Sikh temple shooter, was on the radar of the Anti-Defamation
League for his involvement with white supremacist groups since 2010,
according to Mark Pitcavage, the ADL's director of investigative
research.
The ADL obtained photographs of Page playing guitar in front of a large swastika, which it said was taken from the Facebook page for the white supremacist group 'Definite Hate,' in early 2011. That page is no longer active.
Page was a member of Definite Hate, a band affiliated with the 'Hammerskin Nation', a white supremacist group founded in Dallas in the late 1980s, that now controls much of the White Power music scene in the U.S., according to the ADL.
A photo from Facebook shows Page playing guitar in front of a Hammerskin Nation banner, which features two crossed hammers. (Photo Credit: ADL)
-- John Rudolf
The ADL obtained photographs of Page playing guitar in front of a large swastika, which it said was taken from the Facebook page for the white supremacist group 'Definite Hate,' in early 2011. That page is no longer active.
Page was a member of Definite Hate, a band affiliated with the 'Hammerskin Nation', a white supremacist group founded in Dallas in the late 1980s, that now controls much of the White Power music scene in the U.S., according to the ADL.
A photo from Facebook shows Page playing guitar in front of a Hammerskin Nation banner, which features two crossed hammers. (Photo Credit: ADL)
-- John Rudolf
2:29 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Ambushed Cop, Shot 9 Times, Refused Aid and Ordered Officers to Help Victims
From Oak Creek Patch:
Oak Creek Police Lt. Brian Murphy was the first officer to the scene and was ambushed and shot up to nine times while attempting to help an injured victim. When support arrived, he refused help and ordered officers to go into the temple and help others.Read more here.
1:52 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Police: Unknown "Person Of Interest" Showed Up At Crime Scene
HuffPost's David Lohr writes:
Authorities investigating the killing of six people at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin are trying to identify a person of interest who was at the crime scene after the shooting. According to Oak Creek police chief John Edwards, the individual "showed up at the scene after the shooting." Edwards said officers who spotted the guy thought "this guy looks suspicious" but he left before they could speak with him.Read the full story here.
Authorities cautioned that they do not believe anyone other than the suspected shooter, Wade Michael Page, was involved in the deadly shooting spree.
"We have every reason to believe there was only one shooter ... though our investigation to that end continues," U.S. Attorney James Santelle said at a press conference Monday morning.
12:36 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Aurora Victims Support Victims Of Wisconsin Sikh Temple Shooting
The shooting at a suburban
Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin on Sunday that left seven dead,
including the gunman, and three in critical condition hits close to home for victims of the Aurora shooting that took place just over two weeks ago.
Now, some victims of the Aurora shooting are reaching out via social media to Wisconsin victims and urging others in the community to help during this difficult time that Aurora victims understand all too well.
Cody Hickman, a man who was inside theater eight at the Century 16 movie theater complex on the night of the Aurora shooting, wrote this heartfelt message on Sunday on the Aurora Theater Shooting Facebook page:
Now, some victims of the Aurora shooting are reaching out via social media to Wisconsin victims and urging others in the community to help during this difficult time that Aurora victims understand all too well.
Cody Hickman, a man who was inside theater eight at the Century 16 movie theater complex on the night of the Aurora shooting, wrote this heartfelt message on Sunday on the Aurora Theater Shooting Facebook page:
Friends, my name is Cody Hickman, and I was in theater 8 during the Aurora theater shooting. I am writing this post as a call to action for all of you. All you will be asked to do is repost this message, and help us network some support...More here.
12:35 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Coalition To Stop Gun Violence: 'Our Hearts Are Heavy Today'
The Coalition To Stop Gun Violence said in a statement today:
Washington, DC—Our hearts are heavy today as we join the nation in mourning the six innocent Americans who were killed yesterday at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. But “thoughts and prayers” are no longer enough in an America that experiences one mass shooting tragedy after another. For those who are in a position to take action that would save lives, it is immoral to share condolences and then immediately abdicate any responsibility to fight for the reforms that would prevent the next massacre. It’s time for all people of conscience to send a clear and loud message to their elected officials: Restore sanity to the screening system for gun buyers in this cou ntry, or we will vote you out of office. The gunman in Oak Creek, 40 year-old neo-Nazi Wade Michael Page, had much in common with other recent mass shooters. He used a semiautomatic firearm with high-capacity ammunition magazines. And he was able to purchase his guns and ammo legally despite a personal history replete with red flags. Page was an Army veteran who had been discharged under less than honorable conditions. He had a criminal history. Most importantly, Page had been publicly involved in the White Power movement since 2000. He was known to both federal law enforcement authorities and also anti-hate watch groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center. And this is just what we know after a few hours.
This country deserves a firearm policy that prevents military-style hardware from falling into the hands of dangerous and deranged individuals. Our daily experience with gruesome violence is not inevitable. Let’s be clear: The repeated nature of these events is the direct result of the poor policy choices made by our elected leaders. Americans can solve big problems when they set their minds to it. Today is the day to start making these changes. We ask every American to call their elected representatives today and demand immediate reform. It’s long past time to stand up to the National Rifle Association and say, “Enough.”
12:14 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Police: First Responding Officer Shot 8/9 Times
| @ BreakingNews : Police: Gunman in Sikh temple shooting shot 1st officer to respond 8 to 9 times with handgun - @AP |
12:11 PM – 08/ 6/2012
FBI: No Reason To Believe Anyone Else Involved In Temple Shooting|
| @ BreakingNews : FBI says no reason to believe anyone other than slain gunman was involved in the Sikh temple shooting - @AP |
12:02 PM – 08/ 6/2012
Indian PM: Sikh Temple Shooting A 'Dastardly Attack'India's prime minister said he was shocked Monday by the shooting attack that killed six people at a Sikh house of worship in the United States, and the top Sikh cleric accused the American government of a "security lapse." "That this senseless act of violence should be targeted at a place of religious worship is particularly painful," he said in a statement.Read more here.
Giani Gurbachan Singh, the head priest of Akal Takht, the highest Sikh temporal seat, called on Sikhs in the U.S. to adopt security measures at the U.S. temples, including installing closed-circuit cameras.
"This is a security lapse on the part of the U.S. government," he said, according to the Press Trust of India news agency. He called for prayers for the victims to be said at Sikh temples across India and ordered a Sikh delegation sent to the U.S. to investigate the attack.
10:42 AM – 08/ 6/2012
Page Discharged From Army Over 'Patterns Of Misconduct'|
| @ BreakingNews : US military sources: Suspected Wisconsin temple shooter discharged from Army in 1998 for 'patterns of misconduct' - @Reuters |
10:41 AM – 08/ 6/2012
Oak Creek Mayor: 'We're Going to Work Toward Healing'
From Oak Creek Patch:
Speaking with Oak Creek Patch after a round of national television interviews, Mayor Steve Scaffidi said it will take some time for the community to heal. A memorial event is planned on Tuesday during National Night Out, which will be held as scheduled.
"You're going to feel the effects of this for a long time," he said. "We're going to work toward healing."
Scaffidi said he did not have any previous contacts with the Sikh Temple but knew them as a "great member of the community" that did not have past problems in Oak Creek. The Sikh Temple moved here about five years ago.
Scaffidi said the phone call he received from President Barack Obama Sunday afternoon was "startling." But the two- or three-minute conversation was very comforting, he said, as the president offered whatever federal resources are needed.
10:37 AM – 08/ 6/2012
Wis. Governor Orders Flags To Half Staff
Wisconsin Governor Scott
Walker ordered flags to half-staff to remember and mourn the tragic
events at Oak Creek. In a statement, Walker sai:
"The people of Wisconsin join the Sikh community in mourning those killed yesterday and in remembering their lives," said Governor Scott Walker. "As our state comes together to care for the survivors, our hope is that the families and the whole Oak Creek community find healing and strength in the memory of their loved ones."
10:35 AM – 08/ 6/2012
Alleged Shooter's Army Records
According to Army records,
the alleged shooter, Wade Michael Page, served in the U.S. Army from
April 1992 until October 1998, reaching the rank of specialist E-4. He
was assigned to psychological operations, a branch of the Army devoted
to deception and propaganda. He trained at Fort Bliss,Tex., and was
stationed at Fort Bragg where he had jump training.
There is no record of him receiving special weapons training. His awards show a standard level of achievement in the Army:
Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct, the National Defense Service Medal the Humanitarian Service Medal and the Parachutist Badge.
-- David Wood
There is no record of him receiving special weapons training. His awards show a standard level of achievement in the Army:
Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct, the National Defense Service Medal the Humanitarian Service Medal and the Parachutist Badge.
-- David Wood
9:27 AM – 08/ 6/2012
Report: Alleged Shooter Was Former Member Of Skinhead Band
From the Southern Poverty Law Center:
The man who allegedly murdered six people at a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee yesterday, identified in media reports as Wade Michael Page, was a frustrated neo-Nazi who had been the leader of a racist white-power band. In 2010, Page, then the leader of the band End Apathy, gave an interview to the white supremacist website Label 56. He said that when he started the band in 2005, its name reflected his wish to “figure out how to end people’s apathetic ways” and start “moving forward.” “I was willing to point out some of my faults on how I was holding myself back,” Page said.
8:22 AM – 08/ 6/2012
Shooting Suspect Reportedly Identified
Via CNN:
The man suspected of shooting and killing six people at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin on Sunday is former Army soldier Wade Michael Page, 40, several law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation said Monday. The shooter was killed by an officer at the scene.
4:19 AM – 08/ 6/2012
A Call For Unity
| @ MichaelSkolnik : Today, we are all Sikh. |
12:46 AM – 08/ 6/2012
ABC News: 'White Supremacist' May Be Behind Attack
Sources have reportedly told ABC News that the shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis., is the work of a "white supremacist" or "skinhead." However, authorities have not released such allegations to the public, nor have they offered a motive for the attack.
12:12 AM – 08/ 6/2012
Nancy Pelosi 'Devastated' By Wisconsin Shooting
HuffPost's Jen Bendery reports:
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she is "devastated" by the mass shootings in Oak Creek, Wis., but said when it comes to revisiting the issue of gun control, Congress just doesn't have the votes to pass any laws. "The votes aren't there for gun control," she said. "We certainly aren't going to be able to do it in this Congress, and I don't know that we would be able to do it in a Democratic Congress because it takes a lot of votes to go down that path."Read the whole story here.
12:08 AM – 08/ 6/2012
Philadelphia Sikh Community Calls For More Gun Control, Cultural Understanding
From Lower Providence Patch:
According to Philadelphia Sikh Society’s vice president, Harvinder Kauer Kocher, since 9/11, she has noticed reports of acts of violence, intimidation, and in some cases, murder of members of the Sikh community. “Whoever is wearing a turban in America is 99 percent Sikh,” Kocher said. “Not Muslim.”Read the whole story here.
Since the attacks, she said, the PSS has attempted to gain more exposure for understanding and welcoming for the Sikh community in the Philadelphia area and throughout the United States.
Locally, such measures have included participation in the annual Philadelphia Interfaith Walk for Peace and Reconciliation, which last took place April 29.
However, Kocher said, more needs to be done by the government and media.
"We are a very small community," Kocher said. "We need the government’s help, and talk on [television] about the suffering."
She suggested that the United States government should have increased gun control laws, and that the media should produce more coverage on the Sikh community for more understanding.
"Why do we have to have a tragedy happen to get good from it?" Kocher said. "And, by good, I mean the media letting people see that we are Sikhs."
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