IT has taken me some time to post anything about the obscene violence inflicted on the Sikh community in Oak Creek, Wisconsin on 5AUG12. It has taken some time because this violence was committed by a man consumed by hatred of anyone not like him, unlike the violence just a few short weeks ago in Aurora, Colorado, committed by a man who is obviously insane. That doesn't lessen the horror and pain of the Aurora shootings but it will, over time, help us understand why this person murdered those 12 innocent people in the theater. The man who walked into the Sikh temple in Oak Creek knew exactly what he was going to do. He was consumed by evil, so full of hate and anger that he had no hesitation about violating the sanctity of a house of worship and committing murder, spilling innocent blood in a holy place. That made me so angry I knew anything I put on this blog would reflect my anger and put me on a level not much higher than the killer. I have no doubt the anti-Islamic rants and ravings from the likes of sarah palin and rep michelle bachmann r MN and her tea-bagger islamophobic cabal in Congress in the past few weeks got this guy worked up to the point there was no turning back. Sad to say they will learn nothing from this, mainly because they really aren't any different than the people in the hate groups the killer belonged to and associated with. My prayers go out for the victims and their families and the Sikh community at large, and also for the family of Wade Michael Page, who I believe are horrified by what he did and are mourning for the victims and for their lost son. This from Sojourners, followed by reports from NPR and Huffpost....
Sikhs and Sacred Ground
Editor's Note: The following column from Eboo Patel explores some of the themes in his new book Sacred Ground.
Jim Wallis endorsed Patel's book in the following statement: "At
a time when ignorance and suspicion are holding us back from building
true community with our neighbors, Eboo Patel offers a light in the
darkness. He challenges the bigotry and intolerance that is seeping into
our political rhetoric, reminding us that America is a country built on
the pillars of pluralism and tolerance. In both Sacred Ground and his
wonderful interfaith work, Eboo offers an opportunity for us to move to
higher ground in our relationships with our Muslim brothers and sisters,
and to play our part in building a ‘beloved community for all people,'
both in the United States, and around the world."
*****
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.
Seven Dead In Shooting At Sikh Temple In Wisconsin
A shooting at a Sikh Temple in a suburb of
Milwaukee today has left at least seven people dead, including the
gunman, police say.
The crime is being treated as a "domestic terrorist-type incident," authorities say.
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.
"It was unclear whose home it is and how the search may be related to the shooting itself."
Update at 5:15 p.m. ET. "Domestic Terrorist Type Incident":
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):
