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Summary of Question:	Re: What Is This
Category:	Other
Date Posted:	Monday, 3/03/2003 3:34 PM MST

>As for being equal, well, we are all equal spiritually - but we vary greatly >in background, knowledge, experience, age, and attitude

Rinku's observation on "white" sikhs is identifying a main factor in how sikhs "vary." White people as a group have a different background, historical experience, - culture is the more proper word - from Punjabi sikhs, and this difference in culture is "variant" among the various ethnicities practicing Sikhism.
If you go into ethnic studies, it becomes apparent that white people like others to define them individualistically, whereas Punjabi's or any other minority in the US define themselves in terms of their group. Example: Indian man commits nationally disgraceful act, is on the news> all indian's start to worry about their image. 2nd example: white timothy mcveigh commits disgraceful act, do white people start to worry about their image?> no.
Therefore when white people are defined in terms of their group, and not individuals, they mis-term it "racism," which is senseless.
Yet your own words, from a careful reading, show you have defined yourself as a white sikh, and at the same time shun being defined as one:
> You hate our answers, that's your privilege.
> then we could better understand your viewpoint
> We have offered
> give our opinions on this site
> that is what we do
Your use of the words "we" and "our" refers to White Sikhs; therefore there is something "variant" about you-your white ethnicity- that allows you to be a member of this group, and take to being representative of White Sikhs because you emphasize that "We have offered... our opinions... our answers."

Several White Sikhs I know argue that there should be a Sikh ethnicity; yet they have misunderstood the concepts of ethnicity and religion in identifying people.

Rinku's observation that "they stick together, leaving out everyone else," is a result of this misunderstanding.

(REPLY)

Sat Nam. I think you are trying to be hekpful, but I believe prolonging this discussion will only add to the confusion. When I used the pronoun "we" I was referring specifically to the Administrators of this forum. I was not identifying any of us as being white - or not! I recognize that there is a large gap of understanding based on cultural differences, but there is only one Sikh religion, and that is the basis for this forum. Thank you for your interest. Blessings, SP