Sikhs urge Obama to visit Golden Temple on India trip

[bananas]

Source: BBC

Sikh groups have urged US President Barack Obama not to avoid visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar during his India trip next month, amid reports he is now unlikely to go there.

A US official told the BBC there were "logistical" issues.

Mr Obama would need to cover his head to enter the temple and there are reported concerns opponents would use this to show he is a closet Muslim.

<snip>

It said: "We implore the Sikh community and all others concerned with raising the visibility of religious minorities (to write and express), in a respectful manner, how important it is for President Obama to visit Harmandar Sahib through the White House's Twitter and Facebook sites."



Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11600680

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Wow - he should go - also, the Prime Minister of India is a Sikh. This would be a great opportunity for Americans to learn about another one of the world's great religions.

[bainz]

1. Wow - he should go

I agree, but only in December.

:sarcasm:

or, is it?

[closeupready]

2. That's an excellent suggestion. K&R

n/t

[hedgehog]

3. I think this is a prime example of what Obama is up against.

There are Americans who, if he is seen entering a Sikh holy site wearing a head covering, will declare that this proves he is a Muslin (sic)

[Ian David]

4. I always knew Obama was named after Ehud Barak

Ehud Barak (Hebrew:About this sound אהוד ברק (help·info), born Ehud Brog on 12 February 1942) is an Israeli politician who served as Prime Minister from 1999 until 2001. He is currently leader of the Labor Party and holds the posts of Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister in Binyamin Netanyahu's government.

Prior to his political career he served as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces. Following a highly decorated career he was appointed Chief of General Staff in 1991, serving until 1995.

<snip>

Barak joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 1959. He served in the IDF for 35 years, rising to the position of Chief of the General Staff and the rank of Rav Aluf, the highest in the Israeli military. During the Yom Kippur War, Barak commanded an improvised regiment of tanks which among other things, helped rescue paratrooper battalion 890 commanded by Yitzhak Mordechai who were suffering heavy losses in the Battle of the Chinese Farm.

During his service as a commando in the elite Sayeret Matkal, Barak led several highly acclaimed operations, such as: "Operation Isotope", the rescue mission to free the hostages onboard Sabena Flight 571 at Lod Airport in 1972; the 1973 covert mission Operation Spring of Youth in Beirut, in which he was disguised as a woman in order to assassinate members of the Palestine Liberation Organization; Barak was also a key architect of the June 1976 Operation Entebbe, another rescue mission to free the hostages of the Air France aircraft hijacked by terrorists and forced to land at the Entebbe Airport in Uganda. These highly acclaimed operations, along with Operation Bayonet led to the dismantling of Palestinian terrorist cell Black September. It has been alluded that Barak also masterminded the Tunis Raid on April 16, 1988, in which PLO leader Abu Jihad was assassinated.<1>

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehud_Barak

[jsgindc]

5. The helmet was the downfall of Michael Dukakis

Don't even think about going President Obama.

[Rebubula]

6. Two points:

1) No...no it was not. Dukakis was a poor candidate and ran a poor campaign against the VP of a popular President
2) Jebus fucking Christ - why are people so fucking afraid of President Obama going to a Sikh temple??? Sikh is NOT Muslim and why should we fucking care if some asshole on the other side will make fun of him?

Seriously....the President should make a stand and go to this ceremony and not be bullied by fools or by the possibility of ridicule.

[bainz]

9. edited for clarity

why are Obama's people so fucking afraid of President Obama going to a Sikh temple???

[maxsolomon]

7. i'd like my president to avoid ALL religious sites

no vatican
no temple mount
no dome of the rock
no golden temple

he is the president of a secular nation - he should be seem being neutral towards all religions.

except Buddhism, because it's awesome. ;)

[AsahinaKimi]

8. "except Buddhism, because it's awesome"

YAY! :applause:

[bainz]

10. I agree

except for sunday. the guy does go to church.

[Vehl]

12. make an exception for us also :D

After all, Hindus and Buddhists are brothers/sisters in search of knowledge. :toast:

There are more differences (in philosophy) between certain schools of Hinduism than there are between Hinduism and Buddhism in general. After all Lord Buddha but started a reform movement/school of philosophy of Hinduism rather than a new religion.



btw, on a related note, I wish President Obama visits the Tanjore temple in southern India. 2010 marks the 1000th year anniversary of that temple and its also a Unesco world heritage site. The builders moved move granite than the ones used in the pyramids of Giza to construct these monuments, which not only survive to this day, but have also been places of worship to this day.

The temple and its adjoining museum host sculptures and works of art that pretty much defined the "image" of popular Hinduism ever since its inauguration a thousand years ago. Especially the ubiquitous image of "Nataraja" which has come to symbolize Hinduism in many parts of the globe.After all, they are not called the "Athenians of India" for nothing.

http://www.pbs.org/thestoryofindia/gallery/photos/5.html#cholan_empire

^^ here is a clip from the PBS/BBC documentary "The story of India" about that temple.

http://www.pbs.org/thestoryofindia/

[alfredo]

17. Golden Temple- open-faced sandwich

2 slices of Whole Wheat bread topped with:
avacado spread (avacado, lemon juice, salt, pepper, chopped scallions
Mung bean sprouts.
Slice Muenster Cheese

On top the cheese put:
sliced mushrooms
sunflower seeds.

put in broiler to melt cheese.


Eat

[Vehl]

11. He should visit that temple

If he backs down due to the idiocy of the teabaggers, then indirectly he is playing a part in the dumbing down of America.I'ts about time people took a stand against the Palins of this world.

[Nihil]

14. Exactly right.

This is an opportunity to lead the way in TOLERANCE rather than
continuing to support ignorant, bigoted, red-neck stupidity.

:applause:

[bc3000]

13. This is hilarious

Americans are actually this stupid: Our president can't go to a Sikh temple because people will think he's a Muslim.

[laundry_queen]

16. It's really unbelieveable isn't it?

All those brown people's religions are the same. :sarcasm:

Unreal. 2 VERY different religions.

[fujiyama]

15. Wow, the stupid is strong with this country

Afraid to wear a turban because he might be a secret Muslim? WTF? Yeah, because Sikhism and Islam are the same thing.