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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong> <strong>Bulletin</strong> jyT-hwV 542 nwnkSwhI May-June 2010<br />
of faith.<br />
• This means that students like Jaspreet Singh<br />
(Houston, TX), who were constantly<br />
bullied, will have a more respectful <strong>and</strong><br />
underst<strong>and</strong>ing environment in school.<br />
What does it take to move America's most conservative<br />
Board of Education Here is a look at the true cost of<br />
change:<br />
Advocacy <strong>and</strong> Community Organizing<br />
• 4 separate trips from New York to Austin,<br />
TX to attend Board of Education Meetings.<br />
• 10 in-person meetings with Texas Board of<br />
Education Members to persuade them to<br />
include <strong><strong>Sikh</strong>i</strong> in the st<strong>and</strong>ards.<br />
• 490 letters <strong>and</strong> emails sent by <strong>Sikh</strong><br />
community members to the Board of Education<br />
during their public comment periods.<br />
• 1,219 petition signatures from people all over<br />
Texas, <strong>Sikh</strong>s <strong>and</strong> non-<strong>Sikh</strong>s, in support of<br />
including <strong><strong>Sikh</strong>i</strong>sm in the st<strong>and</strong>ards.<br />
• 10 <strong>Sikh</strong>s testifying in support of <strong><strong>Sikh</strong>i</strong>sm being<br />
included in the state curriculum.<br />
• 5 trips from New York to Dallas, Houston,<br />
Austin, <strong>and</strong> San Antonio to make<br />
presentations <strong>and</strong> rally sangat support for the<br />
campaign.<br />
Education<br />
• 30-page professional informational binder<br />
created for each Texas Board of Education<br />
member on <strong>Sikh</strong>s <strong>and</strong> why <strong><strong>Sikh</strong>i</strong> should be<br />
added to the curriculum.<br />
• 186 pages of curriculum st<strong>and</strong>ards intensely<br />
studied to determine the best place for <strong><strong>Sikh</strong>i</strong> to<br />
be included in the social studies st<strong>and</strong>ards.<br />
If you believe this work is important <strong>and</strong> want to see it<br />
happen elsewhere, please donate today:<br />
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.phpaid=2563<br />
.<br />
We need your help to ensure everyone knows who<br />
<strong>Sikh</strong>s are <strong>and</strong> respects them in their neighborhoods.<br />
Please support the Coalition's Education work. It is<br />
only with your support that we were able to achieve this<br />
victory. Thank you.<br />
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong> Coalition Team<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong> Coalition is a community-based organization that works<br />
for the realization of civil <strong>and</strong> human rights for all people. <strong>The</strong><br />
Coalition serves as a resource on <strong>Sikh</strong>s <strong>and</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong> concerns for<br />
government, organizations <strong>and</strong> individuals. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong> Coalition<br />
relies on your tax-deductible financial support to sustain its<br />
initiatives <strong>and</strong> broaden its services. In addition to supporting the<br />
<strong>Sikh</strong> Coalition directly, we encourage you to use matching<br />
donation programs offered by many employers. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong> Coalition<br />
is a 501c (3) non-profit organization. Thank you for your support.<br />
*****<br />
PRESS RELEASE<br />
15 June 2010<br />
20,000 SIKHS COMMEMORATE 26 TH<br />
ANNIVERSARY OF THE JUNE 1984<br />
MASSACRE<br />
London - 10,000 <strong>Sikh</strong>s from across the UK were<br />
expected in central London on Sunday to take part in a<br />
Remembrance March <strong>and</strong> Freedom Rally to<br />
commemorate the 26th anniversary of the June 1984<br />
Indian army assault on the Golden Temple Complex.<br />
<strong>The</strong> numbers were expected to be down on the 15,000<br />
from last year, which was special as it was the 25th<br />
anniversary. However, organisers <strong>and</strong> sceptics were<br />
taken aback when an estimated 20,000 attended this<br />
year <strong>and</strong> many hundreds if not thous<strong>and</strong>s were left<br />
behind as coaches <strong>and</strong> minibuses organised from<br />
across the UK were unable to cope with the dem<strong>and</strong>.<br />
Some came for the first time last year <strong>and</strong> liked what<br />
they saw in Trafalgar Square so decided to come again<br />
<strong>and</strong> encourage others to come. For the first time over<br />
7,000 <strong>Sikh</strong>s were invited by the <strong>Sikh</strong> Federation (UK)<br />
via Facebook. However, the biggest factor was almost<br />
certainly advertising on the <strong>Sikh</strong> Channel <strong>and</strong><br />
discussion programmes leading up to the event. Many<br />
commented had the <strong>Sikh</strong> Channel pushed the event in<br />
the same way as the 10 Downing Street demonstration<br />
for the 17 <strong>Sikh</strong> labourers sentenced to death in Dubai<br />
the numbers could have been even higher.<br />
Certain clique groups were less enthusiastic about<br />
joining others at the event this year <strong>and</strong> either decided<br />
to stay away or have a token presence. However,<br />
many have commented the gathering was not only<br />
larger, but free of controversy. Gone were groups of<br />
youths with their faces covered by balaklavas so they<br />
remain unrecognisable to the Indian government. This<br />
year, there was no nonsense with the youth <strong>and</strong> elders<br />
K. T. F. of N. A. Inc. 3524 Rocky Ridge Way, El Dorado Hills, CA. 95762 20
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