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Why I Support Obama For President
by VALARIE KAUR

As a Sikh-American whose family settled in America one hundred years ago, this election is different than any other my family has seen. This is the first election where I believe the future of my community and country rests on our support of a single presidential candidate: Barack Obama.

Sikh-Americans will have a choice on February 5: we can stick to politics-as-usual, or we can join a movement in this country. A movement where people divided by race, religion, and politics are finding the courage to recognize themselves in one another and come together in a common cause. A movement that would end the old politics, in which Sikhs are forever minorities asking to be accommodated, and usher in a new politics of unity that ties Sikhs to all Americans in the same struggle for freedom.

Obama alone represents this movement. Its momentum is real. We are already part of it. I have witnessed it.

For more than a year, I have been living out of my suitcase, traveling the country with my film Divided We Fall that features stories of Sikh-Americans after 9/11. From California to New York, Nebraska to South Carolina, our community's stories have reached tens of thousands of people - white, black, brown, liberal, conservative, non-believer, believer, young and old. After the film, people applaud with tears in their eyes and talk about how attacks on Sikhs threaten their freedom, too.

"My father was a guard at a Japanese-American internment camp", says a white woman in Montana. "I refuse to be gripped by the same fear and hatred".

"Just as I stand up for the right for gay people to come out of the closet", says a gay man in New York, "I promise to stand up for the right for Sikhs to wear their turbans. It is the same freedom".

"Your story is my story", an evangelical Christian in Nebraska tells me. "I, too, remember when I was seen as an outsider".

And in rural Illinois, an African-American man points to his braids, and says: "My braids are my turban".

People see themselves in our stories.

It is time that we, as Sikhs, return the gesture. We must stop thinking only of our own struggle, our own pain, and begin to see that we are not alone in the fight. We have a stake in the freedom of every other community in this country - Black, Latino, Jewish, Muslim, Gay - all of them, because all of us ache for a country where we can be recognized for how we see ourselves.

This recognition means we must confront our own community's discrimination against African-Americans, Muslims, and homosexuals. It means opening our eyes to the hate violence other communities face, as well as the issues at stake for our country - the coffins coming home, the threat of global warming, the growing poor, the crumbling schools in the parts of town we never visit, and the sick who can't afford to see the Sikh doctors in our families.

And it means ending the old way of fighting. For too long, Sikhs have learned to depend on individual politicians in halls of power to champion our cause. We have given our money and votes to any politician who promised to pose with us for the cameras and defend our community when needed, regardless of whether they were Republican or Democrat, George W. Bush or Hillary Clinton. This is politics-as-usual, the only way we knew how to fight for our right to be seen as American.

We can no longer afford to fight this way. We must end self-interested politics, for as long as we advocate only for our own equality, we will never fully own our place as Americans. And we will always be dependent on politicians who defend us when it benefits them.

Hillary Clinton is one such politician. She stands up for the Sikh community when politically expedient. On the campaign trail, she made several cancellations of meetings where she was scheduled to appear with Sikh-Americans in public and refused to join Obama in supporting the Sikh Coalition's appeal to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to protect turbans from unreasonable searches at airports. Trapped in the political and racial binaries of the 1960s, she represents a political left that aims to accommodate minorities only when convenient.

In this great hour of need, it is time for Sikhs to support a leader whose vision integrates all of us into one nation, a leader who inspires us to take action together, a leader who not merely accommodates diversity, but stands for it in his very being and breath - a leader who truly represents us.

Like us, Obama inherits a mixed racial, religious, and national heritage. Like us, he belongs to multiple identities and moves between them. Like us, he has learned to claim that in-between space as his own and speak from it. If he can speak from it, we can speak from it. His voice is our voice.

Last week, in honor of Dr. King, Obama voiced the need to "recognize ourselves in one another, to understand that we are our brother's keeper, we are our sister's keeper". He beckoned us to "stand in somebody else's shoes" and change "the division, the stereotypes, the scapegoating" in our own hearts.

Yes, it is time for Sikhs to join the movement. It is time for us to draw upon the courage we are famous for and fight with Obama in the name of unity.

Our very future as Sikhs and as Americans depends on it.

--
Senator Barack Obama has dedicated his life to public service as a community organizer, civil rights attorney, a leader in the Illinois State Senate, and, currently, as a U.S. Senator from Illinois. His historic campaign for the U.S. Presidency is remarkable for bringing together a broad coalition, comprised of progressives from across the racial, economic and religious spectrums from throughout the United States. His political vision has much resonance for South Asian Americans. On issues such as immigration, hate crimes, racial profiling, religious freedom, the War on Terror, small business promotion, and educational access, Obama has consistently emphasized his desire to work in the interest of the South Asian community. To learn more or to get involved, please visit http://www.safo2008.com/

Join Sikhs for Obama on Facebook and on My.BarackObama.com

Valarie Kaur is a filmmaker, writer, and lecturer presently on tour with her documentary film, Divided We Fall. She is also founding director of Harvard's Discrimination and National Security Initiative. She can be reached at valarie@dwf-film.com

Conversation about this article

1: Ravinder S. Bhalla (Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S.A.), January 30, 2008, 2:04 PM.

Great article! This piece sums up why I too, as a Sikh-American, am voting for Senator Obama. He is a true statesman with policies most in line with Sikh values. Most imporantly, he has helped the Sikh community in the past and is someone we can trust to support our interests as President. Please cast your vote for Barack Obama for President. GO OBAMA!

2: Kuljeet Singh (Boston, U.S.A.), January 30, 2008, 6:46 PM.

Yet another terrific article by the brilliant Valarie Kaur. In addition to uniting the country, I think Senator Obama has the potential to unite the world. His strong pursuit of diplomatic principles can restore our great national image in the eyes of the world. The hope also remains that with himself as a member of a racial minority, Senator Obama will also be able to connect with the plight of the minority Sikhs in France or India.

3: Inderpal Singh (London, England), January 31, 2008, 4:50 PM.

Just because somebody is a Sikh, they should vote Obama? Now, I think he's not a bad politician, but that is a ridiculous sentiment. Surely we have matured beyond the faith/race/caste ridden politics of India! [Editor: The purpose behind our publishing this piece - a personal baring of her poltical heart - is to suggest how each one of us should be thinking things out at election time, anywhere, everywhere, and then back the candidate or party or cause that strikes a chord in us. That's all. No more, no less.]

4: Neha (New York, U.S.A.), January 31, 2008, 4:57 PM.

Perfectly put, Valarie. This is a fantastic argument for why every minority's issue is ours as well. It's time for our community to get over its own tendencies to divide and criticize and embrace the country we call home. To borrow a phrase from Mrs. Clinton, "The stakes are too high."

5: Preet (India), February 01, 2008, 8:33 PM.

Val, nice article. But you really think having Barack as prez will make things better for Sikhs? We had a Sikh prez in India and now we have a Sikh PM. Not one person has been punished for 1984 pogroms. But that is India. Look closer to home. Having Condi Rice on board did not help change the perception of black people in the U.S. I think all these politicians are the same. Remember Barack called Hillary the "Senator of Punjab".

6: Sizzle (Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.), February 02, 2008, 1:09 AM.

I like Barack ... and I'm a Republican-leaning libertarian. I disagree with him on every issue of substance. Yet, I am charmed by him. If I had to vote today, I'd vote for him. However, I believe your post goes overboard. It smacks of naivety and is incredibly overstated. I think that the very image of Barack as President of the U.S. is incredible ... having a minority as President will accomplish much in the ways you have discussed. However, it's not a do-all, end-all scenario, as you seem to suggest. I'm sure you don't believe this, but overstating your argument in such an unequivocal fashion doesn't really do much, except maybe win over the soft-vote. So, if it was your goal to campaign for him - great. If not, you should recognize how politics typically pan out. Please don't get overwhelmed by the hype.

7: Meeta Kaur (Oakland, California, U.S.A.), February 02, 2008, 3:57 PM.

Valerie, thanks for this input. Every time I try to record the debates, our Tivo screws it all up! I'm looking for information to make an intuitive decision before I cast my ballot. I feel the authenticity of voice in your piece. You trust him. You believe in him. It's so refreshing. I'm skeptical! I have to gather more information and I hope at the end of it all, I see what you actively see in Obama. I have decided to rely on my intuition for this election.

8: Preeti Kaur (Minneapolis, U.S.A.), February 02, 2008, 4:16 PM.

This piece bothered me and I think it would have been better suited to remain on the Obama blog-site as a supporter-piece rather than a "teaching tool" to the Sikh diaspora, as the editor suggests in an above comment. While I appreciate some of the sentiments in this piece, and am an avid supporter of Obama, I don't agree that as Americans, we should beseech our entire faith community to vote for a particular candidate. Obama may appear to be friendly to Sikh interests, yes, I agree. However, if we read pieces from Christians or Jews or Muslims or Hindus suggesting that their entire faith community should stand behind a candidate, we would be weary, and rightly so. When I hear from self-appointed Sikh leaders, whether old generation or new generation, that I or anyone should hold a political allegiance because it is in a communal interest to do so, THAT, to me, is politics-as-usual. We should each galvanize our local communities to become active in the political process, but with the purpose of engaging; don't divide. There are political moments (such as immediately post 9/1) when it is necessary to leverage our collective selves, but this is not one such urgent, critical moment. We must use our hyphenated identities when it is politically necessary, not just when it is politically relevant. Vote because you are an American.

9: Duberan Khalsa (Irvine, California, U.S.A.), February 02, 2008, 6:16 PM.

"People see themselves in our stories. It is time that we, as Sikhs, return the gesture." Once again, an extremely articulate piece by a woman who is at the forefront of documenting and highlighting issues that we face as Sikh-Americans on a daily basis. Future generations of practicing Sikhs in this country will undoubtedly benefit from Valarie's work. A President like Senator Obama would unquestionably better the lives of Sikh-Americans. He is a man who shares our own aspirations, embraces a distinct identity while relating to all, and understands what it's like to overcome the odds as an "outsider". Most importantly, Obama has proven (by his support of the Sikh Coalition's Appeal to the TSA) that he is a man who will not compromise the Rule of Law and our Civil Liberties, in order to propogate fear in the minds of the American people, and further his own political agenda.

10: Desh Singh, MD (Houston, U.S.A.), February 03, 2008, 2:04 PM.

This article, although well-meaning, overdraws itself and ignores the labyrinthine complexities of both power and American society. My wife was a senatorial intern for Hillary Clinton in NYC and we are personally very disappointed with her lack of support for the TSA effort. However, this is only one side of one episode in a much longer interaction she has held with US Sikhs. Clinton has intimate knowledge of Sikh issues through her close relationships with Sikhs in the Northeast. She has personally met with members of our community after 9/11 on several occasions, attended several community events and spoken out in support of our issues time and time again. Notwithstanding her snubbing a Bakersfield Sikh fundraiser perhaps due to secret service issues relating to one of the main organizers having just visited Pakistan - and the TSA appeal, she has a track record with our community that will take Obama years to equal. Obama's support of the TSA effort can be construed as an example of pandering toward a small but potent electorate he knows is well-heeled and generous rather than genuine concern for Sikh issues. Elections are strange things and the ranges of behaviors demonstrated by politicians during one do not necessarily speak to what they will do and be once elected. People are complex and the color of one's skin or minority status are not the basis upon which we can determine what will be best for Sikhs. Witness the ultra-conservative Christian presidential candidate Bush and compare him to the Presidential version kissing and hugging Arab chieftains in his recent trip to the Middle East. It is possible that once elected, Obama will be an insecure president and one driven to prove his color - and minority-blindness to the majority by guiltlessly enforcing policies and bills that will be anathema to our community. Clinton may feel no such insecurities about supporting minorities and see benevolence toward our community as evidence of her inclusiveness as a leader. Further, Clinton as a woman president is compelling because of the changes such leadership will bring to our nation. I would venture to say the country will transform more under a female president perpetually vilified and isolated by the American political establishment than a black one who has experienced posthaste acceptance into it. In either case, to suggest that any candidate is an anodyne to the challenges facing Sikhs is naive. We cannot wait for anyone, not Barack Obama nor anyone else, to save us. We cannot expect the turns of history to be favorable to us on the basis of elections and appointments; rather, we must grow in strength and power as a community through unity and the accumulation of massive financial resources so that we may turn history toward us.

11: Sharat (Los Angeles, U.S.A.), February 03, 2008, 6:29 PM.

Valarie Kaur is not a "self-appointed" leader of the Sikh community. She has earned a spot in the hearts and minds of people in both the Sikh and larger South Asian and broader North American public as someone who speaks honestly and thoughtfully, without desire for self-aggrandizement or without demonizing those with differing viewpoints. Through her work, she has blazed a path of unity and understanding between the myriad communities throughout America. The struggle to make and show the film "Divided We Fall," and its resulting positive impact and national movement, have firmly cemented her as a community leader. She has earned the right to call for people to see what she feels will be best for her faith community. She is not saying that you are failing your people by not voting for Obama. She is merely seeing what many of us see - Obama as President would be an asset, not a hinderance, to the progress we all feel is necessary in advancing the cause of unity.

12: Tejwant (U.S.A.), February 04, 2008, 1:44 PM.

Interesting responses to the above article about who should vote for whom for the Sikh cause! Pardon me for being blunt but that is not the Sikhi way. Sikhi Way is to have grassroots Sikh movements in every Gurdwara of the United States. These movements should be based on the Sikhi tenet of Vand kei chaknah. Which means our Gurdwaras are there to serve those in need, irrespective of their hue, creed or faith. Local TV and newspaper media should be invited to record every event we organize in our local community. Once we do that on a regular basis, then all parties would beg us for their votes and by doing this we will have the upper hand to share what Sikhi causes are. So, all, and I mean all, will be willing to participate because Sikh values are universal values and for the world to know that we need to make an effort from the bottom up. If not, then we would be seeking personalities in the garb of politicians whereas Sikhi is idea-based, not personality based. So cyber sadh sangat ji, let's push forward the SIKH IDEA so that we can give all politicians the chance to savour it. After all, we are all seekers. This is the only way to project Sikh values anywhere in the world. Remember, only an idea-based way of life can be part of Miri Piri.

13: Chintan Singh (San Jose, U.S.A.), February 04, 2008, 5:51 PM.

Did you know that Obama is one of the few senators who voted "no" on the Iraq war, excluding Hillary Clinton, Tom Daschle and some of the senior Democrat leaders. I admire his guts to say no to a senseless war, even though he had to oppose his senior colleagues.

14: Veena (Holliston, MA, U.S.A.), February 04, 2008, 7:42 PM.

Gender is reflected as small and limiting. This is not time for woman vs. man but to reach out and touch the neglected public. I agree with Valerie and thank her for sharing her thoughts with all Sikh-Americans and those spread out in the diaspora. May Waheguru bless Obama who stands as a pillar and shines through the sun - transparent and belonging to us all!

15: Amitoj Singh (U.S.A.), February 06, 2008, 11:16 AM.

As a Sikh-American who is also proud of being a Punjabi, I was not offended when Barack called Hillary a senator from Punjab. She certainly takes money from the Sikh community, and uses us for her reasons. I respect that Barack apologized for the statement of calling Hillary a senator from Punjab, even though she is certainly not a Punjabi. Ha-ha! We Punjabis are proud, and should be proud that Barack signed the TSA guideline letter to support Sikhs.

16: Mahinder Kaur Doman (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada), February 07, 2008, 3:00 AM.

Just curious how Obama became part of sikhchic.com profiles ... I wonder how Dr. Ruby Dhalla must feel after all the criticism levied at her! He capitalizes on being "black" and has yet to chat about his anglo roots (his mother is "white"). God Save America if this dude wins somehow!

17: Raj Sabar, MD (U.S.A.), February 13, 2008, 4:17 PM.

We NEED change in the United States ... DESPARATELY. I am sick and tired of the divide and rule policies of our present Congress. We need Obama.

18: Gurleen Kaur (Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.), March 12, 2008, 4:31 PM.

For once I feel as if the political party is completely unimportant; if Barack Obama is not elected to become the President of the United States, I will consider it one of the greatest tragedies to happen to this country.