Columnists
Where's Our Media Strategy?
T. SHER SINGH
DAILY FIX
Thursday, October 11, 2012
One doesn’t need to examine a chicken’s entrails to read the portents emanating from India and see that mischief is once again afoot and the Indians are up to their usual shenanigans again.
Same old, same old ...
Yes, the same old tall tales that you and I have heard ad nauseum in the last three decades are afloat again. The Indian propaganda machine is back in full production, and as always, it waits for no real happening or event or fact or evidence to try and drum up a storm.
The Indian media is full of it.
The Khalistanis are active again, we are told.
They are being funded by Sikhs abroad.
They are attacking the good people of India.
Militants. Terrorists. Separatists.
India is in peril. Because India’s enemies -- the foreign hand! -- are working in conjunction with Sikhs every where.
Sikhs in Punjab and India are puzzled. Where? When? Who?
Sikhs in the diaspora are puzzled. Who? When? Where?
I live in the heart of what India claims to be the very den of inequity: Canada. Have you seen any terrorist activity here? Because I haven’t.
But there is concern here and there and everywhere that Indians are going berserk again.
Why? It’s an easy way to rake in billions - yes, not millions, but billions, because Indian corruption now deals only with billions. Stealing millions is now left for the riff-raff politicians in the rest of the world.
Fighting terrorism, especially an imagined one, requires a lot of slush funds, a lot of money to be diverted into covert operations. That is, money that never needs to be accounted for.
At the same time, hollering slogans against a minority in India is always good for elections.
It’s a win-win situation for the ever corrupt Indians.
But … what are we doing about it?
I remember it was well over 2 months ago that we staggered under the news of yet another crisis in our worldwide community -- the massacre in Wisconsin.
We did a collective wringing of hands over how badly our initial media response to the whole situation had been, how the ball was dropped during the most crucial period, and how we still did not have a media strategy.
There was a united voice - the clamour came from every direction, but it was like one voice - that we needed a concerted media strategy N-O-W!
Our institutions and community leaders and pooh-baahs said they were working on it. Not to worry, they assured us … we’ll be ready the next time.
Well. Two months have gone by.
Do we have one yet?
We couldn’t. Because we haven’t heard about it yet … not a peep, not a word, not a whisper from anybody.
If we, the public, don’t know about who will handle the next crisis, then how will it be handled?
The rumblings from India are neither pleasant nor comforting. We have had ample warning now. And if this time around we are caught with our pants down … we’ll have no one to blame but ourselves.
Today. There’s nothing more important for us, for our future, for the future of our children, than to attend to this N-O-W!
Or have I missed something?
I hear that the Sikh Film Festival in New York is planning to fete India’s politicians and ambassador and other petty bureaucrats at the annual Sikh gala next week?
Is that our media strategy? To honour and celebrate representatives of the very government which is all out to harm us?
I hear the same minions from India were recently welcomed in the Wisconsin gurdwara as VIPs.
Is that our new media strategy?
With friends … and leaders … like the ones we have today amongst us, who needs enemies?
If we -- yes you and me -- don’t do something about this, do we really need others to blame either?
Conversation about this article
1: Ravinder Singh Khalsa (USA), October 11, 2012, 12:11 PM.
How do we create a media strategy? There are so many organizations these days, how do we unite? Thoughts? I volunteer with the Khalsa Peace Corps and I know they intend to start fundraising to design a media strategy. Any thoughts or ideas ... from concept to operations are welcome.
2: Harinder (Uttar Pradesh, India), October 11, 2012, 12:40 PM.
Sikhi considers no one an enemy. It is "NIRVAIR"
3: H.S. Vachoa (USA), October 11, 2012, 12:43 PM.
It is the semblance of moral depravity on the part of the President of the Wisconsin gurdwara to welcome as dignitaries, the representatives of an Indian party and government that has attacked the collective dignity of Sikhs as a matter of policy and have committed unforgivable crimes against humanity. It was great to see Jagjit Singh Kaleka (the victim's brother) standing up against the representatives of anti-Sikh tyranny. Standing up for right is the best media strategy.
4: Baldev Singh (Bradford, United Kingdom), October 11, 2012, 1:22 PM.
Sikh organizations are many but all seem to be dis-organizations in this regard.
5: Nirlep Kaur (Pittsburgh, USA), October 11, 2012, 1:43 PM.
Weren't we assured that the executives of the Sikh Coalition, Saldef, United sikhs, Ensaaf, SikhRi, etc. - some of them, if not all of them - were going to get together and develop a system which would help avoid the post-Wisconsin style debacle in the future? What happened? Will these organizations please go public on the success of such a joint venture ... or the lack of it ... so that the community can take other steps if they are incapable of rising to the occasion?
6: N. Singh (Canada), October 11, 2012, 10:06 PM.
I think we need a separate organisation that deals exclusively with media strategy. The organizations listed in Nirlep Kaur's post, a) have a separate mandate dealing with other issues, b) are all US based. It is disappointing that Canada, having the largest slice of the diaspora, is unable to produce one functional (as opposed to dysfunctional) organization. The lack of chutzpah, initiative and desire to make a difference is striking compared to the US and UK communities. I am sorry but we Sikhs in Canada have proved to be a bunch of losers in this regard, especially in British Columbia!
7: Manpreet Singh (Hyderabad, India), October 12, 2012, 6:05 AM.
It's high time that we roll up our sleeves and get down to work. Words without action are lighter than the weight of hair. We need people who can convert the plans into action. I am really amazed that even the established organizations like the ones mentioned in post # 5 (by Nirlep Kaur) have not uttered a single word. This whole propaganda by the Indian media is maligning the image of Sikhs not only in India but also where Sikhs live in large numbers. Please note that the 2014 election in India is not far and the Indian establishment has started hatching a plan against Sikhs (scapegoat) which may prove more murkier than what we have seen in the past. "zulm karna te paap hai, par zulm seh lena us ton wi wadaa paap hai!"
8: Gurteg Singh (New York, USA), October 12, 2012, 8:02 AM.
We used to have an organization called "Sikh Media Watch and Resource Task Force" known as SMART. But after the formation of the Sikh Coalition to defend the civil rights of Sikhs post 9/11, it also renamed itself as SALDEF and forgot its primary mission. We would like to hear from them as to why they changed their mission and what are they doing in response to this deliberate and planned assault by the Indian media against the Sikh diaspora?
9: Gurteg Singh (New York, USA), October 12, 2012, 8:12 AM.
The Sikh Film Festival in New York should IMMEDIATELY cancel all invitations to the Indian Government lackeys. If they do not, I request all Sikhs to boycott this program and not to participate in this function which will celebrate and honor the enemies of the Sikh nation. Will a Jewish function ever honor representatives of the Nazis? I am already hearing that Sikh youth organizations are planning a black flag protest at the venue and will shame the organizers of this festival unless plans are changed.
10: Jasleen Kaur (New York, USA), October 12, 2012, 10:33 AM.
"Sikhs for Justice" has presented a big picture as well as detailed analysis of India's propaganda with the title - "India's Quick Tricks" (Part 1, 2 and 3). Please read that. Though, I completely agree with what you say, that we need an all encompassing media strategy, as compared to fragmented, knee-jerk or sporadic responses.
11: N. Singh (Canada), October 12, 2012, 2:04 PM.
@ Jasleen Kaur: Where is this article? Cannot find it on their website or the internet.
12: Manpreet Singh (Hyderabad, India), October 12, 2012, 3:03 PM.
@ Jasleen Kaur: I am not able to access the articles. It will be great if you can provide the link.
13: Renee (Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA, ), October 13, 2012, 9:28 AM.
Why are people so mean and nasty? I don't understand. Sikhs are some of the kindest people on the planet. Why the fear or apprehension?
14: Jasleen Kaur (New York, USA), October 15, 2012, 11:16 AM.
@ Manpreet Singh & N Singh - They have published this analysis on their Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sikhs-for-Justice/183154201728243.