HINDUSTAN TIMES
Daily circulation: 1,040,000 subscribers
May 16, 2019 print edition
Daily circulation: 1,040,000 subscribers
May 16, 2019 print edition
"Doctored image in US shows Sikh Mayor as Arab Dictator"
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| The acronym "NRI" refers to "non-resident Indians"-- like Hoboken Mayor Bhalla. |
The brushfire started on the Facebook page of Religion News Service columnist, Simran Jeet Singh and probably would have ended with genuine contrition and an apology. But the publisher was unapologetic, arrogant, while distancing himself from the offending image by saying it was "reader submitted." He called a woman hurt by the image an "idiot."
The Hindustan Times referred to the Hoboken Mayor as "allegedly racially targeted" and captioned the image a "racial slur"
CANINDIA NEWS (Canada)
May 17, 2019 print edition
"Photoshopped image shows Sikh Mayor as an Arab Dictator"
It is clear that this satire of a satire landed with a thud with Sikhs around the world. The publisher and his photoshopper were not identified by name. Had this been "an orchestrated political attack from the mayor's office," he would have been.
In this story, the publisher doesn't matter, beyond the fact that he is unrepentant, doubling down by republishing the image. No, in this international story, the publisher becomes the face of American cultural insensitivity toward the Sikh religion and contempt for Sikh aspirations to office in America.
So, forget about the numbskull who is too immature and narcissistic to feel remorse at hurting members of one religious faith. Been there, done that 10 years ago. I apologized, took the image down, called religious leaders, felt genuine remorse and learned. Unfortunately, the numbskull's inability to ever admit a mistake and feel regret-- one assumes he did not intend to slur an entire religion-- has fueled this brushfire.
So, let's not waste this opportunity for a teaching moment.
I have spoken to several Sikhs in and outside of Hoboken to understand from their point of view, why they perceived this image as "racist" and a "racial attack."
This is my interview with one American Sikh.
GA: So, I can only speculate on what about this image has so struck a nerve with Sikhs, but I'm not a Sikh. So can you please explain in your own words, from your perspective, why this image has resonated so harshly in the Sikh world? Why it is viewed as racist?
KEERAT: "I’m not surprised that there is dismay about that image. From a Sikh perspective, this is the type of imagery that makes Sikhs more vulnerable to hate crimes and our kids to bullying in schools. I do know if the person who created this image ever stepped into a Gurdwara (that’s a Sikh house of worship) or read community newspapers, buzz among community members is too often about the latest hate crime. One just has to Google “Sikh hate crime” to get a sense of how ever present the threat of hate attacks are in our community. Parents at Gurdwara often trade ways about how to prevent school bullying and Sikh children are taught about how best to address it.
GA: Do you feel the image plays into a negative stereotype of Sikh men?
KEERAT: Yes. This image plays into the stereotype of the tyrannical, turbaned, bearded man that is unworthy of respect and is anti-American. It existed before 9/11 but its impact is much worse now, especially after the 2016 election.
GA: Do you believe such images inflame those predisposed toward violence against ethnic and religious minorities?
GA: Do you feel the image plays into a negative stereotype of Sikh men?
KEERAT: Yes. This image plays into the stereotype of the tyrannical, turbaned, bearded man that is unworthy of respect and is anti-American. It existed before 9/11 but its impact is much worse now, especially after the 2016 election.
GA: Do you believe such images inflame those predisposed toward violence against ethnic and religious minorities?
KEERAT: So yes, I’m not surprised that there’s concern.
GA: It seems there must be more to it. Can you explain in more detail why this image of Hoboken's Mayor Bhalla, photo-shopped with a fake beard tethered to his turban, dressed as a mock Arab dictator is so racially offensive to Sikhs. I would assume because most Arabs are Muslim, and American bigots (and their bigoted photoshoppers) equate Muslims with terrorists, and Sikhs with Muslims.
GA: It seems there must be more to it. Can you explain in more detail why this image of Hoboken's Mayor Bhalla, photo-shopped with a fake beard tethered to his turban, dressed as a mock Arab dictator is so racially offensive to Sikhs. I would assume because most Arabs are Muslim, and American bigots (and their bigoted photoshoppers) equate Muslims with terrorists, and Sikhs with Muslims.
KEERAT: So many in my faith community celebrated when they saw Ravi win his election. People joyously thought that if the turban could be associated with “Mayor” instead of “terrorist” or “tyrant” that hate crimes, school bullying could be less. This image takes us back unfortunately and puts all of us in more danger, not less. It plays into the worst racialized stereotypes of turban and bearded men being rigid, tyrannical, oppressive, instead of what Ravi and most Sikhs are, open, tolerant, welcoming, and strong believers in equality for all as a central tenet of the faith and what the turban and beard represents.
GA: Thank you, that is clearly from an American Sikhs perspective. The story is in hundreds of outlets around the world, so why do you think it's gotten this kind of traction abroad?
KEERAT: Hate crimes against everyday, regular, not famous Sikhs in the US is often headline news in India and has been for years. In this context, A Sikh who is Mayor of a US city and still received this type of imagery/abuse will definitely receive attention in India.
GA: Thanks so much, Keerat, for offering your perspective on why this image has offended millions of Sikhs around the world.
GA: Thanks so much, Keerat, for offering your perspective on why this image has offended millions of Sikhs around the world.
He thinks his caricature should be above criticism because it should inherit the perceived benign intent of the materials used to create it.
ReplyDeleteThus:
yes, there is someone I openly despise and daily and ubiquitously encourage all others to despise with me...
buuuuuut... if we agree that Sacha Baron Cohen is a humorist...
and I simply use his imagery to make this person (that I openly despise and daily and ubiquitously encourage all others to despise with me) appear as the military dictator that I daily accuse him of being....
well then... I ought to be seen as merely a fellow humorist, oughtn't I?
You simply cannot reason with someone who puts no more effort into his thought process than that.
He will never see his complicity in the bullying of children that Keerat describes nor the continuing, Trump-assisted downward spiral of the semiotics of the turban and the tragic consequences that come with it.
It’s not his problem, and you’ll never convince him otherwise. Expect at most the typical modern political apology. “I’m sorry that offended you.” Eg, I’m sorry you’re so easily offended, I’m sorry you can’t handle the truth, have no sense of humor, etc.
The best hope is that the elected representatives who use the site for PSAs will insist on higher standards or withdraw support.
If the n-word were used, they already would have. But modern racism is more subtle. The n-word is avoided while all the consequences of racism persist.
The political calculus is that Sikhs just aren’t as politically important. If it were a Sambo caricature of an African-American politico, you could have expected a swift, decisive response. But a caricature of Sikh pol a Muslim military dictator… well, that is something that they all thought they could get away with. And sowing a little added contempt for Bhalla is not without political benefit to them.
Each of them has posted one or more PSAs on the site since the global reaction to the graphic occurred. So you know all you need to know about their thought process. “Come back when discrimination against your group is more important.”
We have an interesting race this year with candidates on both sides purporting to be democrats. We'll see what that means to them. And what it doesn't.