Disturbing attack & biking adventure
It's disturbing to hear the racist attack that occurred a week ago on a elderly Sikh gentlemen while he was sitting with his friends on a park bench in Abbotsford.
A lone man approached them and began making ethnic slurs. The attacker then brandished a liquor bottle and struck one of the men in the face, causing him to fall to the ground
This is absolutely disgusting and there is no excuse for this behaviour. This is surely not an example of cultural divide - this is a prime example of racism.
I recall a similar incident many years ago in Mission where a group of young kids were lighting an elderly gentlemen's turban on fire while he was sitting on a bench minding his own business.
It was a summer afternoon and I came to an intersection and glanced over and saw a group of young kids speaking to an elderly Sikh gentlemen. The next thing I noticed were flames coming out of this man's turban. I immediately stopped the car and approached these kids and assisted the victim. Lucky enough, he was alright and I called the police.
If you ever come across a situation where you sense seniors are being harassed on our streets don't hesitate to call the police.
My final preparations are being made before my departure to Victoria on my cycling journey (Cycling for Diversity), only two short weeks away.
Recently, my father handed me an old essay titled "The Gentlemen from Jundiala." It was about my grandfather Kabul Singh Herar and his journey to reunite with his family in Canada. It was written by Dale Taylor, who took an interest in Sikhism. Taylor, was a local Mission teacher and wrote a comprehensive paper on South Asian life. He said: "As a teacher, I believe that it is vital to stimulate an interest in cultures other than our own. If we can create that initial interest, then children will be motivated to search, on their own, for more knowledge of other cultures."
I couldn't agree more.
n Ken Herar is a columnist for the Times. Contact him at: kenherar@gmail.com.
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