"Stupid Bigot, Sikhs aren't Muslims!"

[Hyena Dandy]

This is something I see a lot of, it's most common with Sikhs being mistaken for Muslims, but it happens an awful lot. It upsets me when people (Other than Sikhs, who are rightly concerned about their own safety) seem to emphasize not the fact that these people physically assaulted someone based on their perceived religious beliefs, but that the people were wrong about the religion.

Now, it's of course worth bringing up that, you know, that wasn't the same group. To do otherwise is to spread confusion. But I'd rather not see it made the entire point of the article so often. When I see things like these, I often feel like it's a sort of tacit acknowledgement, a backhanded defense. Like when McCain responded to someone saying "Obama's a Muslim!" With "No, he's a good family man."

[Ginger Tea]

You would think the Turban would be a give away, but then again Bin Lala also wore a non religious turban.

Where I used to live we had the big 3 Asian communities* Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi, all were known derogatorily as Paki as those who were vocal about them didn't distinguish between ancestral homes religion or any other defining characteristics, your basic equal opportunist racists.



*also why I tend to say oriental over Asian when meaning China, Japan and surrounding countries, the local news would rarely if ever mean the Chinese populace when using the term Asian.

[fireheart17]

*also why I tend to say oriental over Asian when meaning China, Japan and surrounding countries, the local news would rarely if ever mean the Chinese populace when using the term Asian.

East and West Asia would also suffice.

As for the general Sikh/Muslim thing, I suspect that for those people, unless it's Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism or any religion that flies under the radar, you must be struck down.

Ironically SOME Sikhs would actually be in a better position to defend themselves depending on whether or not they carry a kirpan (although I don't believe it's meant to be used for that...).

[Greenday]

But they live in the Middle East and we all know that all Middle Easterners are Muslim!

People don't realize it's pretty much genocide that happens in Iraq and other countries going over there.

[HYHYBT]

Killing people for their religion is, sadly, old as the hills. Adding in the extra stupidity of not even getting the target right makes for a more interesting story, but also points out just how idiotic these people are anyway.

[Boozy]

*also why I tend to say oriental over Asian when meaning China, Japan and surrounding countries, the local news would rarely if ever mean the Chinese populace when using the term Asian.

I would avoid the term "oriental" if I were you, as it can be considered racist in some cases. You might consider using the terms "Far East Asian" and "Southeast Asian" if you'd like to differentiate.

[siead_lietrathua]

i had this conversation at work, like, 3 days ago. during a coworkers rambling she didn't understand why "those muslims" thought they had the right to wear their turbans and knifes. i wanted to just lay my head on the table and cry.
no, i didn't tear her a new ass, my brain BSOD'd and i just shook my head due to a stupid overload from listening to her.

[Ginger Tea]

In the UK it's (or at least it was) quite common on TV and store signs. I used to live near Manchester which has a small China town and the bus route into the centre had a wholesale food store which had the word in one metre high signage, the store is still there and afaik the sign is still the same.

Although Koreans Japanese and other nationalities other than Chinese do live in the UK, the numbers are not as great by comparison, but if you say Asian in the north at least, the first thought is Indian.

For films when I go to the Asian section I know I am getting Japanese, Chinese, Korean or Thai etc as my options, when it comes to food, I think Curry's.

Edit:
The store still says the word and although the street view was taken when Rock of Ages was in the UK (whenever that was) the signage is smaller than I remember it being, I do remember it having a facelift as it used to be an ugly building, but it has been 10 years since I moved and rarely went that far when visiting family.

Also the term might not be favourable in America, wiki still lists it as inoffensive here in the UK

British English

In British English, the term Oriental is not considered a pejorative or offensive word, and refers to people from East and Southeast Asia. Asian is generally used only to mean people from South Asia.[9] This usage reflects historic immigration into the UK, since more than 50% of the non-European population is from India, Pakistan and Bangladeshi (in British English terminology called British Asian), whereas East and Southeast Asians comprise only 5-6% of the non-European population. Of those, the majority are of Chinese descent.[10]

Australia and New Zealand use the term to denote China, Japan, Korea etc as they are closer geographically than India etc.

[Hyena Dandy]

Killing people for their religion is, sadly, old as the hills. Adding in the extra stupidity of not even getting the target right makes for a more interesting story, but also points out just how idiotic these people are anyway.

Mentioning it is good, yes, but making the main focus how not-Muslim Sikhs are is distressing.

[siead_lietrathua]

Mentioning it is good, yes, but making the main focus how not-Muslim Sikhs are is distressing.

at this point it may be necessary. a good chunk of people understand the difference so it seems pointless to them to keep emphasizing it. but the morons that never learn need it hammered into their skulls so they stop attacking anyone who's brown over their misconceptions.
not that they should attack ANYONE, but bigoted, violent fucks are idiots regardless of their background.

[Gravekeeper]

I always found this rather odd in American culture. Some how the popular Hollywood image of a terrorist was stereotypical of a Sikh instead of Muslim. Thus now some people see Sikh and think Muslim. When the two are pretty starkly different.

But then there was a guy on the news the other day that beat up two guys on the street for speaking Spanish instead of English, when in fact they were speaking Hebrew. -.-

[Andara Bledin]

Considering that it happened shortly after 2am, it's likely his local bar just closed, and as it was Wisconsin (and he was likely drunk), it's not surprising that he didn't know what he was hearing.

All he knew was that it wasn't English and that he was a raging bigot looking for any excuse to be mad at someone who displayed signs of being from some 'other' tribe.

[Gravekeeper]

All he knew was that it wasn't English and that he was a raging bigot looking for any excuse to be mad at someone who displayed signs of being from some 'other' tribe.

And that brings us full circle on the topic. Its one thing to be a racist bigot, its another thing to be a racist bigot that can't even identify what he hates. Then you're a racist bigot and a complete moron.

I mean, its fairly easy to tell Hebrew from Spanish or at the very least figure out its not Spanish. Especially given that I'm assuming that dumbass was mad at Mexicans, who have a distinctive dialect of Spanish.

[wolfie]

But they live in the Middle East and we all know that all Middle Easterners are Muslim!

I'm sure most Israelis would be quite surprised if you informed them of that (Fox News grade) "fact".