BY ELAINE KLAASSEN

We grieve with the Sikh community in Wisconsin in the aftermath of the tragic shooting that occurred on Aug. 5. We join others in Minnesota who have offered their support. A Day of Prayer was held Aug. 12 by the Minnesota Conference of Churches. The Muslim group CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, issued a statement: “… American Muslims stand with their Sikh brothers and sisters in this time of crisis and loss. We condemn this senseless act of violence … “

The Advocates for Human Rights held a candlelight vigil on Aug. 10 in Bloomington and called Americans to “Stand together to reject hate and respect religious freedom.” Governor Dayton signed a proclamation ordering all flags at state and federal building in Minnesota be lowered to half-staff from sunrise until sunset on Aug. 10.

The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, said, “Powerful are not those who destroy. Powerful are those who unite.”

The power of uniting in grief has not only been seen in Minnesota. Hundreds from many different faiths gathered in solidarity on Saturday, Aug. 11, in Washington, D.C. Bhai Gurdharshan Singh, a Washington, D.C., local leader in the Sikh community, reflected on the outpouring of support that was received by Sikhs across the country.

I first met the Sikhs in Barcelona, Spain, in 2004, at an astounding six-day conference put on by the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions. Members of the Sikh immigrant community were providing a free meal every day for conference attendees in an enormous tent next to the Mediterranean. Every day we went in, took off our shoes, sat in rows on the floor along long, red runners, and received unbelievably good vegetarian food from buckets as servers walked by and plopped huge spoonfuls onto our plates.

The Sikh religion was founded in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. They believe in God and in serving their fellow humans. Equality of all people is very important. It is heartbreaking what happened to this beautiful community in the land of religious freedom.