Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Sikh Taxi Driver Shot and Killed by passengers in North Richmond
This is not the first time a taxi driver has been murdered in the East Bay. And this is not the first time a Sikh has been murdered for no reason at all. Sikhs are very noble people and a true Sikh will always help others. It was wrong of the cowards to kill 58 years Gurpartap Singh in cold blood. It is when such crimes take place that good peace loving citizens wonder - what should be done to such cowards?
When I was very young I was deeply influenced by the Sikh community.
I often visited their temple and participated in the prayers. When I was very young I was drawn to one Elderly Sikh woman who always taught me to good works which I continue to do to this day. I learned to play field hockey and cricket with Sikhs and did well in these games. More I learned much from my young and old Sikh friends.
Here is the Bay Area we have many Sikhs. Many of them wear a tuban and some ignorant folks think they are from the Middleeast or from some land other then India. Often link Sikhs to some one like Osama Bin Laden. On occasion after hearing a rude remark and have had to defend the Sikhs. In this country many have no clue about geography. Just as they have no clue that this land belongs to the First People. Every one is an immigrant except the FIRST PEOPLE.
Sikhs are from India and many hail from the Punjab. The are very hard working. You will NOT easily meet a lazy Sikh. They make one of the best soldiers and the British and even the renowned Gurkhas from Nepal - revere the Sikhs. Sikhs are noble.
In India many a time if some one is in trouble they will turn to Sikhs for help. I have met Sikhs all over the world and will go out of my way to make my acquaintance and tell them how I was influence by the Sikhs.
Now, imagine on Christmas Day some coward shooting an innocent Sikh driver in the head for some little money. What a sense of life! What a sense of civility! What a sense of humanity! What a low down coward!
The cowards mostly probably was raised wrong, lived wrong, and will have to pay for his or her crime. Folks in Northern Richmond get a grip on life and stop this sensless killing.
Sikhs will rally around this brother - believe me they will. Sikhs are not cowards and have proved their skill in fighting wars for a good cause all over the world. But you would not expect ignorant idiots to know about that. Please do not mistake Sikhs for cowards and do not mistake them for not being compassionate and worthy citizens.
My prayers are with the family of Mr. Gurpartap Singh - his wife and children and relatives.
The man came from India and for the past 7 years has been working very hard to put bread and butter on the table. Sikhs love Nan and the curries we all love when you go to Indian Restaurants. They are human and must be treated with respect. Greet a Sikh with respect and he or she will respect you too. It is all about love.
Now, suddenly a good man has left us. Let this life not be wasted. Let us the many that have guts fight the cowards and put them behind bars where they deserve to be for a long, long, time. I cannot stand cowards - especially those that kill some one in cold blood and behind one's back.
It is not easy to drive a cab in the East Bay. I often take a cab when I have to attend some event and especially after taking the Bart have little time to make it to the event.
I find it hard to catch the buses in the East Bay. If given a chance I will take a cab with a Sikh - first of all I feel safe and secondly I can talk about my realationships with Sikhs all over the world.
May the soul of Gurpartap Singh rest in peace. It is not uncommon for a Sikh's las name to be Singh - just like Williams or Smith.
Again let this life not be in vain. To my fellow Sikhs I say let us meet and follow a plan of action.
We cannot sit down and allow the cowards to run all over us.
Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy
4909 3rd Street
San Francisco, CA 94124
Phone: 415-822-9602
Fax: 415-822-9600
http://www.franciscodacosta.com/
I often visited their temple and participated in the prayers. When I was very young I was drawn to one Elderly Sikh woman who always taught me to good works which I continue to do to this day. I learned to play field hockey and cricket with Sikhs and did well in these games. More I learned much from my young and old Sikh friends.
Here is the Bay Area we have many Sikhs. Many of them wear a tuban and some ignorant folks think they are from the Middleeast or from some land other then India. Often link Sikhs to some one like Osama Bin Laden. On occasion after hearing a rude remark and have had to defend the Sikhs. In this country many have no clue about geography. Just as they have no clue that this land belongs to the First People. Every one is an immigrant except the FIRST PEOPLE.
Sikhs are from India and many hail from the Punjab. The are very hard working. You will NOT easily meet a lazy Sikh. They make one of the best soldiers and the British and even the renowned Gurkhas from Nepal - revere the Sikhs. Sikhs are noble.
In India many a time if some one is in trouble they will turn to Sikhs for help. I have met Sikhs all over the world and will go out of my way to make my acquaintance and tell them how I was influence by the Sikhs.
Now, imagine on Christmas Day some coward shooting an innocent Sikh driver in the head for some little money. What a sense of life! What a sense of civility! What a sense of humanity! What a low down coward!
The cowards mostly probably was raised wrong, lived wrong, and will have to pay for his or her crime. Folks in Northern Richmond get a grip on life and stop this sensless killing.
Sikhs will rally around this brother - believe me they will. Sikhs are not cowards and have proved their skill in fighting wars for a good cause all over the world. But you would not expect ignorant idiots to know about that. Please do not mistake Sikhs for cowards and do not mistake them for not being compassionate and worthy citizens.
My prayers are with the family of Mr. Gurpartap Singh - his wife and children and relatives.
The man came from India and for the past 7 years has been working very hard to put bread and butter on the table. Sikhs love Nan and the curries we all love when you go to Indian Restaurants. They are human and must be treated with respect. Greet a Sikh with respect and he or she will respect you too. It is all about love.
Now, suddenly a good man has left us. Let this life not be wasted. Let us the many that have guts fight the cowards and put them behind bars where they deserve to be for a long, long, time. I cannot stand cowards - especially those that kill some one in cold blood and behind one's back.
It is not easy to drive a cab in the East Bay. I often take a cab when I have to attend some event and especially after taking the Bart have little time to make it to the event.
I find it hard to catch the buses in the East Bay. If given a chance I will take a cab with a Sikh - first of all I feel safe and secondly I can talk about my realationships with Sikhs all over the world.
May the soul of Gurpartap Singh rest in peace. It is not uncommon for a Sikh's las name to be Singh - just like Williams or Smith.
Again let this life not be in vain. To my fellow Sikhs I say let us meet and follow a plan of action.
We cannot sit down and allow the cowards to run all over us.
Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy
4909 3rd Street
San Francisco, CA 94124
Phone: 415-822-9602
Fax: 415-822-9600
http://www.franciscodacosta.com/
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
It's terrible that some cab driver, regardless of his religion or nationality, was murdered for his money. But this piece of crap is totally racist and reactionary: Sikh's are good (apparently, being soldiers for Imperial Britain is proof of that!!!) and "Folks in Northern Richmond" -- I wonder who they are and how the writer knows that somebody from there did the shooting! -- need to "get a grip on life and stop this sensless killing."
If the driver was killed because he was a Sikh, that would be a matter for indybay. If it's ordinary crime it isn't, unless the writer deals with the social oppression that generates such acts. We already get enough crime reporting from the mainstream media, except for all the crimes committed by the ruling class. Let's not do their work for them.
If the driver was killed because he was a Sikh, that would be a matter for indybay. If it's ordinary crime it isn't, unless the writer deals with the social oppression that generates such acts. We already get enough crime reporting from the mainstream media, except for all the crimes committed by the ruling class. Let's not do their work for them.
"What is this racist law-and-order crap doing on indybay?"
Francisco Da Costa posted it.
While right-wing stuff is often hidden, the overall content of the site doesnt reflect the views of one specific collective or political ideology. Da Costa's point in the article was mainly one of reporting on a local news story that he seems to have had a personal connection to. Some of the language does seem a little strong but given that Da Costa focuses much of his political actvism on environmental racism (at least from what I can see on his website) I wouldnt hide or not make local something like this just because I disagree with its politics. He thinks this shooting was motivated by racism and with an open posting website like this it really isnt up to the editors to agree or disagree but just give voice to progressives who want to post news.
Francisco Da Costa posted it.
While right-wing stuff is often hidden, the overall content of the site doesnt reflect the views of one specific collective or political ideology. Da Costa's point in the article was mainly one of reporting on a local news story that he seems to have had a personal connection to. Some of the language does seem a little strong but given that Da Costa focuses much of his political actvism on environmental racism (at least from what I can see on his website) I wouldnt hide or not make local something like this just because I disagree with its politics. He thinks this shooting was motivated by racism and with an open posting website like this it really isnt up to the editors to agree or disagree but just give voice to progressives who want to post news.
The way this article is written it suggests that Sikhs are good, while Muslims (those mid-east people with whom Sikhs get confused with 'cause of their turban) - are obviously bad. Those noble Sikhs should not be hurt, but kill and slaughter those horrible backward looking Muslims all you want.
What a joke of an article. No wonder our enviornment is going down the drain - with idiots like this guy part of the show of "enviornmental justice."
What a joke of an article. No wonder our enviornment is going down the drain - with idiots like this guy part of the show of "enviornmental justice."
"The way this article is written it suggests that Sikhs are good, while Muslims (those mid-east people with whom Sikhs get confused with 'cause of their turban) - are obviously bad."
Thats not what I get out of his article. Since he is talking about an actual Sikh man being attacked I wouldnt say that pointing out that the attackers probably mistook his religion is voicing support for antiMuslim racism. My guess is that De Costa is strongly opposed to racism against Muslims... but in this case a Sikh man was killed and De Costa sees the attack as being due to antiSikh racism.
After 9/11 many of those attacked out of the hatred Bush whipped up
against Muslism have been Sikhs.
"...the first hate crime incident after 9/11 was on a Sikh. "Since then, on the assumption that Sikhs are linked to Osama bin Laden because they wear turbans, many members of the community have been killed shot, assaulted and beaten up. In almost all cases, the perpetrators got away.""
http://www.saldef.org/default.aspx?zone=article.view&a=597&z=4
http://www.pluralism.org/research/profiles/display.php?profile=74090
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4017161.stm
http://www.hanania.com/hatevictims.html
Thats not what I get out of his article. Since he is talking about an actual Sikh man being attacked I wouldnt say that pointing out that the attackers probably mistook his religion is voicing support for antiMuslim racism. My guess is that De Costa is strongly opposed to racism against Muslims... but in this case a Sikh man was killed and De Costa sees the attack as being due to antiSikh racism.
After 9/11 many of those attacked out of the hatred Bush whipped up
against Muslism have been Sikhs.
"...the first hate crime incident after 9/11 was on a Sikh. "Since then, on the assumption that Sikhs are linked to Osama bin Laden because they wear turbans, many members of the community have been killed shot, assaulted and beaten up. In almost all cases, the perpetrators got away.""
http://www.saldef.org/default.aspx?zone=article.view&a=597&z=4
http://www.pluralism.org/research/profiles/display.php?profile=74090
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4017161.stm
http://www.hanania.com/hatevictims.html
8/7/03
By Editor
Courtesy of CAIR
(Washington, D.C.) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today condemned an attack on a Sikh family in New York that was apparently motivated by religious or ethnic bias. The Washington-based Islamic civil rights and advocacy group said preventing bias-motivated attacks must be a "top priority" for American political and religious leaders.
According to media reports, three men attacked the family - a married couple and a relative - when they were returning to their Queens, N.Y., home on Sunday evening. The victims, who are immigrants from India, were allegedly punched, spit on and told "bin Laden family, go back to your country." One of the victims wore a Sikh turban, a religious head covering that has in the past prompted attacks by perpetrators who believe it is part of Islamic attire.
By Editor
Courtesy of CAIR
(Washington, D.C.) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today condemned an attack on a Sikh family in New York that was apparently motivated by religious or ethnic bias. The Washington-based Islamic civil rights and advocacy group said preventing bias-motivated attacks must be a "top priority" for American political and religious leaders.
According to media reports, three men attacked the family - a married couple and a relative - when they were returning to their Queens, N.Y., home on Sunday evening. The victims, who are immigrants from India, were allegedly punched, spit on and told "bin Laden family, go back to your country." One of the victims wore a Sikh turban, a religious head covering that has in the past prompted attacks by perpetrators who believe it is part of Islamic attire.
For more information:
http://www.antiracismnet.org/soc/article.h...
Mr. Grupartap Singh was 58 years old and a very hard working innocent Sikh killed by a coward in cold blood. That was my main point in writing the article.
I detest cowards and those that defend cowards.
I have nothing against humanity - Muslims, Jains, Jews, Hindus, Christians, Atheists.
Not even against the few morons that cannot comprehend English and my simple article. Educate yourselves on issues.
Hate crimes leading to killing an innocent person in cold blood is wrong - period. Now, if some of you cannot understand that go get a life.
Some folks get irked if you tell the truth. Others will take a point and beat it to death. No wonder we have so many living dead.
Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy
I detest cowards and those that defend cowards.
I have nothing against humanity - Muslims, Jains, Jews, Hindus, Christians, Atheists.
Not even against the few morons that cannot comprehend English and my simple article. Educate yourselves on issues.
Hate crimes leading to killing an innocent person in cold blood is wrong - period. Now, if some of you cannot understand that go get a life.
Some folks get irked if you tell the truth. Others will take a point and beat it to death. No wonder we have so many living dead.
Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy
Sad how the igorant racist peoples are allowed to kill miniorities who are peaceful. Maybe If Sikhs took up arms like they have done in the past people will not take advantage for their passive and peadeful nature for granted.
Non-Violence is the clear way to teach the Racists and cowards the genuine way and more. Much like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. learned from the Mahatma who hailed from India.
Cowards, continue to kill innocent people because they are not educated. As we have gathered by some of the comments here.
The cowards will not take on the strong or those that can tackle them. They sneak behind like cowards and commit their dirty deed.
A true Sikh will face his enemy we all know that. But today it is about education and non-violence.
Violence is not the way to solve this problem.
The best way to solve this problem is to be united, build bridges, and have a plan of action that is respected by all. We can all do that - remember in every country there are good people and strong people. People of character.
I served in the U.S. Army and so I know what I am talking about. I also have travelled all over the world and understand fully the ability of the Sikhs to bear arms and over come any obstacles. History is on the side of the Sikhs and the good history should be kept alive - today, in contemporary times.
Gurpartap Singh was a peaceful man and he was 58 years. He helped many people and he had many friends. Why do you think we are talking about him so much. His spirit will live forever - he has lit a light and it our right to keep his memory and light alive.
The coward that killed him is a coward.
We should not justify any action of a coward by taking up arms.
We can inform Law Enforce at all levels - including the local law enforcement level - which is just the tip of the iceberg.
Right now we should contact the Senators and the Congress persons. Write a letter to the White House. A letter to the United Nations and to other World bodies.
Write in all the International Newspapers - we have the ability to do that. We can expose the cowards - it is not that we do not know how they behave and it is not as if this has not happened before. Enough is enough.
I have been contacted by some powerful people. We are moving in the right direction. In the mean time let each one do their part. Soon, we should meet and chalk out a clear plan - this is possible because Mr. Gurpartap Singh and his family deserve the best humanity can offer. They will get what they desire one way or the other.
Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy
Cowards, continue to kill innocent people because they are not educated. As we have gathered by some of the comments here.
The cowards will not take on the strong or those that can tackle them. They sneak behind like cowards and commit their dirty deed.
A true Sikh will face his enemy we all know that. But today it is about education and non-violence.
Violence is not the way to solve this problem.
The best way to solve this problem is to be united, build bridges, and have a plan of action that is respected by all. We can all do that - remember in every country there are good people and strong people. People of character.
I served in the U.S. Army and so I know what I am talking about. I also have travelled all over the world and understand fully the ability of the Sikhs to bear arms and over come any obstacles. History is on the side of the Sikhs and the good history should be kept alive - today, in contemporary times.
Gurpartap Singh was a peaceful man and he was 58 years. He helped many people and he had many friends. Why do you think we are talking about him so much. His spirit will live forever - he has lit a light and it our right to keep his memory and light alive.
The coward that killed him is a coward.
We should not justify any action of a coward by taking up arms.
We can inform Law Enforce at all levels - including the local law enforcement level - which is just the tip of the iceberg.
Right now we should contact the Senators and the Congress persons. Write a letter to the White House. A letter to the United Nations and to other World bodies.
Write in all the International Newspapers - we have the ability to do that. We can expose the cowards - it is not that we do not know how they behave and it is not as if this has not happened before. Enough is enough.
I have been contacted by some powerful people. We are moving in the right direction. In the mean time let each one do their part. Soon, we should meet and chalk out a clear plan - this is possible because Mr. Gurpartap Singh and his family deserve the best humanity can offer. They will get what they desire one way or the other.
Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy
how is this cab driver's death any different than any other cabbie's death? nobody knows the motivation for murder, other than that he was robbed and presumably killed over money. that happens.
"Non-Violence is the clear way ... Martin Luther King Jr. ... the Mahatma ..."
Where'd you get your history, Francisco? Reader's Digest? Ranger Rick? Congratulations on being a political eunuch, now the slave-masters don't have to think about you
Where'd you get your history, Francisco? Reader's Digest? Ranger Rick? Congratulations on being a political eunuch, now the slave-masters don't have to think about you
Read what happen in 1948 when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. read the works of Mahatma Gandhi!
Then go to school and learn more .....
http://www.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/mlking.htm
Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy
Then go to school and learn more .....
http://www.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/mlking.htm
Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy
1) I've FORGOTTEN more history than you'll ever know
2) Gandhi didn't drive the British out of India. Their empire collapsed after WWII and they left of their own accord, just like they did from a couple dozen other colonies. You know: Burma, Malaysia, Belize, Jamaica, Palestine, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, British Guiana...
Then they realized it would be a good joke on twits like you if they gave Gandhi credit for it
3) King wasn't as threatening as you pretend. That's why he lived as long as he did, unlike Malcolm X. King didn't need killing til '68 when he was about to expand the movement to include poor whites. That was indeed very threatening. The ruling scum don't like bridge-builders (Judi Barry was another one)
The Civil Rights Acts were about containing an emerging full-blown insurrection. Meanwhile the FBI etc. were going around black-bagging all its main agitators. It's the possibility that social upheaval might fuck with their stock portfolios that really gets the ruling scum's attention
If King and Gandhi were really such ultimate threats to entrenched class power, do you really think the billionaire-controlled corporate media would keep waving them in your face? Reading all the books on earth doesn't do you a bit of good if you can't THINK
2) Gandhi didn't drive the British out of India. Their empire collapsed after WWII and they left of their own accord, just like they did from a couple dozen other colonies. You know: Burma, Malaysia, Belize, Jamaica, Palestine, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, British Guiana...
Then they realized it would be a good joke on twits like you if they gave Gandhi credit for it
3) King wasn't as threatening as you pretend. That's why he lived as long as he did, unlike Malcolm X. King didn't need killing til '68 when he was about to expand the movement to include poor whites. That was indeed very threatening. The ruling scum don't like bridge-builders (Judi Barry was another one)
The Civil Rights Acts were about containing an emerging full-blown insurrection. Meanwhile the FBI etc. were going around black-bagging all its main agitators. It's the possibility that social upheaval might fuck with their stock portfolios that really gets the ruling scum's attention
If King and Gandhi were really such ultimate threats to entrenched class power, do you really think the billionaire-controlled corporate media would keep waving them in your face? Reading all the books on earth doesn't do you a bit of good if you can't THINK
It is just like that guy who rules in Iran who mentions as a matter a fact that over 6 million Jews did not die - and states over and over again that it is just fiction. Then another wanabee in Egypt agrees with him. And so just like that real facts are relagated to the dust bin.
We have to know our past to understand the present and future. They say history repeats itself.
Here in the United States misinformation, Spin, and drab Television is the main feed back most folks get day in and day out. Of course why would they read anything at all - if they cannot discern?
For sure there is a lot of disinformation but it takes an educated person to filter through the information. That is why you have some one writing nonsense on facts, economics, world history, and anything that comes to his head. Diatribe.
There is freedom and there is license!
Misuse of freedom is license and that includes false information and fake ways of thinking about real facts.
How could some one that has NOT been educated think correctly? Of course they go to school and to college but the guy says - " do not read books " - you just cannot get your information from books. No wonder our society has such pathetic folks - talking and writing nonsense and more so shallow.
During my life time I met some of the hitoric figures and I took time to study and research a lot of what I say and write.
That is why because of lack of studying facts - some are so biased that their false information, leads to false thinkng, and ultimately to bad actions.
It is for this simple reason so many do not understand world history. In fact many are so ignorant and more arrogant. As far as having a standing among the 100 best educated countries in the world - U.S. standing is low down the totem pole. Go figure!
Francisco Da Costa
Director
Enironmental Justice Advocacy
Calm down! I knew this driver. He took me home from Del Norte BART many times. He was good man. He loved his kids. He loved what America and his hard work had given him. The truth is he was killed for money in Richmond. This is hardly the first time this has happened. Another one of the Sikh drivers at Del Norte was killed a couple of years ago. The drivers hate going into bad neighborhoods in Richmond. They knew the risk. Some of these drivers have told me that they are considering no longer taking fares there. Sad for the law abiding people of Richmond. But until Richmond can get its violence under control, you will see more of the same.
(1.) Ahmadinejad doesn't "rule" Iran any more than Bush "rules" America. Iran is a parliamentary democracy. Their parliament, the Majlis, makes their laws. The executive branch merely enforces them.
(2.) Here's what he *really* said about the Holocaust:
http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/12/1790577.php
(2.) Here's what he *really* said about the Holocaust:
http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/12/1790577.php
Costa, why don't you go back to upholding Sikhs as not being middle-eastern and as part of the (hated) Gurka force that the British used to put down anti-colonial rebellion in India.
Thank you for writing over here on Indybay - now we know the kind of fool you are.
Ahmedinejad made some very important points regarding the Zionist state of "Israel" - you might even learn a thing or two if you took a step or two back from your indoctrination.
Thank you for writing over here on Indybay - now we know the kind of fool you are.
Ahmedinejad made some very important points regarding the Zionist state of "Israel" - you might even learn a thing or two if you took a step or two back from your indoctrination.
Sometimes I wonder about the IQ of certain folks and more if they are educated on issues. We see strange things happening within Iran. This short articel may enlighten the fool that wanted to take me on:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/01/08/INGODGH99Q1.DTL&type=printable
Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/01/08/INGODGH99Q1.DTL&type=printable
Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy
And Edwin Black is another Holocaust-pushing Jewish shill for the state of Israel. That's why his career is soaring these days. Please spare us the devious pro-Israel spin pieces.
Carrying stangers all the time day and night and in all areas behind your back is one of the most dangerous thing one can do in life. Please help me to raise my voice that as per law each cab company is required below :-
1. Monotoring system which records all the passengers (starngers). Please forgive atleast this much privacy for the sake of the people who drive you all over the city. It should be writen in CAB that you are MONITORED.
2. TV's should restrain a bit from showing too much turbaned (or hat really) Bin Laden . This creates a subtle hate against turban in viewers. And more than 95% people who wear turban in US are Sikhs who are the only people in India who fought against Mughal Muslim invaders and gave the tit-for-tat.
1. Monotoring system which records all the passengers (starngers). Please forgive atleast this much privacy for the sake of the people who drive you all over the city. It should be writen in CAB that you are MONITORED.
2. TV's should restrain a bit from showing too much turbaned (or hat really) Bin Laden . This creates a subtle hate against turban in viewers. And more than 95% people who wear turban in US are Sikhs who are the only people in India who fought against Mughal Muslim invaders and gave the tit-for-tat.
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$75.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network