The SeattlePI has printed an eye-opening article on Sukhvir Singh, the recent victim of a hate attack in Seattle. The article traces Sukhvir Singh’s history and shows him for the person he is. It’s definitely worth a close read.

Robert Jamieson has done a great job of highlighting some deeper points, too. Here’s one of them, when Jamieson observes Vazquez at his sentencing:

I looked at Vazquez, too, and thought the venom he spewed in the cab was in him all along. Alcohol just opened the gates.

Definitely true. Had Vazquez not been inebriated, he would have thought Sukhvir Singh was an “Iraqi terrorist,” but wouldn’t have attacked him. There must be countless people who, dare I say, think like Vazquez, but thankfully don’t act on it. Hopefully we can turn the tide and correct these horribly incorrect assumptions.

Anyway, the article ends with Sukhvir Singh forgiving Vazquez and asking that Vazquez’s life not be ruined. Perhaps some of Vazquez’s community service will include promoting awareness on behalf of the Sikh community? ;)

This reminds me of a case several years ago when a friend of mine, Gurpreet Singh, was attacked on a train in New York. His attacker was also convicted of a hate crime, and Gurpreet asked that he be required to serve food in the local Sikh temple as part of his community service. :)