Dr Rajwant Singh, an influential Sikh American community leader, met President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to personally thank them for their deep concern and unstinted support in the wake of the horrific massacre of Sikh worshippers on August 5 at a gurudwara at Oak Creek, Wisconsin by white supremacist and neo-Nazi Wade Michael Page.
Elated over the re-election of United States President Barack Obama, Sikh-Americans have said his victory is "especially great" for them because he has demonstrated in the last four years that he has deep respect for their faith.
United States lawmakers, who attended the annual Sikh American Heritage Dinner on Capitol Hill organized by the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, pledged to support the community's efforts to serve in the armed forces without compromising their religious principles.
United States President Barack Obama may visit the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs, in Amritsar during his visit to India in November. "We are confident that after Obama's visit to the Golden Temple, the US residents would get to know about Sikhs and Sikhism in a better way," said Dr Rajwant Singh, chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education.
Several US lawmakers pledged to support the Sikh community's efforts to serve in the US armed forces without compromising their religious principles.
Leading Indian American hotelier and community leader Sant Chatwal has been honoured by Sikh Council on Religion and Education for his contribution to humanitarian causes worldwide.
Nine out of 10 educated Americans identified Sikhs with Muslims, says a survey.
Ethnic slurs were also spray-painted on the property, the Sikh Council on Religion and Education said.
"These Americans are impressed with the Sikh philosophy, which has universal appeal. Sikhism is the youngest religion and modern in outlook."
The Sikh Council on Religion and Education has joined over 500 religious leaders across the US in their demand for the passage of such a legislation.
About 90 per cent of the workers at this delivery service facility are said to be Indian-Americans, mostly from the Sikh community.
Deputies say that Pittman was arrested early Thursday morning wearing nothing but a sheet taken from the temple's furnishings. He was also holding the gurdwara's ceremonial sword.
In a bid to allay growing concerns within the community, the White House sent one of its top officials to a Gurdwara in the suburb of Washington, DC on Sunday to meet members of the Sikh community and local leadership to assure them about their safety and interest.
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