Choosing our battles

Writing by shinda on Sunday, 29 of January , 2006

Saturday I was on SikhSangat and it was reported that Kim Bolan was coming to town to do a lecture at Ryerson University on February the 14th. Instantly I figured action needs to be taken against her, considering who she is, and what she writes.

For those who don’t know Kim Bolan, she works for the Vancouver Sun, (a news tabloid) and she’s made a career battling Sikhs. As a result she has had the odd death threat made her way and in the process gotten the media attention she so desperately seeks. Here in Ontario, Kim Bolan isn’t as much of a house hold name as she is in Vancouver, so anything and everything known about her comes from the West.

So I was sitting here wondering what type of action should be taken against Ms. Bolan, and minutes later had my concerns echoed back to me by others, only strengthening my resolve that something ought to be done. A day later, still coming short on reasons to protest against Ms. Bolan speaking here, other then the fact that I disagree with her views, and I came across a post on SolaRiders blog about an event where Balbir Singh spoke, (Kirtan Darbar at Ilford).

Now I’m all for keeping Kim Bolan from speaking or at least if she does speak let the school and community know about our disgust with her work, yet at the same time I’m starting to think that it’s energy wasted in the wrong direction, after all expending so much energy on her only accredits and acknowledges her lies to a certain degree. It just seems like a waste when we got brothers rotting in Indian jails, such as Prof. Davinderpal Singh.

Now a large part of my change in attitude could and probably is just frustration. Frustration at the fact that a school such as Ryerson is giving Kim Bolan the time of day to speak and address people. Frustration with the fact that Kim Bolan has received honors for her work, and her dedication to spewing these lies. Frustration that she has an army of Uncle Tom’s behind her acting as her credible sources on Sikhi. Frustration that due to political correctness and freedom of speech she is allowed to write her anti Sikh writings and her misguided, prejudiced and defamatory opinion. But then again maybe that’s the key to it all. That although she may not openly call Sikhs terrorists, it is implied in every single one of her articles and rather then trying to find an article where she says this, instead highlight why her opinion is totally wrong.

Now those thinking I did a complete 360 from the start, you’re probably right, after all most my posts including this one are just me thinking out loud. Originally I thought maybe we should let this slide since we got more important things to worry about, but then again she is a part of the same problem that we are trying to overcome and solve when it comes to Sikh prisoners in India. Considering its people like her who twist the facts, and construe events, in order to push their own brand of propaganda, that works to convince us and others that we are wrong and are at fault. I guess that’s more reason then any that we need to take a stand, against her and others like her. It is more then a good reason then any to show that she is wrong, and even more so a reason as to why this is battle worth fighting.

Category: Events, Protest, Sikhi

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