As many people know the blog-sphere has erupted with everyone going crazy, and donating there two cents about the whole European, Muslim fiasco, so I thought it was high time I join the debate and offer up my perspective on things.

For those of you who know nothing about what I’m talking about, then here’s a brief breakdown.

A newspaper in Denmark, printed an editorial cartoon that depicts the Muslim prophet Mohammad, with a bomb in his pugh. Muslims got sick pissed, and went out basically declared a boycott on all Danish goods etc. They also went and kicked out the bureaucrats at the Danish embassies in the Muslim states. In retaliation other European papers printed similar editorial cartoons, protesting free speech etc. and the rest you can figure out on your own. (Or do a Google search on the matter).

Now, a lot of people are screaming that freedom of speech has come under attack with the Muslims basically going all Jihadi against European officials, and are completely out of line. After giving this some thought, I disagree completely.

First and foremost I’m all for freedom of speech, don’t get me wrong. After all it’s because of freedom of speech that I’m able to say and write the things that I do. At the same time with this power, I also have a responsibility over the things that I say, and am liable for what I say. Basically if I start calling people out, then I do so knowing that I might provoke them to start something. Just like in the good ol’ Turner days, I wouldn’t talk shit about someone and not expect it to escalate into a fight. So unless I was willing to go there I kept my mouth shut.

Same goes for these journalists. Knowing how the Muslim masses are in general, you don’t go printing such things without expecting to get some reaction. I’ve read many people argue that it’s all well and dandy, but those cartoons are no cause to take up arms against other individuals and this is my friends is where the great divide is created between the two cultures.

The fact is that, many Westerners can not and will not ever be able to relate or imagine the psyche that many of the hard line Muslims posses. More then anything else rather then seeing it as a whole backwards way of thinking, they should for a second look at it rather as utter and unadulterated love. After all it’s well known that men in love do crazy things or as Freud put it, “One is very crazy when in love.”

Does this mean that those who don’t act up in such ways are not devout? Possibly, but I see it more as people being devout to something else. Where as these hard line Muslims are so devout to their ideals that they are willing to kill and die for them, I see many of us in the West have now adopted an opposite attitude that, going to any extreme is wrong and we should really be balanced and impartial. Basically we remove ourselves as far as we can from everything and anything and no longer dedicating ourselves to any one ideal.

While some may see this as a positive and step forward I really see it as a step backward. After all if Sir William Wallace removed himself from his ideals would he have been who he was and accomplished what he did? Would Che Guevara be honored if he compromised his ideals and beliefs? Would Sant Jarnail Singh be looked at as being the greatest Sikh of the 21st centaury if they were wishy washy about their ideals and beliefs?

Now, I disagree with the ideals and beliefs held by hard lining Muslims, but I’ll never disagree with the passion and fervor that they support and hold them in.

After all if you’re not willing to die for your beliefs or let alone live to uphold them, then do you really believe in all that you say you do? I would think not.

And off course when such things happen I’m forced to look at how we as Sikhs would react in a similar situation. I think it’s pretty safe to say that for the most part the masses would be appalled but would rather not take any drastic action. We’d send out petitions maybe even hold a protest on some day, then after feel that we’ve made our voice heard and everyone goes back on with their business.

Now this can be looked as both a good or bad thing. If we reacted in the above manor it would no doubt make us look “mature and intelligent”, but at the same time it would make us look weak and backbone less, after all we just got slapped and all we did was say, “hey don’t do that”, rather then as the Muslims are doing now, giving a push back and warning others not to try that again.

I would much prefer the second image, of the dude who doesn’t start fights but you not wanting to push him, out of fear of him pushing you right back, rather then being the guy who you can push and only have him raise his voice to you with a slim possibility of him snapping.

After all, we’re no killers but don’t push us.

Apparently Blogger is having issues, and my blogs been acting up worse then a French poodle with diheriea. So if you posted a comment and it was up and now its not, or vice versa, or vice versa of that, then dont worry, it hasn’t been deleted. Its just problems with their (blogger.com’s) system. Hopefully things will be back to normal by tommarow. So I guess no new posts until then.

If you have ever wanted to learn the meaning of the word patience, then I suggest you become a Raptor fan.

Ever since 1996, thats exactly what they’ve been testing from all their loyal fans, it’s for that reason that it’s not surprising that the last game against Sacremento, had the the lowest turn out.

Just today the Raptors announced that they are sending Rose and a first round draft pick to New York, for Antonio Davis, who is an ex-raptor that wanted out.

Now its no surprise that Jalens gone, after all he’s always been at the heart of all trade rumors, that ever exisited thanks in large part to his huge contract, so its not really alll that surprising that he’s gone, but the fact that the Raptors would give up a first round draft pick in addition to Rose for an ex all star who wanted out of the city to begin with, is somewhat perplexing.

For starters I really dont think we need a big man on the team. Bosh and Villuenava seem to have things covered down low. So although Davis is an asset I dont really see him being that big of a factor.

Secondly the teams in rebuild mode. We need our draft picks, not only do they act as good bargining chips, they also give us the chance to pick up another strong rookie.

Lastly I honestly think if we where going for a mature player then we should have rested on trying to sign a shooting guard, to play alongside Mike James, who? MIKE JAAAAAAAMES.

Ah well, can’t judge an artists work until its done. Hopefully their will be some more trades in the near future (this summer) that can help restore some faith in this team.

Every now and then I get people asking me help hook em up, (why? Even I dont know) , but as a friend I always try to do my best. So for all you single ladies I bring you my boy Ranjit Sion.

For those of you who didn’t know, Rexdale Gurdwara, (on Highway 27 where Yudh was held last year), for the past while was involved in a legal struggle. Basically to spare the irrelevant details there are two committee’s A & committee B. Committee A is the bad guy in all this, and basically started to rob the golak causing the Sangat to create committee B. The whole court thing happened and it’s only a matter of time now before committee A is officially removed and the Gurdwara handed back to committee B, the Sangat. Right now everyone’s just waiting for the legalities to get sorted out, but judgment was awarded to committee B last week.

Now as I stated earlier Committee B is the Sangat. So this leads to what I’m really after, what will the Sangat decide to do with the Gurdwara now? The reason I even bring this up, is because there is already another Gurdwara 5 minutes away (old Rexdale), and the location of the Gurdwara in question is not all that desirable (its next to a strip joint), and people have been complaining about that for a while now.

Soooo, what will come of the Gurdwara when the old committee finally receives the boot?

If the Sangat decides to keep the Gurdwara, as a Gurdwara then I guess life will pretty much go on as normal. However I could also see the property and land being sold, and the money put back into the community, and I don’t really object to that.

But I was thinking, why not turn the inside into a gymnasium, install basketball courts add in some meeting rooms, and off course throw in a weight room for good measure.

It would be a convenient facility to have around for events such as Yudh, and even a good place and way to start other youth initiatives such as sports leagues (i.e. a Basketball leagues for youth etc.)

For maintenance and all that you could have a minimal cover charge, just enough to keep upkeep. It’s been a long time coming that the Sikh community get itself such a facility, especially at the rate that it’s been growing, so its about time we get something like a rec-center that is sponsored by the OGC or Sangat in general.

But then again that’s just my 10 cents. I’m sure everyone else has their own ideas.

So I’m writing this test for some next class, and I’m sitting there and it was a pure scene. I did the multiple choice in like 2 secs, and after that I got sick faded, because they wanted these next essay questions and i was like left it, ill fade. So I started stressing then got Kirpaa and Guru Sahib gave me next darshan of the mans sitting in front of me, and I was like ill, i’m set. So i start looking and was pure trying to cop that, and the shit on his paper was sick blurry, and I was like ahhhhhh damn menu enkaan chidee ah. Sick fade, got pure raped.

Have trouble reading/understanding the above? ah well thats a sick fade…haha gotta love Turner Boli…

I’ll just cop this story of the Brampton Guardian Site, since news stories only last for so long on them. Weird thing about Brampton is that its a pretty middle class suberb. Notice the desi employees.

Gunmen rob TD

Peel police are asking for help in solving a takeover-style bank robbery in Brampton.

On Monday, Jan. 23, at 1:20 p.m., three men entered the TD Canada Trust on Worthington Avenue in the area of Bovaird Drive and Creditview Road. One of the suspects was armed with a shotgun and the trio took over the bank. Employees and customers were ordered to the floor.

One of the suspects vaulted the teller counter and demanded cash. The terrified victim handed over a quantity of cash. The armed thugs then ran out and got away in what investigators believe is an older model dark green Honda Accord.

Bank surveillance video captured images of the suspects and pictures can be seen on the Web site at www.peel police.on.ca.

The first suspect is described as male, black, 22, with a slim build, wearing a black, long T-shirt, dark pants, knitted baseball cap and a blue bandanna. He was armed with the shotgun.

The second suspect is described as male, black, 5-foot-5, 150 pounds, wearing a camouflage green coat with a hooded sweatshirt, dark mask, blue bandanna, black gloves and carrying a green duffle bag.

The third suspect is male, black, 6-foot, 180 pounds, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, black ski mask and black do-rag.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Drugs involved in kidnapping PAM DOUGLAS

The disappearance of 300 kg of marijuana destined for delivery by truck to the United States from a Springdale home earlier this month appears to have been the motive behind the kidnapping and beating of Brampton truck driver Balkar Singh last Friday.

The smuggling of marijuana and possibly other drugs across the border by transport truck appears to be at the heart of the case, according to police sources. Police believe the drug runners’ search for the stolen marijuana led to Singh’s abduction and beating, The Brampton Guardian has learned.

The investigation into Singh’s daylight, gunpoint abduction and release two days later has taken some strange twists. The latest was a media report this week that a tape of Singh’s beating while he was being held captive was delivered to a Toronto-area Punjabi media outlet.

Peel police detectives investigating the case were working yesterday to obtain a copy of that tape. Why the tape was made, and who made it, could be a key part of the ongoing investigation, according to police.

Earlier this week, two men surrendered to police and were charged in the abduction. Sukhjit Dhaliwal, 31, of Woodbridge, and Amandeep Soos, 25, of Brampton are charged with conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, forcible confinement, aggravated assault and several firearms offences. Monday is their next court appearance.

Other arrests are expected as a special 22 Division task force continues to investigate the abduction and other criminal offences. Four men snatched Singh at gunpoint at 4:30 p.m. Friday as he walked in a plaza parking lot at Kennedy Road and Clarence Street.

The investigation led police to a rural house in Caledon early Monday morning where Tactical Unit officers were confronted by armed men.

Rajesh Owaan, 21, of Concord was shot and killed by police in the confrontation inside the home on Bramalea Road north of Mayfield Road.

Jagdeep Singh, 43, of Hamilton was also inside the house and he was hit in the leg by a bullet. He was taken to Peel Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He appeared in court Tuesday, and is now charged with breach of probation, breach of recognizance and several firearms offences. He has not been charged in connection with the abduction of Balkar Singh, who is not related to Jagdeep Singh. He is also scheduled to appear in court again Jan. 23.

Police have been busy obtaining and executing more search warrants at the Caledon house and property, but they have not revealed what it is they are looking for.

The province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting, which involved two Peel police officers. A third officer has been designated as a witness by the SIU.

Police say Singh was snatched at gunpoint and forced into a rented minivan at 4:30 p.m. Friday. The minivan, an SUV and a car believed involved in the kidnapping were later recovered-one in Brampton, the other two in Toronto.

Singh arrived home in a taxi at 8 p.m. Sunday. He had suffered minor injuries during the ordeal and was treated in hospital before being extensively questioned by police.

Singh is known to police and two years ago he was the victim of a shooting on Hwy. 401 near London. OPP at the time ruled it a case of road rage. Singh, who was driving a truck at the time, was shot in the shoulder.

Anyone with information is asked to call the 22 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau at 905-453-2121, ext. 2233, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).