Testimony Sonny Singh Summary

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The assigned reading for chapter 6, Testimony by Sonny Singh is a firsthand account of the author as he fell victim to the prejudice towards certain racial and ethnic groups that followed the events of September 11,2001. Sonny Singh belongs to an ethnic group called Sikhs which are very identifiable because of their appearances. Most Sikh men wear a turban and have beards. This is a religious requirement for them and they consider it a matter of faith and prestige. In this article, the author has mentioned various instances where he has faced prejudice by strangers even years after the 9/11 attack and how it affects his everyday life as an educator and musician. In his article, Sonny Singh clearly lays down examples all three components of prejudice that he has …show more content…

This is an example of the cognitive component of prejudice. He also feels that people around his look at him with resentment, hatred and dislike due to his race and ethnicity. This is an example of the affective component of prejudice. He gives several examples of how being a Sikh has been the reason for him being called names, disrespected and even harassed by strangers in public at least once a week. He mentions incidents from his school and on a subway where his turban was pulled off as a way of disrespect and humiliation. He also mentions an incident where the police had taken him into custody when he was pasting flyers for his concert. These events are examples of the behavioral component of prejudice. Being an Asian Muslim, I can relate very much to the components of prejudice Sonny Singh has experienced as stated in this article and have many examples that I can quote here from my life. However, for the sake of this discussion I want to share a recent experience of one of my friends who wears a hijab (headscarf) and is a doctor practicing medicine in New York. Covering the head with a head scarf is a religious