FIscal Note
No expenditure is required.
Title
Responding to the tragic events of Sunday, Aug. 5th, 2012 at Oak Creek's Sikh temple
Body
WHEREAS, the members of the Common Council express their solidarity and support of greater Madison’s Sikh-American community in the face of the August 5th tragedy at Oak Creek’s Sikh Temple;
WHEREAS, in the days that have followed, the people of Madison have been greatly inspired by the thoughtfulness and grace with which Sikh community members have placed this incident in meaningful perspective by speaking out and sharing the nature of their culture, faith, and daily experiences as Sikh-Americans;
WHEREAS, in the face of unimaginable grief, they have transformed this incident into an educable moment with deep meaning for the community at large; that through the sharing of their stories, they have helped us to understand the nature of the hatred that has been directed at their community and so many others in the days following September 11, 2001; and that their own resolve to speak out and take action in the face of the growing threat posed by hate groups has been a call to action for us all;
WHEREAS, the City of Madison’s Equal Opportunities Commission was founded almost 50 years ago with the mission of honoring and respecting all people regardless of their race, culture, gender, religion and other characteristics reflective of our community’s diversity;
WHEREAS, more than 500 years ago, the founders of Sikhism also sought to embrace these beliefs, and that these are founding values that we share;
WHEREAS, theirs is a history of living out their faith in action, of standing up against injustice and prejudice that would otherwise encumber the human spirit;
NOW, BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the City of Madison Common Council extends its deepest condolences in the face of the tragic loss of six valued community members, and that we extend our thanks to the Sikh community for reminding us of the importance of the universa...
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