Let us hear from a millennial from NYC, USA and also my neighbor for over 18 years in Fresh Meadows, Queens, USA about love and courage.
Aman was raised in the Sikh faith, in a multiethnic family, with ancestral roots in Sikhism, Islam and Catholicism.
At a tender age of 18, Aman has traveled far and wide. He is such an awesome teenager, he wants to share his article with HAPI.
“Jagmeet Singh, the newly appointed leader of the New Democratic Party, was preparing for a meet-and-greet. Suddenly an animated and angry heckler ambushed him accusing him of being affiliated with the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ wanting to impose sharia law in Canada. His response was, “We believe in love and courage. We do not want to be intimidated by hate. We do not want hatred to ruin a positive event”. She continued her hostile rants but he remained strong, never flinching even when she stepped into his personal space. His poised reaction inspired attendees to respond with an optimistic-natured repetitive chant, “Love and courage, love and courage!” What moved those present was the composure and refinement with which he handled this aggressive incident.
Most people would refute this situation by stating that Mr. Singh was “Sikh, not Muslim”. He could have just clarified to the heckler that he was not Muslim but he purposely did not because it suggested that their hate would be okay if he was. It exemplified that we must all be compassionate, non-judgmental and stand up for what is right. Bringing someone else down does not uplift the community as a whole. Mr.Singh’s ideology is based on the fact that “it takes an act of love to realize we are all in this together and an act of courage to demand better, to dream bigger and to fight for a more inclusive and just world.” Ending the divide has been one of his many goals. As an individual, he deeply believes that humanity needs to be based on mutual respect for one another. He is always very optimistic and deeply believes in the morality that we must all be conscientious individuals, even if we are not part of the group that is oppressed.
It was truly inspirational to see the positivity that emerged at this political event because it represents the essence of what he stands for. It was ultimately this message of “Love and Courage” that eventually got him elected as NDP leader. It is important to me because Mr.Singh demonstrates that there is still strength and hope in embracing kindness and thoughtfulness. It is a story of how we can devour hate by facing it head on with a love more powerful than that hate. At the end of the day, we are all members of the human race and therefore, we are all one. If more people embraced this ideology and recognized the ethical responsibility to promote the betterment of human kind as a whole and to be a part of more meaningful, the world would certainly be a more peaceful place.
Jagmeet Singh’s message embodies the philosophy shared by many other great leaders. We can only truly triumph if we stand united. It is a conviction that I sincerely believe in too. You may say I’m a dreamer but as John Lennon said, “I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one”. Just “Imagine”.
Aman and Mahrina
“I think the main idea is simple, that we are all ONE as human beings and as citizens of the same world”, as per Mahrina Chowdhury, Aman’s beloved mother.
