We blogged earlier about the congressional races of Jindal, Bhakta and Nigam. However, we neglected to tell you about Colonel Sekhon’s campaign for Congress in California’s Second District (thanks big bhapa!). 
Sekhon is an MD, and a Colonel in the Army Reserves. He’s also one of only two turbaned and bearded Sikhs in the US military (grandfathered in from an earlier time when there was no outright ban). Like many other veterans and reservists running for office, he’s opposed to the war in Iraq and running as a Democrat.
Sekhon started the race strong, with a surprise win in the Democratic primary against favorite Bill Falzett. He’s also running in a district with a large desi population, even if it is still 75% white:
The Punjabi population in the Yuba-Sutter area has grown to be one of the largest in the United States and one of the largest Sikh populations outside of the Punjab state of India. [Link]
However, the incumbent, Wally Herger, has been in office for nearly two decades and has loads of money. Herger has spent almost 11 times what Sekhon has spent, and has almost 7 times as much cash as Sekhon has remaining. For this reason, most pundits and prognosticators think Herger is likely to be re-elected.
Here’s what Esquire Magazine has to say about the race
For someone who has been in Congress for 20 years, Herger seems not to do much more than issue press releases. To wit: “I strongly support the Pledge Protection Act because Congress must not stand idle and let activist judges remove ‘under God’ from our Pledge.” We agree with this small point. But the larger point is: Herger’s pathetic. His opponent is an MD and an Army Reservist. Esquire endorses: Sekhon. [Link]
How cool! Have to read up on this guy – I’m surprised I never heard of him.
I know this guy, and I think it’s probably for the better that he doesn’t seem to have much of a chance. He’s not very balanced or inclined to rational discussion of issues, and has a big chip on his shoulder about the “decline” of the Sikh community. At Sikh camp I remember him telling the kids they basically don’t count as Sikhs unless and until they take Amrit — a terrible message if your goal is to encourage people.
It’s great that he has this U.S. military background, but there are better people to put forward.
He may be doctrinaire religiously, but that doesn’t mean he would be a bad congressman, right?
From Sekhon’s website
A bunch of platitudes except for the line about root causes. Glad he does not have a chance.
Right except when the religion is Christianity. Then he/she could be dangerous and stopped immediately.
Please don’t put words in my mouth. My point was that his behavior concerned a private matter, not one with consequences for public policy. If his private beliefs meant that he was against teaching evolution in schools, then I would have said something different. But who he thinks is a true Sikh and who isn’t, has very little relevance to the issues he would decide in Congress.
Funny that you find his statement without merit. I’ve heard experts say something similar to the quote you provide.
No, if he can’t present a sense of balance to children within the Sikh community, why should anyone expect him to be fair or reasonable on mainstream political issues? The current positions on his website seem like they’ve been copied from a mainstream Democrat playbook. The Sekhon I knew had no interest at all in American politics per se — India/Khalistan was much more his game. (As you must know, he’s associated with these people.)
I became familiar w/ Col. Sekhon at a Sikh camp a number of years back as well. Yes, India/Khalistan was (probably still is) one of his focuses – he was a colleague of Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale alongside a number of other Shaheeds in 1984 (if I recall correctly), and has seen things that neither you nor I have – if someone has experienced something personally, they have the right to decide how much focus it does or does not have in their life. Also, if you met him at a Sikh camp, I’m sure the majority of the conversation would logically revolve around Sikhi and politics related to the Sikh community. In terms of how he relates to children, everyone has their own way. You might not agree with it (and I won’t say whether I do or not), but should that make you just count him out for Congress from the get-go?
This is pretty common, though, amongst politicians, businessmen and academics. Churchill was a bastard as a father, but that didn’t impair his ability to be a good PM. Most business leaders have pretty screwed up private lives. There are academics who are abusive at home, but collegial to their colleagues and warm and cuddly in front of a classroom.
He’s doctrinaire on issues of faith. But those have nothing to do with the positions he will be called to act upon in Congress.
As for the Khalistani thing – you and I both know a good number of people who were once Khalistani and unconcerned with American politics who have made 180 degree turns.
Most importantly, electing a representative is always the choice between the lesser of two evils. He may not have much to say on his website BUT you have to compare him against Herger.
He may be doctrinaire religiously, but that doesn’t mean he would be a bad congressman, right?
That’s not the kind of benefit of doubt you give to White Christian conservatives on this blog.They are in fact the subject of ridicule.
It is time to be proactive, to resolve the Middle East crisis with decisive actions and find Osama Bin Laden and bring him to justice
And capturing Osama will rid the world of terrorism in the name of Islam. What a nincompoop!
This one time … at Sikh camp…
Ah, our credo. Haha my friends and I used to say that all the time 😛
For this Punjabi, the Khalistan connection is very troubling. So is the complete lack of substance on Col. Singh’s campaign web-site; he clearly hasn’t done his homework.
Can’t say that I’m distressed by the possibility of the voters sending back to DC a fella whose “public service” is limited to issuing press releases. Better than inadvertently providing a religious demagogue a pulpit.
That’s because those specific politicians try to impose their religious conservatism on the rest of the country through their political posts. If Col. Sekhon were to be elected and try to pull the same things that the WCC’s do, you might have something to mock him for. He isn’t even in office.
Can’t say that I’m distressed by the possibility of the voters sending back to DC a fella whose “public service” is limited to issuing press releases. Better than inadvertently providing a religious demagogue a pulpit.
I don’t think the pro-India lobby even picked up on his separatist sympathies. Distressing
They well may have. I hadn’t seen him on lists of “Indian Americans running for office” even though he’s running for Congress, and they’re happy to showcase candidates for state senate.
In any case, I don’t know if those sympathies are past or present. There are a lot of Sikhs who were sympathetic to separation during the height of the human rights violations in Punjab.
Col. Sekhon is listed among the seminar speakers “on the need to liberate Khalistan, the Sikh homeland, from Indian occupation” held in August 2006. (See URL provided by I Know this Guy in post #6.) Unless he was there representing the honorable opposition, Col. Sekhon’s support of Khalistan seems as fresh as the produce at Chez Panisse.
you folks are the nuttiest.
do you actually think whatever a first term congressmans’ religious convictions are that it will somehow manifest itself into legislation? i think if religious fundamentalism held that sort of sway in lawmaking, the “rapture index” would be government santioned like our dear homeland security alerts.
who are you people? do you even consider the tangible, real, critical issues before you float through imaginary scenarios?
3000 dead americans. 600,000 dead iraqis, the trillions of wasted capital, the patriot act, katrina, and ALL THE BULLSHIT OF THE LAST SIX YEARS- THAT IS WHAT THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT.
it is about impeachment, it is about imprisonment, it is about identifying and punishing the guilty, it is about restoration and redemption.
it is about America becoming America again. We have to first regain our soul, and that will happen only when George W Bush is brought to justice for his crimes.
jp
Col. Sekhon is listed among the seminar speakers “on the need to liberate Khalistan, the Sikh homeland, from Indian occupation” held in August 2006
In which case his candidacy, if successful, is harmful to the growing India-US relationship and an insult to those of us who assert the Indian-American identity. But probably because of the large body of Khalistan-sympathetic Sikhs in his district, Herger has been no better for India. He signed a letter calling India a “hostile state” in 2000, thanks to the Khalistani lobby.
I have no idea about Herger’s stance on the India-US Nuclear deal, or whether he’s tempered his Khalistani sympathies since 2000. That the India lobby didn’t publicize this surprises me. Merely ommiting endorsement seems like a half-assed action.
In which case his candidacy, if successful, is harmful to the growing India-US relationship and an insult to those of us who assert the Indian-American identity. But probably because of the large body of Khalistan-sympathetic Sikhs in his district, Herger has been no better for India. He signed a letter calling India a “hostile state” in 2000, thanks to the Khalistani lobby.
There is more to this election than how it will impact India.
There is more to this election than how it will impact India.
Yes, Yes, Yes, definitely this is a election for, and by America. But do you elect loose-canons who declare nations (like India) who in the process of strategic (nuclear) relationship (which even bypasses NPT) with US of A declared hostile.
Have you heard someone calling Israel an “hostile state” and getting elected. Israel lobby will toast it royally? Have you, I am being serious. Do you know how much strategic importance Joe Libermann, Barbara Boxer and dozens, dozens of others Senators and Congressman show for Israel?
Sparks fly as Herger, Sekhon joust at candidates’ forum:
Spoken like a true uncle ji. Read more rhetoric here and here.
Yes, I agree. but at the same time anyone who is still stuck on the idea of Khalistan is hard to take seriously. It definitely suggests a certain disconnect with reality.
There is more to this election than how it will impact India.
My point was the the India lobby has, as its business, the advancement of Indian interests in the United States. And it seems they have been silent on Sekhon.
Yes, I agree. but at the same time anyone who is still stuck on the idea of Khalistan is hard to take seriously. It definitely suggests a certain disconnect with reality.
But it goes beyond the credibility of his separatism – he will likely vote down anything deemed beneficial to India. Take, OTOH, Jindal. He routinely gets labelled a “sell out” because of his conversion, but his track record on India has been quite good.
By white you mean “European-American” right?
Gazsi