PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Casey
Sikh Temple
Members of the Wisconsin Sikh Temple weighed in on what occurred across the nation last weekend.
Currently, 31 are dead after two mass shootings in Ohio and Texas rocked the nation last weekend. This comes as the seven year anniversary of the Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting, which left six dead in Oak Creek, is being remembered Monday.
In the seven years since the shooting, countless mass shootings have left many across the nation without their loved ones. After the majority of mass shootings, the national discourse turns to questions of gun control. But echoes of “thoughts and prayers” for the victims can also be heard throughout the nation—angering some as they see little action take place after these tragedies.
Pardeep Singh Kaleka, the executive director of The Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, lost his father during the tragedy that occurred on Aug. 5, 2012. Although he says there is a time for thoughts and prayers, he also says now is the time for action.
“What’s going to be the tipping point,” asks Kaleka. “There’s mothers and fathers who are concerned when their children go to school, malls, movie theaters—how many places need to be targeted by violence for us to say, we might have a problem with guns.”
Kaleka has traveled to numerous sites of mass shootings over the past seven years, offering support to those suffering.
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“There’s always this sense of a response that they will be stronger when they come out of it,” he says. “But there’s gotta be action as well.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Casey
Kamal Kaur.
Kamal Kaur, who was just 11-years-old when she also lost her father on Aug. 5, says she is reminded of her father every time a mass shooting occurs across the country.
“It upsets me, because I know what it's like to have that happen to you,” she said. “It’s like, you’re not safe anywhere anymore.”
She said her father told her she was her favorite, adding that they had “a very strong bond.” Kaur was living in India at the time of her father’s death. She moved to America a week after, and says since that time she has seen countless mass shootings occur.
“If anything, it’s gotten worse,” Kaur said.
As the national discussion in the remaining weeks will once again focus on the debate of gun control, Kaleka said he hopes lasting change will finally occur.
“How many places need to be targeted by violence for us to say, we might have a problem with guns, we might have a problem with judgement around race, or identity, or religion, and what are we going to do with all of that going forward," said Kaleka.
