Features

Thousands become U.S. citizens amid terrorism crisis

By John Rogers Associated Press Writer
Friday September 21, 2001

MONTEBELLO — For Balbir Singh Sahni, Thursday was a bittersweet day, one in which the native of India became a U.S. citizen and had to go shopping for new tires to replace the ones vandals had slashed. 

“It’s been a little frustrating,” the Sikh businessman, wearing a beige turban and matching suit, said minutes after he and 903 others took the oath of citizenship. “Unfortunately my son’s car at school had all four of its tires slashed, and I’m going to have to take care of that later today.” 

His 17-year-old son likely fell victim to misplaced retaliation for the terrorism that struck the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon last week, Sahni said. 

His wife, Loveleen, called on the U.S. media to tell the world that Sikhs are not connected to the attackers, who are believed to be Islamic fundamentalists. 

“They are a peaceful, religious sect originally from India,” she said of Sikhs, whose male members wear turbans and flowing beards that look similar to those of Muslim clerics. 

She and her husband were among an estimated 2,710 people from 100 countries who crowded onto the Montebello Municipal Golf course in this suburb just east of Los Angeles to be sworn in as citizens during three separate ceremonies. 

The events filled the golf course’s cavernous Quiet Cannon Banquet Facility to capacity, with proud relatives lining the walls to cheer and hand flowers to the newly initiated, who waved small American flags. 

Whoops of joy went up as U.S. District Judge Jennifer Lum told one group: “Ladies and gentlemen, congratulations, you have taken the oath and you are now American citizens.” 

The judge made just one reference to the attacks. 

“After the tragic events of last week it is clear that the importance of these liberties and these opportunities cannot be doubted and cannot be taken for granted,” she said. “We must do everything we can to uphold, defend and respect these freedoms.” 

Among those in the crowd were some touched personally by the tragedy. 

“I have a cousin in New York City who is missing,” said Arif Ullarthan, who came to the United States from Pakistan in 1985. 

“He was in the World Trade Center for a job interview and now he’s missing. He’s missing, that’s all we know,” added the Muslim businessman who runs an International House of Pancakes restaurant in Inglewood. 

“This is not what our people believe in, this is an act of war,” he said. 

Still, the somber events couldn’t completely subdue the joy of many who had waited 10 years or more for this moment. 

“I’m very grateful,” said an exuberant Jagdeep Singh, who arrived from India in 1987. 

“I came for freedom. For freedom of religion, for a better standard of living, for a better life for my kids,” added the 33-year-old father of two who was sworn in wearing his red turban and blue-and-white USA T-shirt. 

“America’s the best,” he shouted afterward. “You better believe it.”