"One who belongs to God, no one can defeat them"

No one can rob one of his or her joy.

One surrenders it freely alone.

That Punjabi language phrase had me humming along Wednesday night in Hidden Falls Gurdwara Sikh temple near Schoolcraft and Haggerty in  Plymouth, MI., as hundreds remembered the victims of a rampage in Oak Creek, near Milwaukee.

I lit a candle with a wide and diverse group in the parking lot recalling those murdered Sunday inside a temple during worship services.

News filled the minds and hearts of a crowd of worshippers at an interfaith Belle Isle picnic at the same time Sunday when Southfield leader, Dawud Walid of the Council of American-Islamic Relations interupted and rushed up to ask me to lead a prayer for those victims.

Anti-Sikh crimes or threats have hovered about the Sikh community since the 19th century when they arrived in the U.S.

"Since 9-11, we were the most targeted community," said Chain Singh Sandhu, chair of the Sikh Cultural Foundation of Michigan and head of an auto supply company in nearby Livonia.

But, before the vigil started with candles illumining the dark and sad, a vegetarian supper of rice, Indian flatbread, daal and vegetables, lentil soup, and water was served as I sat on the floor next to worshippers who came to mourn with the temple frequenters.

"We believe in keeping your spirts up and moving on," voiced Mandheer Singh of Rochester.

In a turban and full beard, Singh addmitted that the killer "is the one who is anti-American."
He was countering those who charge Sikhs with being against America.

A litany list of speakers, singers, and those leading prayers filled the two-hour vigil for the dead and the survivors. Grief was being processed through the black tunnel some trekked this night.

Similar common themes of the Abrahamic faiths resounded from a speaker on an overhead screen in Punjabi:  The Lord alone is worthy, and,  an anchor.  All else is futile in life. Possessions are of little value.  Life is passing, eternal.

"It's frigthening," confessed Bob Bruttell, chairman of the Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Detroit directing a procession of speakers expressing sympathy and grief, and  horror, and, condemning the assault, including Steve Spreitzer of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion.

"Hate has a corrosive effect on the entire community," added Bruttell before the crowd dispersed in the darkened skies.

Barry Ross, a local radio and TV host and community leader was among those who participated, including Eide Alawan, a leader with the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, and Andy Meisner, Oakland County treasurer, who I stood side by side with during the outside vigil. We exchanged thoughts while he smiled widely, and he had me saying, "He's a rising star."

"With what's right with America we can fix what's wrong," said Misner, quoting one of the U.S. Presidents.

When he was State Rperesentative for the Ferndale area decades ago, he led a job fair with me at St. James Catholic Church on Pearson and Woodward. In his running shoes and suit, I asked him if he jogged here.  "I did," he admitted.

No one can rob one of her or his joy.  I may only lay it down on my own.

Violence by people using guns, and, a conversaton about automatic arsenals and limits on these weapons of mass destruction needs to be re-ignited.  Macomb Sheriff Wickersham is willing to talk with citizens and clergy.  Are you in?  Stand up, speak up, and, let others simply sit and wait for the next outburst with guns in a culture that has lost its way, God help us!

As I drove back home to Harrison Township with Rabbi Dorit and her husband, Shimon Edut of Hungtington Woods, my heart swelled in sadness, repeating, "One who belongs to God, no one can defeat them."