Becoming a Hard Target (2026/USA)
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“Make yourself a hard target!”. That was the parting advice from one police officer during our division’s weekly patrol meeting this past week. Seven years ago, the term “hard target” would have meant nothing to me. But today, it’s a crucial part of what we aim to do.
For those who don’t know, a hard target is the opposite of what’s called a soft target: soft targets are vulnerable locations like schools, houses of worship, markets, or events where little resistance is expected (making them attractive to threats). Hard targets, by contrast, project strength, awareness, and capability, discouraging attacks before they begin. Embracing firearms has been a key part of hardening myself in that sense.
Now, I understand why some (including Sikhs) hesitate around them; firearms are undeniably lethal. But seeing as this piece is going live on the Sikh holiday of Hola Mohalla, I wanted to take the chance to explain why firearms are part of my path as a Khalsa.
1. More Independence
I’ve heard this repeatedly from law enforcement officers across states: “We can’t be everywhere at once. Citizens must start taking responsibility for their own safety.”
And while some might prefer to continue relying solely on state infrastructure for their well-being,1 carrying and training with astar bolsters my confidence that wherever I might be, if a situation arises, I have real options for how to address it until the appropriate authorities arrive. And if I’m in a remote area where law enforcement is miles away, I’m not completely helpless.
This reality reminds me of the inspiring sakhi of Bibi Deep Kaur who, when traveling alone, was attacked by Mughal soldiers. You can check out the full historical account below:
“In 1915 leading personalities of Jatha had been arrested in connection with ‘Lahore Conspiracy case’. Warrants were also issued to arrest Bhai Surjan Singh Jee, husband of Bibi Joginder Kaur. A police party arrived in village Gujjarwal to search Bh…
2. Equalizing the Playing Field
Men and women each have distinct strengths relative to one another. In terms of raw physical strength and hand-to-hand combat capability, women are often outmatched by men of similar age and build. Speaking personally, I recognize that in a direct physical altercation, the odds would not favor me against a male assailant.
Living in the United States heightens this concern further. Any potential attacker could be carrying a weapon (something I must realistically weigh in any threat assessment). FBI-reported data underscores the prevalence of armed violence.
The number of total aggravated assault offenses recorded by the FBI between February 2025 and February 2026 as today is 684,830. 149,118 of these incidences involved a handgun, 74,319 involved a firearm, and around 32,000 involved rifles, shotguns, and (illegal) automatic weapons.
Tools like personal alarms can be valuable for alerting others and creating an opportunity to escape in populated areas. However, they aren’t always sufficient against a determined or armed aggressor. In those scenarios, having an effective means of deterrence or decisive stopping power provides a critical equalizer (especially for ladies), one that can make the difference between becoming a victim and surviving an attack.
3. The Convergence of An American Right and A Khalsa Right
Late last year, I read about an alarming incident up north in Lindsay, Ontario. Around 3 a.m. on August 18, 2025, a Canadian resident woke up to find an intruder (Michael Kyle Breen) inside his home, armed with a crossbow. An altercation followed in which the homeowner defended himself with a knife. Police arrived, and the intruder was airlifted to a Toronto hospital.
The outcome? Breen faces four charges, including break and enter and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Meanwhile, the homeowner was charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon.
Imagine that: An absolute stranger breaks into your home in the middle of the night, armed with an object capable of harming you or your family. You choose to defend yourself, and because of it, you’re now facing potential imprisonment.
After widespread national uproar, public debate, and political attention, the Crown finally withdrew the charges against the homeowner on February 26, 2026.
Now imagine for a moment that you are a kirpan-wielding Sikh in the exact same scenario in the province of Ontario.
What does this case tell you about the potential consequences of using your kirpan? Your other shastars? Your astars?
Pause and reflect.
In the Sikh tradition, the Khalsa is not merely given the right but the sacred injunction to protect oneself, one’s family, and the innocent from tyranny and harm.
While countries like Canada have self-defense provisions on paper, the reality of what is deemed “proper” self defense is far more restrictive.
Contrast this with the United States, where many states recognize stronger protections through concepts like the Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground laws. In those jurisdictions, if the use of force (including deadly force or various weapons) is deemed reasonable under the circumstances and aligns with core principles of self-defense, the law is far more likely to shield the defender from prosecution.
Knowing that there are fellow Khalsa brothers and sisters around the world who live in places where they cannot freely practice their right to self-defense, it would be disrespectful of me not to value and responsibly exercise that right here.
Not the First Option on the Table
Hold on for a second though. Before some of y’all get too giddy about this, let me point out one thing that genuinely concerns me today: the apparent eagerness among some Khalsa Sikhs to jump straight to physical violence to address a problem. I theorize that some of this stems from the direct or indirect influence of gangster culture on Sikh youth here in the West and elsewhere.
While gangster culture often promotes emotion-driven reactions, disregard for human life, and irresponsible use of weapons, Gurmat teaches respect for shastars (including being knowledgeable about and having training with them), the sacredness of all human life, strategic thinking, and compassionate response.
ਫਰੀਦਾਬੁਰੇਦਾਭਲਾਕਰਿਗੁਸਾਮਨਿਨਹਢਾਇ॥
Fareed, answer evil with goodness; do not fill your mind with anger.
ਦੇਹੀਰੋਗੁਨਲਗਈਪਲੈਸਭੁਕਿਛੁਪਾਇ॥੭੮॥
Your body shall not suffer from any disease, and you shall obtain everything. ||78||
Guru Gobind Singh Ji famously declared in the Zafarnama (his epistle to Emperor Aurangzeb) that all other methods must be exhausted before one can resort to the sword.
“All other methods” can include but are not limited to:
Rehabilitation (Read More About the Khalsa’s Role in This Here)
Utilizing Crime Prevention Strategies
Supporting Crime Prevention Efforts
Training with and Utilizing Less-Lethal Weapons
& Knowledge and Use of Deescalation Techniques
True, these options aren’t as “exciting” as the alternative, but at the end of the day, the dharam of a Khalsa isn’t to chase excitement – it’s to fulfill our responsibility and act as an instrument of divine protection and justice.
Firearms, for me, are part of that duty in a world where Sikhs and others who align themselves with ethical living face disproportionate threats. But they remain last-resort tools preceded by prevention, and other community efforts.
On this Hola Mohalla, let us as a Sangat keep building upon what it means to be modern-day hard targets while always staying true to the Khalsa ethos.
Again, please forgive for any mistakes.
ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕਾਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ||ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕੀਫ਼ਤਿਹ ||
- Check out our article “State Reliance is Not Gurmat”