Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV / On demand now with KPBS Passport!
Four days after the 9/11 attacks, Balbir Singh Sodhi was gunned down at his Phoenix area gas station by a man named Frank Roque. To Roque, Balbir Sodhi’s beard and turban — articles of his Sikh faith — falsely evoked the face of America’s new enemy. Seeking retaliation for 9/11, Roque killed Sodhi and went on to shoot at a Lebanese American man and fire multiple rounds of ammunition outside an Afghan American family’s home. "A Dream In Doubt" follows Rana Singh Sodhi, Balbir’s brother, as he attempts to fight the hate that threatens his family and community.
The Sodhis had fled ethnic violence in India to pursue their version of the American dream. But less than a year after Balbir’s murder, Sukhpal Sodhi, Rana’s next-eldest brother, is killed in mysterious circumstances while driving a cab in San Francisco. More ethnic assaults follow. Few receive significant coverage in the U.S. media, and a national dialogue concerning post-9/11 hate crimes and ethnic profiling fails to materialize.
Seeking justice for his brothers’ murders, Rana is motivated into action. He demands that America live up to its ideals of freedom, equality, and justice for all. In "A Dream in Doubt," he challenges his fellow citizens to think deeply about individual responsibility in the face of bigotry and what it means to be a true patriot.
This program was previously included in the INDEPENDENT LENS series.
Watch On Your Schedule:
This film is now available on demand with KPBS Passport, a benefit for members supporting KPBS at $60 or more yearly, using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn how to activate your benefit now.
With the PBS Video App, you can watch your favorite and local station shows. Download it for free on your favorite device. The app allows you to catch up on recent episodes and discover award-winning shows.
Credits:
Producer/director: Tami Yeager. Presented by Center for Asian American Media. Distributed by American Public Television.
