On Monday, as I entered the gurdwara in Richmond Hill, NY, I encountered a scene of solidarity unlike any that I had witnessed before.  Two uniformed NYPD officers were stationed outside, monitoring the entrance. A third was patrolling the hallway inside, smiling as community members insisted he join them in the community kitchen downstairs for a hot meal of lentils, vegetables, and yogurt after his shift. The diligence with which law enforcement officials have responded to the tragedy in Oak Creek and the sacrifices made by the police on the scene-along with the outpouring of support from the public-have been humbling and heartwarming.

Physical protection and public outcry, however, are not enough to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.  While we are still learning the motivation of the attacker, his actions-singling out and killing Sikhs with turbans-match a broader pattern of post-9/11 bias in our country.