I am surprised and delighted to receive your letter of 13th instant. If you are inclined to combat the darkness of these times, won’t you come and join me in the battle? I have been traveling around the state, and also to Washington and Oregon, lecturing and teaching Americans about this injustice to us recent immigrants, when they are only immigrants themselves! I reveal to them how the British have influenced American politics to undermine Indians, so that we may never win back our own country. You see, I have always believed that we should be citizens of America, so that we may have a secure base from which to fight to remove the British.

I ask you now—come and join me. You will act as my clerk, handle correspondence, make translations, and help build the movement. Despite our past failures with the Germans, there is still hope for us here. Your high school years in America will be a great asset to us. We are being funded by Ghadar money and by donations to the gurdwara.

Here is the crux—Bureau of Naturalization has appealed the grant of my citizenship. The appeal has gone all the way to the Ninth Circuit Court level. At first I was discouraged, but my lawyer is very capable. We will fight this to the Supreme Court, my young friend. You are in the same boat as me, whether you recognize it or not. What will happen if our U.S. citizenship is rescinded while we have already renounced our British citizenship? We will be stateless, and for those of us who are married to American women, they will share our fate.

But of one matter there is no doubt: it is better to be a man without a country than a citizen of an enslaved country. Come and join me.

In chardi kala,

B. S. Thind

February 10, 1921

Bhai Bhagat Singh Thind-ji,

Your offer is quite flattering to me. I am not deserving of such a role in the movement. Surely you are mistaken? It cannot be me that you have in mind?

Yet, my anger grows every day. Yesterday while walking in town, a man knocked the turban from my friend Gugar Singh’s head. I stopped Gugar Singh from saying anything to the man, despicable though he was. There is no safety here. There is no telling what would have ensued. We picked up the dastar from the filthy ground and we left the place.

Last week my uncle organized a meeting with the businessmen in the local Chamber of Commerce. Theme of the meeting was: How can Hindus fit in and be better residents and stay away from lawlessness? I was humiliated to attend such a meeting. Yet I understand my uncle’s action. I understand why we have need for such a thing.

Sincerely yours,

Amarjeet Singh

February 16, 1921

My dear Amarjeet,