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2009-06-15 Home Front: Culture Wars

Sikhs challenge US army's ban on turbans, beards

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Posted by Gaz 2009-06-15 03:38|| || Front Page|| [11128 views ] Top

#1 Are there not basic safety issues, as with firefighters, that one must be able to wear a gas mask, and helmet?

This is not appearances, it is function of the job.

Posted by Lagom 2009-06-15 10:20|| 2009-06-15 10:20|| Front Page Top

#2 Lagom; you are correct, not being able to wear the protective gear means they could not be used in any combat or combat support position. In addition, how do they maintain hygiene in the medical field? Especially in the field? There is a reason that buzz cuts are the norm for combat troops.

Posted by tipover 2009-06-15 11:06|| 2009-06-15 11:06|| Front Page Top

#3 This article may be a reprise or reappearance of one posted not too long ago. If I recall many questions and interest in safety were being remarked on, but to sum up, it seemed like many of the safety concerns were adequately covered (with more advancements being made) by existing gear. So that begs the question: it's not a question of can Sikhs serve, but rather WILL they be brought on board.

Posted by GirlThursday 2009-06-15 11:46|| 2009-06-15 11:46|| Front Page Top

#4 Not a reprise as I miscalculated but a more current article update. Good luck to them.

Posted by GirlThursday 2009-06-15 12:57|| 2009-06-15 12:57|| Front Page Top

#5 The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, an advocacy group, was unfamiliar with the policy's origins.

I have an idea, send those male members able to grow beards out here and after a week of not shaving we'll put an SCBA system on ya and send you in a burning house. Then they could extrapolate that experience into poison gas.

Posted by swksvolFF 2009-06-15 14:33|| 2009-06-15 14:33|| Front Page Top

#6 I bet that when the recruiter met him he was not wearing a turbin. BTW that whole turban = religion things along with the beard wears out after a couple of generations out of Punjab. This is more likely when the young lad goes off to college and hopes that he might bag some co-ed. Seems the turban/beard (contrary to popular thought) just doesn't draw in the ladies like you would think.

Posted by Cyber Sarge 2009-06-15 15:56|| 2009-06-15 15:56|| Front Page Top

#7 You and others parrot rubbish. The Sikhs that serve in Indian, British and other armed forces have no problems using the required gear.

The Turbans are ornamental and worn over an underlying head covering. They manage to wear helmets, gas masks etc...etc...etc in all these other services. The Sikhs are of a warrior class, and do very well wherever they serve.

Posted by Slats Spoque1394 2009-06-15 23:08|| 2009-06-15 23:08|| Front Page Top

#8 So it's like religious Jewish men who wear a hat over a skullcap (a.k.a. yarmulke (Yiddish), kippah(Hebrew)), Slats Spoque1394? Do the Sikhs have a rule like the Jews do, that anything is permitted in the saving of a life -- including shaving facial hair and uncovering the head?

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2009-06-15 23:47|| 2009-06-15 23:47|| Front Page Top

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