Army Allows Sikh to Keep Beard, Turban, Uncut Hair

[catamount man]

Man, I can't wait until I join the military to see what I can get away with........

[Cap'n Cat]

In perspective, the Army's decision reflects the pussification of America.

No - the Cap'n is right. Your reaction, however, reflects the typical pussification of straight white males who still can't adjust to not having 100% of everything go their way.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!



They've been neutered over the last 50 years and they can't adjust. See Rush Limbaugh.

[native]

He's not a Muslim... He's a Sikh.

I get that. However, why would the government want to piss off another person of Middle Eastern religion that can be highly violent when it comes to their religion?

The Sikhs are not from the Middle East. They are from the northern part of the subcontinent of India, which is considered to be south Asia. The Sikh religion and language are not "Middle Eastern."

For Goodness' sake, google before you post.

[AZGrizFan]

In perspective, the Army's decision reflects the pussification of America.

No - the Cap'n is right. Your reaction, however, reflects the typical pussification of straight white males who still can't adjust to not having 100% of everything go their way.

I have one word in response to your fucked up logic Jon:

UNIFORM

[AZGrizFan]

No - the Cap'n is right. Your reaction, however, reflects the typical pussification of straight white males who still can't adjust to not having 100% of everything go their way.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!



They've been neutered over the last 50 years and they can't adjust. See Rush Limbaugh.

And by using the word "they", you are confirming that you are in fact, NOT a striaght white male...

[SuperHornet]

Acquiescence to religious requirements has been done for YEARS so long as they don't affect readiness. I have no problem with this so long as the servicemember carries something documenting this permission on his person.

Besides, a beard is innocuous. It wasn't until the 20th century when regular shaving was required. And beards are still allowed under certain circumstances so long as they are neatly trimmed. (Navy deployment beard contests sanctioned by the CO, servicemembers suffering from pseudofolliculitis barbae, etc.) All one needs is an officially signed no-shave chit.

[GrizFanStuckInUtah]

He may have it allowed, but his commanders can sure write him up for it on every review and give him bad reviews because he looks like shit. It is unprofessional and should not be allowed by a doctor. If he wants to wear a green beret, then he can keep the beard and hair. Until then, put him in the stockade or kick him the hell out. I'd say the exact same thing about someone no matter what their religion was, it is not about you as an individual.

Working in medical practice with 6 Sikh doctors, his look is fine, for a doctor. They keep everything neat and clean, as required by their religion.


And any commander giving him a bad review, after the Army has specifically granted him the permission to do so, just for his look would be in deep shit.


Much ado about nothing. He is a doctor, not on the line, etc.

Wrong.....He is a SOLDIER. If you look at people deployed in areas where they can't shower for weeks, they still manage to shave. If he really was a professional soldier, he would adhere to the standards set forth. There are lots of things you can write someone up for, you would just get them all until he conformed or was kicked out.

[Appaholic]

One would think of all of society's institutions, the armed services would be the one that, regardless of changing social norms, conformance to regulations would be mandatory....guess I was wrong...so, if it's an documented accepted tenet of one's religion, then the Armed Services must accomodate? So really, the only violation by the Ft. Hood terrorist is that he didn't properly document his religion's directive with superiors beforehand?

From The American Muslim website.....

“put down the polytheists wherever you find them, and capture them and beleaguer them and lie in wait for them at every ambush” (Koran 9:5)

“Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but don’t transgress limits; for God loves not the transgressor ... And fight them on until there is no more oppression, and there prevails justice and faith in God; but if they cease let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression"(Koran 2: 190-193)

Muslim scholars are of the opinion that war is permitted in self defense, when other nations have attacked an Islamic state, or if another state is oppressing a section of its own people.

http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/fe ... _violence/

[ASUG8]

Soon it will be cornrows, dreds, and mullets so we don't piss anybody off. God forbid that someone might construe the military as someplace strict and conformist......

[Appaholic]

Soon it will be cornrows, dreds, and mullets so we don't piss anybody off. God forbid that someone might construe the military as someplace strict and conformist......

Yeah...wonder how they handle the Rastafarian religion....

[AZGrizFan]

Soon it will be cornrows, dreds, and mullets so we don't piss anybody off. God forbid that someone might construe the military as someplace strict and conformist......

Again, the word is "UNIFORM". The Army has opened a big can of worms with this one....

[Cap'n Cat]

Soon it will be cornrows, dreds, and mullets so we don't piss anybody off. God forbid that someone might construe the military as someplace strict and conformist......

Again, the word is "UNIFORM". The Army has opened a big can of worms with this one....

You've got a point, Z.

[Ivytalk]

That's just Sikh.

[JayJ79]

Gosh I hope we keep lowering our standards. I'm curious to see how low our military can go. Soon we will have the Peace Corps invading 3rd world countries on our behalf.

lowering the standard?
My guess is that this individual has just as much (or more) discipline and skill than most of the buzzcutted white guys (or buzzcutted any ethnicity) that are serving.

so how is that lowering the standard?

[JayJ79]

The Sikhs are not from the Middle East. They are from the northern part of the subcontinent of India, which is considered to be south Asia. The Sikh religion and language are not "Middle Eastern."

For Goodness' sake, google before you post.

Christianity and Judaism are Middle Eastern religions though.

But that just confirms the "person of Middle Eastern religion that can be highly violent when it comes to their religion" thing.

[dbackjon]

That's just Sikh.

And so was that!

[AZGrizFan]

Gosh I hope we keep lowering our standards. I'm curious to see how low our military can go. Soon we will have the Peace Corps invading 3rd world countries on our behalf.

lowering the standard?
My guess is that this individual has just as much (or more) discipline and skill than most of the buzzcutted white guys (or buzzcutted any ethnicity) that are serving.

so how is that lowering the standard?

Look beyond this ONE guy. The Army has just opened a big can of worms with this decision....pretty soon, there'll be people claiming the religious right to do all sorts of things with their uniforms, hair, shoes, you name it. The Army will soon look like........well.........the Taliban.

Note the uniformity of their dress?

[Skjellyfetti]

When and why did the military stop allowing beards? Back in the Civil War like half the army sported some all out Taliban beards.

[AZGrizFan]

When and why did the military stop allowing beards? Back in the Civil War like half the army sported some all out Taliban beards.

If I remember correctly, it was in 1984, right after I enlisted. From the Navy's perspective it had to do with getting a proper seal around the face when wearing and OBA (Oxygen Breathing Apparatus)



Also has to do with hygene and uniformity.

[bobbythekidd]

When and why did the military stop allowing beards? Back in the Civil War like half the army sported some all out Taliban beards.

There is a logical explanation. It has to do with hygiene. All sorts of mites, lice, crabs, etc. infest hair. They spread like wildfire in the close confines associated with soldier's/ sailor's life. Showers and such can be hard to come by when you live in a tent in the woods for months on end.

[Appaholic]

When and why did the military stop allowing beards? Back in the Civil War like half the army sported some all out Taliban beards.

There is a logical explanation. It has to do with hygiene. All sorts of mites, lice, crabs, etc. infest hair. They spread like wildfire in the close confines associated with soldier's/ sailor's life. Showers and such can be hard to come by when you live in a tent in the woods for months on end.

God/Allah/Jesus/Baal/Jah will protect you from mites, lice, crabs, etc.......

[JayJ79]

God/Allah/Jesus/Baal/Jah will protect you from mites, lice, crabs, etc.......

You forgot Zuul. All hail Zuul!

And it is blasphemy to forget the almighty FSM

[Ivytalk]

God/Allah/Jesus/Baal/Jah will protect you from mites, lice, crabs, etc.......

You forgot Zuul. All hail Zuul!

And it is blasphemy to forget the almighty FSM

There is no Dana, only Zuul!

Zool? Zoul? Zuol?