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Community outraged after no to
turbans for Sikhs in US Army
WSN Network
BAKERSFIELD:
Even as the Sikh community continues to fight for its religious
rights and is working with many American forums to spread awareness
about the universal values of Sikhism, the Sikhs are have felt
heartbroken after the army insisted that they will not be allowed to
wear turbans and would have to cut their hair if they wanted to join
the ranks.
Sikhs are
outraged at even the sugestion that they should give up articles of
their faith while in uniform. A Sikh doctor and dentist completed a
program to receive medical education through the army in exchange
for service in the military, but as the men are set to enter active
duty, the army told them two things that identify them as Sikhs,
their turbans and their hair would have to be removed.
Captain Kamaljit
Singh Kalsi, a doctor, and 2nd Lieutenant Tejdeep Singh Rattan, a
dentist, said the US Army is forcing them to choose between their
faith and the military.
Because their
faith requires them to wear a turban and not cut their hair, the
army told them those two things that identify them as Sikhs, would
not be allowed while on active duty, and that has Sikhs across the
country and in
Bakersfield,
up in arms over the policy.
Several local
Sikhs think it doesn't help to turn away anyone willing to serve.
"I think they
should take anyone who's willing to serve," Jasmeet Bains said. "I
don't think they're in a position to force people to choose."
Gurvijay Singh,
a local Sikh, said he recalls stories his great-grandfather told him
about serving in WWII. "He would take off his turban and bullets
would fall out," he said. "It's actually very protective of the
head."
The army banned
many articles of faith for new recruits in 1981.
Sikh community
members said they don't understand how Sikhs in the
United States
are being forced to choose, while others in armies around the world
are not. "Sikhs serve in the British Army, the Indian Army, even in
places like Canada and Sweden," Devinder Singh Bains said. "It's not
a fashion statement. It's an article of faith."
The National
Sikh Coalition has launched a campaign to get the decision reversed,
by filing a complaint with the Defense Department's inspector
general.
Interestingly,
in next door
Canada, the
Sikhs successfully fought similar discrimination when Baltej Singh
Dhillon who wanted to join the RCMP was asked to let go of his
turban. In 1996, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed an appeal by
three former RCMP officers who were challenging the right for Sikhs
to wear turbans while on duty. At that time, legal arguments against
the turban focused on the harm it might bring to the officer. For
instance, he might not receive the proper respect or an assailant
might strangle the officer with his own turban. All these did not
hold any water in court challenges.
15
April 2009
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