• First Sikh Since 1984 Graduates Army Officer School
    56 replies, posted
[QUOTE]SAN ANTONIO – The soldiers in standard-issue fatigues and combat boots stood side-by-side repeating their creed: "I am an American soldier. I am a warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army values ...." Capt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan was no different except that he wore a full beard and black turban, the first Sikh in a generation allowed to complete U.S. Army basic officer training without sacrificing the articles of his faith. He completed the nine-week training Monday after Army officials made an exemption to a policy that has effectively prevented Sikhs from enlisting since 1984.[/QUOTE] [url]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_army_sikh_soldier[/url] Never thought I'd see a Combat-Dentist-Officer-Sikh anytime soon. [IMG]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100323/capt.93e4d30693a5455e95e3cc993a0dbf2f-93e4d30693a5455e95e3cc993a0dbf2f-0.jpg?x=213&y=299&xc=1&yc=1&wc=291&hc=408&q=85&sig=lHR9rFviQNFhTeSNiDHEfg--[/IMG]
[quote] after Army officials made an exemption to a policy that has effectively prevented Sikhs from enlisting since 1984.[/quote] What's this about?
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;20929080]What's this about?[/QUOTE]Sikhs are religiously prohibited from removing their head coverings. They also may not cut their beards. There are more Sikhs in the world right now than Jews, actually. And often, if you see someone wearing a turban, it's more likely to be a Sikh than a Muslim. Sikhs sadly suffered severe persecution after 9/11 due to the whole "turban people are Muslim" fallacy.
[QUOTE=PariahKing;20929109] Sikhs sadly suffered severe persecution after 9/11 due to the whole "turban people are Muslim" fallacy.[/QUOTE] Yeah a lot of my friends were real fucking ignorant towards this Sikh that moved in down the street.
[QUOTE=PariahKing;20929109]Sikhs are religiously prohibited from removing their head coverings. They also may not cut their beards. There are more Sikhs in the world right now than Jews, actually. And often, if you see someone wearing a turban, it's more likely to be a Sikh than a Muslim. Sikhs sadly suffered severe persecution after 9/11 due to the whole "turban people are Muslim" fallacy.[/QUOTE] I face da troubles everyday at school kids makin fun of my facial hair and judah well I say! nothing at all... :ohdear: I like how this is the first Sikh since 1984 here, and yet over in India Sikhs used to (not sure if anymore?) make up a majority of the Indian army and have as a group been rewarded the most medals.. for being bad asses
To be honest he looks like he could hold his own over the rest of them. I'd rather be under him if I was a soldier.
[QUOTE=Valdor;20929367]To be honest he looks like he could hold his own over the rest of them. I'd rather be under him if I was a soldier.[/QUOTE] Is that Earl Hickey in your avatar Valdor
[QUOTE=windwakr;20929463]So, do they keep them on in the shower? Do they ever clean them?[/QUOTE]The ones I talked to in a church service said they will have like back-up ones they switch on and off while they clean the current ones. They don't need a particular covering - it's just always gotta be covered.
(no offense meant) I actually thought the Sikh religion had ceased for the most part a few hundred years ago. Anyway, this is good, but I don't see why they were forbidden to join since 1984 in the first place.
[QUOTE=windwakr;20929463]So, do they keep them on in the shower? Do they ever clean them?[/QUOTE] They change them of course. And yeah they can take it off for showers and stuff
[QUOTE=PariahKing;20929109]Sikhs are religiously prohibited from removing their head coverings. They also may not cut their beards. There are more Sikhs in the world right now than Jews, actually. And often, if you see someone wearing a turban, it's more likely to be a Sikh than a Muslim. Sikhs sadly suffered severe persecution after 9/11 due to the whole "turban people are Muslim" fallacy.[/QUOTE] I have a Sikh friend and some trailer trash kid was making fun of his covering and trying to knock it off of his head. He said he wouldn't fight back because it would make his people look bad. so I did it for him. I am a nice person everyone give me hugs :love:
[QUOTE=Gmod_Fan77;20929579](no offense meant) I actually thought the Sikh religion had ceased for the most part a few hundred years ago.[/quote]It's not exactly the most thriving religion, no. It's very "postmodernistic" - they believe everyone's beliefs are correct for them and as long as they obey them they will go to Heaven. (I'm no Sikh expert but that's what a clergyman of their religion told me and was pretty much confirmed by the textbook. If I am incorrect about this confusing matter, I apologize - I'm not so sure on this aspect.) [quote]Anyway, this is good, but I don't see why they were forbidden to join since 1984 in the first place.[/QUOTE]Guessing the military wanted them to shave and they refused to do it.
[I]without sacrificing the articles of his faith.[/I] Last I checked, you need to walk around with a sword (Kirpan)
Sikhs are generally very accepting that everyone has their own beliefs, not to mention most Sikhs obviously are born into the religion and are specifically Jatts with background from Punjab. Although they don't take leaving the religion very kindly, but I suppose most wouldn't. [editline]02:29AM[/editline] [QUOTE=RaveRaze;20929649][I]without sacrificing the articles of his faith.[/I] Last I checked, you need to walk around with a sword (Kirpan)[/QUOTE] Well in British Columbia I know that's legal, as my brother does to school and stuff. And what do you mean? How do you know if he's not carrying it. Oh and that isn't a total extreme necessity or something, lot's of Sikhs don't.
[QUOTE=Gmod_Fan77;20929579]Anyway, this is good, but I don't see why they were forbidden to join since 1984 in the first place.[/QUOTE] Hats get in the way of protective gear and facial hair is the same case on long hair.
I think Sikh's are cool. I mean, to me, they look badass.
[QUOTE=doonbugie;20929432]Is that Earl Hickey in your avatar Valdor[/QUOTE] Maybe...
Tolerance, a good leap forward.
the turban looks like it was ms painted on
[QUOTE=Killerjc;20930187]the turban looks like it was ms painted on[/QUOTE] Cameras aren't as good as eyes yet I mean commercial cameras for photojournalism. They don't really have a variable exposure (I don't know the correct term). I mean that they are stuck at one exposure value. They can't adjust to multiple things at once to get the best view.
[QUOTE=DOG-GY;20930819]Cameras aren't as good as eyes yet I mean commercial cameras for photojournalism. They don't really have a variable exposure (I don't know the correct term). I mean that they are stuck at one exposure value. They can't adjust to multiple things at once to get the best view.[/QUOTE] Some (if not most) SLRs can do that. I bet a commercial grade product would be able to do what a consumer grade product can do, and ten times better.
[QUOTE=PariahKing;20929109]Sikhs are religiously prohibited from removing their head coverings. They also may not cut their beards. There are more Sikhs in the world right now than Jews, actually. And often, if you see someone wearing a turban, it's more likely to be a Sikh than a Muslim. Sikhs sadly suffered severe persecution after 9/11 due to the whole "turban people are Muslim" fallacy.[/QUOTE] Sikhs are the most badass of their area, it's a very peaceful group of people.
Aren't they required to carry a dagger on them? Or something.
That's sikh, bro.
[QUOTE=Okeydokeyman;20930969]That's sikh, bro.[/QUOTE] Oh hey it seems Middle School has caught up to me
I don't even see the need to discriminate against them.
An interesting article... [i]of clothing[/i] ! XD
[QUOTE=lum1naire;20929652]Well in British Columbia I know that's legal, as my brother does to school and stuff.[/QUOTE] I think that has more to do with Canada's strange knife laws (you can have pretty much anything as long as the blade isn't retractable, as far as I know) than it has to do with "religious tolerance". I can't help but think that if Sikhs are allowed to have beards in the military then [i]everyone[/i] should be able to.
That turban won't protect against shrapnel and falling debris, and that beard won't allow for a tight seal with a Gas Mask, and will make for something easy to grab hold of if he ever got into a hand to hand situation
[QUOTE=TheTalon;20931767]and will make for something easy to grab hold of if he ever got into a hand to hand situation[/QUOTE] You could use that same argument for females in the military with their hair tied back. (I don't know if female soldiers in the US military fight on the front lines, but if not women in other countries most certainly do) Militaries the world over are the undisputed kings of selective discrimination.
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