US Sikhs outraged by new turban search policy

[demoleft]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The largest civil rights organization of American Sikhs has expressed outrage at a new US airport security policy that it said allows arbitrary searches of turbans, a sacred headdress for members of the religion.

The Sikh Coalition said Saturday it had been informed by the Transportation Security Administration that under its new guidelines, turbans could be subject to manual pat-downs even if their wearers had passed a metal detector test.

"Telling screeners to search people in turbans is the same as telling them to search black people or Arabs or Muslims," Amardeep Singh, executive director of the Sikh Coalition, said in a statement. "The policy allows screeners to single out travelers on the basis of their religion."

Singh argued that the message the new TSA policy sends to the public is that "people who wear turbans are dangerous."



Read more: http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/070826063300.hw0ttphq.html

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The Sikh Coalition's website on the subject, http://www.sikhcoalition.org/advisories/TSAPetition.htm

Singh's statement is a bit too radical. But what's true is that the level of hysteria is increasing.

[6000eliot]

1. I don't know that he's overstating.

Sikhs were murdered after 9/11 after all.

[demoleft]

3. Right point. n/t

[Mythsaje]

2. Hmmm.

They WOULD provide a good hiding place for some items.

Are they also searching hats? If not, why not?

[MuseRider]

5. I was wondering the same thing.

I don't believe I have ever seen a person asked to remove a cowboy hat.

[UncleSepp]

20. I am always asked to remove my fedora.

Hats and jackets are supposed to come off at the checkpoint. A turban's not a "hat" any more than a yarmulke is a "hat", though.

[youngdem]

28. Doesn't matter what you call it.

Everyone is searched.

This guy is whining. Don't wanna get searched? Don't fly. It's not against just you, pal...EVERYONE gets humiliated and violated at the airport. The TSA is an equal opportunity offender and violator. Sorry.

I don't like getting my shoes removed, and I don't enjoy the extra screenings and humiliation because I happen to have a last name in common with an Irish Republican Army terrorist, but if I don't want to WALK to the Northwest for christmas, or god forbid have to ride on an Amtrak outside of the Northeast, I gotta comply. Religion doesn't make you immune.

He whines as if the saner policy is NOT to search turbans and other large head coverings. Turbans are large. You could hide things in there.

[Zhade]

30. IIRC, statistics don't back up your rosy picture.

Profiling DOES occur, quite frequently.

[youngdem]

31. Profiling does occur. And turbans should be searched.

[Gormy Cuss]

16. According to the article and the TSA, yes.

This info is on the TSA page in a traveler info section on religious items which I think is why it starts out with the profiling disclaimer:

Head Coverings
On August 4th 2007, TSA implemented revisions to its screening procedures for head coverings. TSA does not conduct ethnic or religious profiling, and employs multiple checks and balances to ensure profiling does not happen.

All members of the traveling public are permitted to wear head coverings (whether religious or not) through the security checkpoints. The new standard procedures subject all persons wearing head coverings to the possibility of additional security screening, which may include a pat-down search of the head covering. Individuals may be referred for additional screening if the security officer cannot reasonably determine that the head area is free of a detectable threat item. If the issue cannot be resolved through a pat-down search, the individual will be offered the opportunity to remove the head covering in a private screening area.

TSA's security procedures, including the procedures for screening head coverings, are designed to ensure the security of the traveling public. These procedures are part of TSA's multi-layered approach to security screening.

So here's my question. Is it really easier to hide a bomb in a shoe than in a hat?

On edit: good for the Sikh organization for protesting this change. The TSA should be able to prove why it's necessary rather than just saying "because we say so."

[DetlefK]

4. this is very serious

The turban is THE religious sign of the Sikhs, as is their hair, which they never cut. And it takes hours to wind up a sikh turban properly.

"Hey everybody! Our new hospital policy is to search everyone who's wearing a cross. As everybody knows, Christians are dangerous because some fanatics (claiming to be Christians) tried to blow up an abortion clinic."

Do you think anybody would accept that?

[rodeodance]

6. I wonder how effective a 'pat' will be at discovering anything--as they are

bulkly. and have already gown through the radar

[grytpype]

11. Here's a good site I found on Sihk turbans.

http://www.sikhnet.com/s/tyingturbans

Has videos of how they tie various styles of turban.

[psychopomp]

12. You are wrong about the time it takes to tie the turban

It can be done in five to ten minutes. There are videos available on youtube that you can watch to see how it is done.

Sikhs are not the only ones to wear turbans these days, either. Bobo Dread Rastas also wear turbans and would be just as indignant of the search as Sikhs.

[B3Nut]

37. Not only the rastas, but a GREAT jazz organist sports a turban

Dr. Lonnie Smith. He da man!



Soul jazz don't get any better than the Doctor! :)

Todd in Cheesecurdistan

[Igel]

23. If they required every cross-wearer to be searched, it

would be serious. But that's not actually parallel to this, is it?

"Arbitary searches" doesn't mean "obligatory searches". "Turbans" in this case doesn't mean specifically "Sikh turbans", and in fact it's not just targetting turbans.

And, just as on one trip to somewhere with four flight segments they searched my 30-something slightly overweight blonde/blue-eyed wife three times, probably so that their demographic data turned out right, they'll probably wind up with data showing they've searched precisely the same percentage of turban-wearing Sikhs as bobble-hat, beanie, and cowboy-hat wearers.

[amandabeech]

26. No, but if you were wearing a rather large, "puffy" cross,

they'd put it through the x-ray machine for sure.

Unfortunately, it is probably not a good idea to have TSA's running X-ray machines for heads.

I'll wait to see if all head-gear wearers get the same treatment.

[AnneD]

25. I find it amusing the the US Military

loves to have Sikhs in the military (it's a warrior thing) and allow for beards and turbans. You can even get the right colour. They have even been to the military academies turbans intact.

The Sikhs don't have a dog in this fight, but if you piss them off like this, they will. This IS a major insult and look for the TSA to start back pedaling in 4, 3, 2, 1 seconds.

I'm my travels with my hubby I have come to both know and respect the Sikhs. They have treated us with every imaginable kindness and respect. I support them on this and TSA needs to be taken down a few pegs.

Edited to add, I guess they are still stinging from having the monkey get through.:spray: I can see it now-is that a monkey you're wearing or are you happy to see me.

[rodeodance]

7. yes, i do think the level of hysteria is increasing

,,,,,,But what's true is that the level of hysteria is increasing.

[DemBones DemBones]

8. Note to Sikhs: just quit flying. It's the only solution

to the problem, and I recommend it for everyone who doesn't want to be subjected to random patdowns and gropings by airport screeners.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

10. That's exactly what the gubmint wants.

Every action that they have taken informs one that they want to take away freedoms and liberties. One of those is the freedom and liberty to travel freely and unimpeded. It also takes pressure off their friends in the airline industry, who cannot seem to get out of their own way, in spite of billions of taxpayer dollars infused into the industry.

[DemBones DemBones]

14. You may be right. But we have to do

what we're comfortable with.

[Zhade]

32. Yeah, just let them win.

Sad.

[Danger Mouse]

9. This is an outrage!

Hey, we gots to search the brown people, ya know! They's all the terrorists, y'all!

[BuddhaGirl]

15. To be fair

There are white Sikhs...I work with one who was raised on an ashram in New Mexico.

[Danger Mouse]

19. Fair enough. But do they check the redneck's cowboy hats or baseball caps?

I doubt it.

[UncleSepp]

21. Yes. Hats get checked.

And they have been examining hats since 9/11. Shortly after that date, I was traveling and wearing a fur cap, and had a good laugh with the National Guard about it. The cap got stuck in the scanner, and the soldier said "Your hat, it's revolting" and I said "Hey, I didn't think it was that bad..."

[youngdem]

29. ABSOLUTELY they do. If thick, they send it through the machine

[SayWhatYo]

34. Actually, they do.

If that wasn't the case then I would agree with you.

[NashVegas]

13. I'm Inclined to Say, "Deal With It"

My understanding is that this affects *everyone* wearing headgear of *any* sort.

[wordpix]

17. I say, search turbans AND hats---geez, if my 82 y.o. mom has to take off her shoes,

why not this?

[Honeycombe8]

18. Hey, if they're searching my SHOES, then they should also be searching...

places that would more likely be capable of holding something dangerous...like turbans.

As a woman, I could wear a turban hat. Should it not be searched? Would that be a good place to put that 5 oz. bottle of skin cleanser they won't let me board the plane with?

Everyone needs to understand the climate we live in and stop expecting that THEY should be exempt from searches. We're either all searched, or we're not, is the way I see it.

[YankmeCrankme]

24. "We're either all searched, or we're not, is the way I see it."

Well, since everyone isn't being searched I don't know where that leaves you based on your other statements.

The security searches are, more or less, arbitrary and capricious and are meant to condition you and keep you cowed.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

27. I agree, everyone needs to understand the climate of fear we are living in.

Instilling a climate of fear is the purpose of all the searching, not keeping people safe.

[MilesColtrane]

22. Give a person wearing a turban, or hat of any kind two options.

1) manual pat down, or

2) stick your head in the X-ray machine


A lot more C4 can be stashed in a hat than a shoe.

[Socal31]

33. Soooo?

There should be "safe items" that cant be searched? GTFO of here. I dont care how sacred it is. Im going to start a religion where my pants are sacred, so they cannot be searched.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Javaman]

38. Um, sir, could you please place your head in the turban scanner, please? nt