Life, liberty, and the pursuit of facial hair!

[Mise]

Well personally I think that the officers just wanted a way of getting a fair trial, and it was just more convenient to bring this up as a race issue than to attack the policy itself. In other words, I don't think that they sincerely believe that the policy is racist, in any way, and were just using it to receive fair treatment.

And I don't think anyone doubts that the policy is a bit silly...

 

[bhsup]

Hmm. Military personnel are not allowed beards. There is a product for black men that is akin to Nair. It dissolves the hair away rather than having to shave.

 

[woody60707]

Well I guess the Marines are racist too. Being we all had to shave for the same reason. You can't get a seal on a m40/m50 gas mask.

To say this is racist on it's own is just plain dumb.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Funny, some Indian states pay cops more to have facial hair.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3392809.stm

Well moustaches are okay, because you can still put on a gasmask. A beard breaks the seal around the cheekbone, which is why they're a problem. US Navy personnel are permitted to grow moustaches, albeit short, trimmed ones.

 

[sourboy]

That's just silly to impose a ban on physical appearance. Then again, the south is so different from the rest of the country.

 

[The Yankee]

That's just silly to impose a ban on physical appearance. Then again, the south is so different from the rest of the country.

Did you read the article and the thread before coming up with that statement?

 

[sourboy]

Yes, I did, it's still silly.

 

[Bill3000]

That's just silly to impose a ban on physical appearance. Then again, the south is so different from the rest of the country.

Hardly silly. It's no different than a laboratory saying that you can't have long hair because it gets in the way of equipment.

 

[The Yankee]

Yes, I did, it's still silly.

Only maybe insofar as the likelihood that such officers would need to use such masks.

But then again, it is part of their job to have to be able to use that equipment.

 

[sourboy]

Understandable, but still... peoples heads and faces vary in size, and hair is pretty "forgiving" under pressure. I can't see how a beard would be a big deal, unless it was ZZ Top or something.

 

[mdwh]

If the gas mask thing is a genuinely good reason, then I wouldn't see it as discrimination.

However, based on this case - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3673733.stm - it seems it's already been acknowledged in at least part of the US that this reason is not sufficient for a ban (and I would certainly oppose an exemption only for Sikhs - this ruling should apply to everyone).