I call BS on your assumption that it’s religious profiling. If I were an enterprising terrorist or, let’s skip the emotional term terrorist and go for “criminal” and knew that by wearing a turban I could go through security without being checked, would I not choose to disguise myself that way?

I see this as a commonsense approach. Of course, I’m not Sikh, but having been subjected to a fullbody search at an airport (in public since we were in a hurry and I had nothing to hide anyway, but thank God didn’t have to completely disrobe), I didn’t see it as “sexual” profiling. I saw it as a security measure.

Enough of the politically correct crap. You’ve got a bunch of material wrapped around your head that COULD be concealing something.

For the record the (few) Sikhs I know travel with a bandana rather than a turban for that very reason. The issue is keeping your head covered, not what you use to do that.

I was asked to take off my ball cap once at an American airport. The metal clasps were enough to set off that particular detector.

It was a U2 ball cap and I worship Bono, so I guess that’s a form of religious profiling.

Sikhs are not the only group to wear turbans. Muslims also wear turbans. There may also be others. And not all Sikhs or Muslims wear turbans, either.

But until there is an enforceable law in place that says no one except Sikhs and Muslims are allowed to wear turbans, I consider this to be a non-story for the sake of making annoying noises.

And I don’t particularly care if it’s “religious profiling” or not. What’s the bloody big deal?

SL: At the risk of sounding Gumpish, sacred is as sacred does. I have to accomodate my sacred objects to conform with the laws of the land (try walking down the street with a Trad sword or a labrys in your hand — you would get lots of non-sacred attention), so what makes this any different?

And in the case of Sikhs, it’s the hair that is sacred, not the turban. All the turban does is keep the hair neat and under control. It’s a pain in the ass to rewind if it’s removed, but it’s not a sacred object in and of itself. And if you have come across a piece of writing that claims the turban itself is sacred, check the publication date; it will be recent. It will also be wrong.

If we allow “sacred objects” to be exempt from search and inspection — and if we take everyone’s word for what is “sacred” to them — we run the risk of having people dress up as priests and wearing a stiletto-crucifix so they can infiltrate crowds of authentic Catholics and get close to the Pope so they can assassinate him for whatever reason. Just an example, mind you…not a commentary on the ersatz popularity of the current pope.

Nobody should be exempt from the laws and rules:

“The passengers on board the Vatican’s first flight to Lourdes may have been pilgrims in search of spiritual healing, but they still had to obey anti-terrorism rules, it has emerged, after several of them had their holy water confiscated.”

The rest of the story here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/29/wvatican129.xml