Sikh Boys Asked to Remove Turbans for Go-Karting

2013-08-13-gokartLIVERMORE, California—”I have some bad news for you, that thing on your head is not allowed,” is how Arminder Singh (26), Gurpreet Singh (16), Diljit Singh (15), and Jaskirat Singh (11), were greeted by the employee of Boomers when they wanted to go kart. Boomers is a Family Entertainment Center in Livermore, California where these Sikh youth and children were asked to remove their patkas.

The notices posted at the location and on the website pictures of which are in the possession of UNITED SIKHS, bans loose clothing, sandals and long untied hair among other things but there was no mention of religious headwear or the patka being banned. On the contrary, the patka supports their policy of keeping the hair tied during the ride.

Despite education on the significance of the turban, the family was turned away and not allowed to go kart. UNITED SIKHS is in possession of the video showing the failed attempts of the father to explain and demonstrate the safe nature of the patka. But the employee refused to acknowledge this stating, “What if the wind blows it off; I am not going to argue with you. That’s all that I owe you in writing.” She was referring to a poorly written unofficial pamphlet stating policy on headgear which from the appearance of it looks highly absurd and discriminatory.

United Sikhs has created a petition, available here, for those that believe this is wrong and support the Right to Turban.

UNITED SIKHS legal team has sent an evidence preservation letter to the General Manager of Boomers Livermore and Palace Entertainment, the parent company of Boomers. The letter specifically demands that any video footage or other evidence relating to the incident should not be tampered with or destroyed.

7 COMMENTS

  1. I am not sure my last comment took. I will leave another message: The issue is whether someone wearing a turban, a ha-jib or any other scarf-like item is at risk. Look at the story of Isadora Duncan and how she died. If the garment is not long enough to be a risk, wear it and ride in good health. Otherwise, for your own safety, stay off a ride.

    • Eric:
      You’re applying common sense that does not work in my Sikh community members. We live without commonsense and self-respect. We’re always right and rest the humans are wrong if they do not agree with us. We act against our own Guru Ji and forefather’s teaching, blame others and call names redneck. At the same time if other calls names, then we cry and blame hate crimes as we’re CLATS (Cheat, Lie, Argue, and Threat Sikhs). Do we come to suck … of redneck as we got Independence in 1947 from whites. I do not understand why my community migrate and come to REDNECK country. It is your (whites) entire fault that you allow slum dogs to enjoy the perks and get abuse.

  2. If there is no chance of the turban will come loose during the ride, then allowing it is harmless. My cautionary tale in these cases is always the same: look up a woman named Isadora Duncan and how she died. If there is no chance that a turban will produce the same result, allow it. Otherwise, better safe than sorry.

  3. Collin you are narrow minded and a redneck who lacks knowledge in world religions. If we have to compromise to your stupidity than there is defintiy something wrong with this country’s education system. Equality is for all.

  4. If your turban flies off and hits someone else in the face there will be problems, it is a rule for everyone. It is about safety and saftey comes first. If one of thier turbans comes off and smacks me or my daughter in the face there will be problems as im sure there would be to anyone that would happen to. Who knows maybe it could even get stuck in the tires and cause a serious accident. These types of stories are ridiculous, if you care about your religion that much and dont want to remove, then dont ride. The rest of us dont want our saftey compromised so u can ride the frikin go-karts jerks!

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