Ban The Beard

[klonk]

"I'm not the perfect Jew," is how Chasin, a 40-year-old Fire Department paramedic from Virginia, puts it. But he has always strongly identified as one, and used outward symbols to reinforce the point, including the Star of David pendant that hangs around his neck and the full, brown beard that has graced his face for the past two decades.

"The beard is my way of celebrating and practicing," he explains. "The beard is making up for some of the stuff I don't do."

So when Chasin was told that he would have to remove it to comply with fire department regulations, he didn't take it well.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1221745566038&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter

[Harvey]

One of the last things on this planet we do better than women and they try to ban it, preposterous

[mixjourneyman]

A similar thing happened in Canada with a Sheik mounted police officer.
They wanted him to remove his turban.
He took it to court and won.
Motto of the story: sometimes the government will respect your civil rights if you push hard enough

[Steve James]

It was the same for afros and braids at first. The stuff with turbans and other religious garb really came up after 9/11.

Then again, if he's a fire person, and is expected to go near fires at some point, it might be a safety, not style, issue. I also think that, in the states at least, your appearance is part of your uniform.

[qiphlow]

can you imagine having your beard catch fire? that'd suck donkey balls, for sure.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

I believe that is "sihk" mix. Just to avoid confusion.

[I-mon]

Sikh.

[edededed]

A similar thing happened in Canada with a Sheik mounted police officer.
They wanted him to remove his turban.
He took it to court and won.
Motto of the story: sometimes the government will respect your civil rights if you push hard enough

...if you live in places like the US or Canada.

Facial hair is generally not allowed in most companies in Japan (although you may succeed in using beams of "gaijin power" to subdue them anyway).

[Father_Jon]

Tom's point is well taken, but actually beards reduce the risk of facial skin burns. Hair tends to smolder rather than burn so if you catch an ember in the face, the reek of burning keratin should alert you that something is amiss before you need to reach for the aloe. I speak from experience, horrible, drunken experience.

[qiphlow]

beams of "gaijin power"

is that anything like the beams of power that ultraman used to shoot out of the blade of his hand?

[Bär]

Yes, but it comes from the beard area and is most effective against Asians. We can also use the "gaijin smash!" move which is a lot like "Hulk Smash!" (This is how I run 99% of my moves in any MA situation.)

[Darth Rock&Roll]

i just keep a soul patch and the japanese can kiss my ass if they don't like it.