Sikh businessman turned away from restaurant in dispute over head covering

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

Richbrau shuts out turban wearer

http://timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149191881344


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A Sikh software executive visiting family in the Richmond area was denied entry Friday night to a popular Shockoe Slip restaurant because he refused to remove his turban. Hansdip Singh Bindra, 37, was shocked when management at Richbrau Brewing Co. told him he had to remove his "hat."

"It was incredibly embarrassing. It's not a hat. When I wear a turban, it's a part of my body. It's a gift from God," said Bindra, who lives in Long Valley, N.J. "It's like asking a Jewish person to take off his yarmulke."

Richbrau owner Mike Byrne said yesterday that the restaurant's policy forbids head coverings. We have a policy where no bandanas or headgear is allowed, and we enforce it," he said. "I think the issue is he's quite clear on what our policy is. It's not a discrimination policy. It's simply no headgear."

Bindra was out with his two male cousins who live in Chester and a male friend, all of whom are Sikh but do not wear turbans. The turban is a religious symbol for many Sikh men, who cover their long hair in public. Sikh men also wear beards.

Bindra, who was born in India but is a permanent U.S. resident, said he was allowed into every other downtown Richmond bar he went to Friday night -- Tiki Bob's Cantina and Have a Nice Day Café in Shockoe Bottom and The Tobacco Company in Shockoe Slip. He has never visited the Richmond area before. He never goes out in public without his turban.

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Well, this is one Richmond restaurant I'll be boycotting. Idiots.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[Virginian]

7. I think it is probably ignorance of the religion / enforced manners

The bouncer probably thought he could just lift the turban off the top of his head like a hat and return it to his head when he left.

An interesting question might be, Do they have the same rule for women?

The proper etiquette in Western Culture is for a man to remove his hat when inside and a man should never wear a hat when he sits down for a meal. So many of the younger generation either have not been taught or refuse to practice these manners. The restaurant could be enforcing manners because of a pet peeve of the owner or the owner may feel that if he enforces manners, there will be fewer disturbances.

Who knows... It's just another speculation.

[Name removed]

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[Purveyor]

2. "It's like asking a Jewish person to take off his yarmulke."

Interesting question...

[matt819]

3. What do you mean by your statement

It is not an "interesting question." The Sikh is absolutely correct. This is nothing less than discrimination on the basis of religion. Period.

[JCMach1]

4. Absolutely... It's an absolute part of the Sikh religion

for men. You MUST wear the turban.

[Diogenes2]

5. God has her own dresscode, obviously!

Get hip, Richmondites!

[Solo_in_MD]

9. Disagree

If it is enforced uniformly, it is not discriminatory. Ill informed perhaps, but not discriminatory.

[JCMach1]

11. It is very discriminatory... It is like saying you ancestor didn't come to the US legally

(i.e. slavery) and thus you cannot REGISTER to vote.

It is an arbitrary rule that has nothing to do with the function of eating.

[Solo_in_MD]

10. Dup - Deleted

[sofa king]

6. Intentional or not, it sure seems convenient.

Obviously, neither people who wear bandannas nor people who wear turbans are automatically gangsters or terrorists. The rule reminds me of trying to capture a mouse with a circus tent.

A really clever terrorist might even go so far as to remove identifying clothing before doing terrorist things. There was a really good example of that about five years ago. I have a feeling bikers and gangsters are on to this ingenious tactic as well.

Why not just post a sign that says exactly what it means: "No Gangsters or Terrorists." There. Now nobody is unintentionally offended and the rule is almost guaranteed to work at least as well as the current one does.

[blondeatlast]

8. Why do you hate America?

Nailed the damn thing shut with one post. Perfect response.

[Name removed]

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[Bill McBlueState]

14. but the owner's behavior rules that out

If he wasn't interested in embarrassing anyone, the owner would have said, "Oh, I see. Forgive me for being ignorant of your religion," and let the guy wear his turban. Instead, he had to make an issue of it.

[Name removed]

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[opihimoimoi]

15. If there were 8697089174565.008 Sikhs living in Richmond, I am sure the Policy would change