Barker V.C.

[Barrett]

Speaking of Sikhs and turbans, shortly after 9-11 a self-described "American Patriot" murdered the Sikh owner of a service station here in the Phoenix area, then shot up another store. Turns out that the imbicile responsible didn't know the difference between Sikhs, Afgans, Arabs, Hindus, or anyone else from the turban part of the world.
I guess we shouldn't be surprised at such things when only 1/3 of american high school or college students know the difference between the Midwest and Middle East...

Turns out that the imbicile didn't know the difference between Sikhs, Afgans, Arabs, Hindus, or anyone else from the turban part of the world.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

The days after 9/11 saw a Boston to points south passenger train stopped and searched when a passenger reported an Arab with a knife on the train. An FBI SWAT team pulled the guy off the train and after interrogation, found out it was a Sikh with a blunt-edged ceremonial knife.

[rammjaeger]

Hi Mike,

I did never know that Hindus are woring cows under their leather helmets!

[Michael]

<quote>On a vaguely related note, did any Gurkhas ever serve in the air? Or would it have been too far removed from the hand-to-hand combat at which they excel to have any appeal? </quote>

Not to my knowledge. *But there was a Gurkha Parachute Battalion. *There's a marvellous story about how it was raised. *A couple of British officers were sent to various Gurkha battalions to recruit. *They told the men how this was a new way of fighting, and that they would jump out of airplanes from 1000 feet. *Then they asked for volunteers. *Only a couple of men stepped forward - a practically unheard-of rate for Gurkhas - and the usual smiles were absent. *The officers then spoke again about how safe it really was, and that 1000 feet was quite enough for the parachutes to open. *Suddenly the men were all smiles and coming forward all at once. *"Sahib, if we have parachutes when we are jumping, that's different!"