I wonder what we are becoming? Are we trying to dig down new information that the color of turban can add spirituality too. Old sadh always use saffron turban, Pundits use saffron cloth; how could that help in gaining spirituality. My views, wear what you get.
It recalls me of Guru ji when he was asked to wear "janeo"
It recalls me of Guru ji when he was asked to wear "janeo"
Jios,
The serious side of life. This article reports on a study that is to my way of thinking extremely credible research. From the Sikhnet web site, Study suggests "turban effect" as a source of "Islamophobia" | SikhNet
Study suggests "turban effect" as a source of "Islamophobia"
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008
News Source: www.canada.com
A Muslim-style turban is perceived as a threat, according to a new study, even by people who don't realize they hold the prejudice, dubbed "the turban effect" by researchers.
Research volunteers played a computer game that showed apartment balconies on which different figures appeared, some wearing Muslim-style turbans or hijabs and others bare-headed. They were told to shoot at the targets carrying guns and spare those who were unarmed, with points awarded accordingly.
People were much more likely to shoot Muslim-looking characters - men or women - even if they were carrying an innocent item instead of a weapon, the researchers found.
"Whether they're holding a steel coffee mug or a gun, people are just more likely to shoot at someone who is wearing a turban," says author Christian Unkelbach, a visiting scholar at Australia's University of New South Wales. "Just putting on this piece of clothing changes people's behaviour."
Unkelbach largely blames one-sided media portrayals for the bias.
The results would almost certainly be the same if this study was conducted in Canada, says Mohamed Elmasry, national president of the Canadian Islamic Congress.
"I'm hoping that Canadian Muslims one day become invisible," says Elmasry. "As such, Canadians will treat them like any others."
Islamophobia - "latent" before 9/11 - is on the rise, he says, but there is very little research on the issue in Canada.
The new study "does confirm our biggest fear that there is discrimination and prejudice within our society, and unfortunately people don't recognize it or don't admit it," says Salam Elmenyawi, president of the Muslim Council of Montreal.
"Sometimes they really don't know that it does exist."
Beyond a turban or hijab, someone's name, skin colour or a long beard may also identify them as a Muslim and make them a target of prejudice, he says. Elmenyawi wears a head-covering and long beard and says he struggles between recognizing that negative stereotypes exist and not becoming "paranoid" that he might fall prey to them.
In fact, the Australian study, which will be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, confirmed that people don't even realize they hold these biased views. When the true intention of the experiment was revealed, Unkelbach says participants insisted they were not prejudiced and must have reacted differently from everyone else.
"The most common response was, 'I'm sure I didn't show that effect,'" he says. "They're uncomfortable and I believe them - people are not doing this willingly. If they could, they would control that. Here, people are almost the victims of what they are fed by their environment."
A quick sampling of news items related to Muslims and the Middle East confirmed this, he says, with a focus on violence and terrorism almost obliterating more balanced stories about the culture and people.
"If everything about Middle Easterners is associated with terrorism, people tend to form stereotypes in their head," confirms Rima Wilkes, a sociology professor studying media at the University of British Columbia.
Even fictional media feed these biases, she says. One study showed that movies tend to feature "socially acceptable" villain stereotypes that have evolved over time, from evil Germans in the post-war years to vaguely Muslim bad guys more recently. Even swarthy, pixelated video game adversaries send the message that "ethnic others are bad," Wilkes says.
Shannon Proudfoot
Canwest News Service
The serious side of life. This article reports on a study that is to my way of thinking extremely credible research. From the Sikhnet web site, Study suggests "turban effect" as a source of "Islamophobia" | SikhNet
Study suggests "turban effect" as a source of "Islamophobia"
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008
News Source: www.canada.com
Research volunteers played a computer game that showed apartment balconies on which different figures appeared, some wearing Muslim-style turbans or hijabs and others bare-headed. They were told to shoot at the targets carrying guns and spare those who were unarmed, with points awarded accordingly.
People were much more likely to shoot Muslim-looking characters - men or women - even if they were carrying an innocent item instead of a weapon, the researchers found.
"Whether they're holding a steel coffee mug or a gun, people are just more likely to shoot at someone who is wearing a turban," says author Christian Unkelbach, a visiting scholar at Australia's University of New South Wales. "Just putting on this piece of clothing changes people's behaviour."
Unkelbach largely blames one-sided media portrayals for the bias.
The results would almost certainly be the same if this study was conducted in Canada, says Mohamed Elmasry, national president of the Canadian Islamic Congress.
"I'm hoping that Canadian Muslims one day become invisible," says Elmasry. "As such, Canadians will treat them like any others."
Islamophobia - "latent" before 9/11 - is on the rise, he says, but there is very little research on the issue in Canada.
The new study "does confirm our biggest fear that there is discrimination and prejudice within our society, and unfortunately people don't recognize it or don't admit it," says Salam Elmenyawi, president of the Muslim Council of Montreal.
"Sometimes they really don't know that it does exist."
Beyond a turban or hijab, someone's name, skin colour or a long beard may also identify them as a Muslim and make them a target of prejudice, he says. Elmenyawi wears a head-covering and long beard and says he struggles between recognizing that negative stereotypes exist and not becoming "paranoid" that he might fall prey to them.
In fact, the Australian study, which will be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, confirmed that people don't even realize they hold these biased views. When the true intention of the experiment was revealed, Unkelbach says participants insisted they were not prejudiced and must have reacted differently from everyone else.
"The most common response was, 'I'm sure I didn't show that effect,'" he says. "They're uncomfortable and I believe them - people are not doing this willingly. If they could, they would control that. Here, people are almost the victims of what they are fed by their environment."
A quick sampling of news items related to Muslims and the Middle East confirmed this, he says, with a focus on violence and terrorism almost obliterating more balanced stories about the culture and people.
"If everything about Middle Easterners is associated with terrorism, people tend to form stereotypes in their head," confirms Rima Wilkes, a sociology professor studying media at the University of British Columbia.
Even fictional media feed these biases, she says. One study showed that movies tend to feature "socially acceptable" villain stereotypes that have evolved over time, from evil Germans in the post-war years to vaguely Muslim bad guys more recently. Even swarthy, pixelated video game adversaries send the message that "ethnic others are bad," Wilkes says.
Shannon Proudfoot
Canwest News Service
Ultimately to my mind the colour of the turban is at best irrelivent what is important is the turban it'self and the fact that you wear the turban as the complete package that is SIKHI, you wear the turban because you want to wear a turban and you want to wear a turban because you are proud and honoured to be identified as a SIKH of the GURU's and VAHEGURU........thats just my humble opinion on the subject. PS i prefer black turbans for practical reasons allthough own one green turban being an irishman who adapted SIKHi many years ago allthough the green turban only gets worn one day of the year...St Patricks day 
Harpreet_Singh_
SPNer
- Feb 26, 2009
- 29
- 46
One of my uncles is very much against the black color. He would never a black turban. He says its bad luck for him. I know Giani Maskeen Ji use to wear a black turban at most times.
Ayways, I agree. Color doesn't mean much in of itself, but it can help represent your mood. I know traditionally, white turban is considered saintly or pure. I am big fan of the dark blue color myself.
WJJK
WJJF
Ayways, I agree. Color doesn't mean much in of itself, but it can help represent your mood. I know traditionally, white turban is considered saintly or pure. I am big fan of the dark blue color myself.
WJJK
WJJF
It is not in the colour of the turban or of a chunni but the colour of Goodnesss which can only come with total immersion in the colors of Gurmat values. SGGS shows us many times that we need this extreme makeover many a times, over and over in our lives because we all slip and fall which at times makes our inner colours fade a bit.
So, no matter what colour of turban or chunni we wear, the only colour that matters is which glows on our faces and sparkles through our deeds.
Tejwant Singh
So, no matter what colour of turban or chunni we wear, the only colour that matters is which glows on our faces and sparkles through our deeds.
Tejwant Singh
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