TSA Revises Rule Oppressing Sikhs, Hillbillies

Back in August, the Transportation Security Administration started shunting anyone wearing "bulky headwear" into an automatic secondary screening, usually requiring the removal of said headwear. This was particularly irritating to Sikhs, since doffing their turban is considered embarrassing, not to mention time-consuming in both the removal and rewrapping. After a public outcry from Sikhs and others, the TSA yesterday revised its rules, now merging turbans and everything else above the neck into the "bulky clothing" category, which means it can be sufficiently checked with a patdown at a security checkpoint (though screeners can still request, i.e. demand, that the headwear be removed in a private area for inspection). Wary of getting into endless debates about other fixed headgear, the TSA issued a blanket amnesty for anyone who doesn't want to bare their pate for any reason, religious or otherwise. As this AP story notes, this ruling covers not only turbans, but also "cowboy hats," not to mention "berets," answering protests from ornery gunslingers and puckish mimes -- all of whom have just as much reason to keep their hats as those irritable Sikhs, certainly.