Kamala Harris 0 : 1 Trilochan Singh Oberoi

 
In 2005, Trilochan Singh Oberoi, a Sikh man, was denied a job as a prison guard in California because he refused to shave his beard for religious reasons. Despite winning an appeal in 2008 that deemed this discrimination, Kamala Harris, then California's Attorney General, continued to argue against his employment unless he shaved.
 
This stance sparked outrage from civil rights organizations, who viewed it as demeaning to religious minorities. The state eventually settled with Oberoi after political pressure, granting him compensation and a managerial position. Harmeet Dhillon, Oberoi’s lawyer, criticized Harris for only acting rightly under political scrutiny.
 
Kamala Harris's stance in the 2005 case of Trilochan Singh Oberoi was fundamentally wrong due to her failure to uphold religious freedom and civil rights. Oberoi, a Sikh man, was denied a prison guard job in California because he refused to shave his beard, a core tenet of his faith. Despite Oberoi winning an appeal in 2008 that deemed the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's (CDCR) actions discriminatory, Harris, as Attorney General, continued to argue against Oberoi's employment unless he shaved his beard.
 
This position ignored evidence that Sikhs, including those in the US Army, can wear gas masks effectively without shaving. It also disregarded existing exemptions for individuals with medical needs. Harris’s insistence on maintaining the CDCR's stance against Oberoi's religious expression contradicted her duty to protect civil rights for all Californians. Her actions were seen as demeaning to religious minorities and prompted widespread criticism from civil rights organizations.
 
Only under political pressure did the state settle with Oberoi, highlighting Harris’s reluctance to support religious freedom without external scrutiny. This case underscores the importance of consistent and principled advocacy for civil rights, irrespective of political pressures.
 
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