Don’t Shoot the Sheriff: An overview of Rastafarians and the Legal System :: essays papers

Dont Shoot the Sheriff An overview of Rastafarians and the Legal SystemRastafarianism is a bearing of life for many another(prenominal) it is the only way of life. Growing up under a certain(prenominal) religion instills varying determine and understandings into ones moral fiber. These values argon what shape a humans character. In nearly countries, the government is trying to tell these peaceful people to disregard their education and to conform to alien ways.Every religious sect has its own traditions and historical rituals that they abide to. In religions, almost everything has significance to it. And anyone concerned about the future of his/her religion, will continue to ensure that these traditions are followed, to preserve their own way of life. Now, most countries deport religious freedom clauses in their constitutions that state that anyone reinforcement on their soil has the right to practice the religion of their choice. Now this competency seem a minuscule fact for someone of a mutual religion, but to someone of a minority religion, this is all the protection they have from the legal system. This paper is only a taste of the justices and injustices that Rastafarians have approach in legal systems across the globe. Some instances a loophole for the misfortunate, others an scream from the oppressed.Every countrys legal system has problems. Some problems are masked with legal terms. Theses are the hardest to overcome. The land of the free is what the United States is sometimes referred to as, but for some, this statement seems phonier than an Ed McMahon sweepstakes. In the U.S. case, Belgrave vs. Coughlin, an inmate of the Sing-Sing Correctional understructure in New York, claims his religious rights were revoked. Nekyon Belgrave, a Rastafarian, says the Department of Correctional go (DOCS hereinafter) denied his request to wear his religious head covering known as a crown. A crown is a loose-knit, circular hat that covers the wearers dr eadlocks (Anderson, 1). Belgraves appeal reached the blurb Circuit where acting Justice Anthony A. Scaprino junior sent the matter hind end to DOCS saying they overlooked their own regulations denying Belgraves request. The matter had already been solved in the precedent of Benjamin vs. Coughlin, 905 F2d 571, where the Second Circuit had agreed with a lower court ruling that denying a Rastafarians request to wear a crown did not break the First Amendment, ruling that is was an interest of security (Anderson, 2).This precedent and an haughty 8, 1990 memorandum stating that regulations allowed the wearing of certain head-coverings, was enough to send the matter back into the hands of the DOCS.