You know these days, almost everything is under fire. Whether it’s someone’s opinion, political affiliation, church denomination, or haircut choice, it seems there is always someone who is upset about someone else’s business choices, decisions, words, or actions. Now it’s hand gestures.
It seems this almost international, universal symbol for “Okay,” “Alright,” “Gotcha”, “I understand.”, and “I’ve got It” is being maligned by the idea it is a racist, white supremacist symbol. I’m mean, come on; if you haven’t used this symbol sometime in your life, you were either born in the last ten years to parents so woke they slapped your hands in the cradle, or you simply have no fuc… uh …freaking fingers. I had a college professor who used this symbol a thousand times a day. He was so into the circle on the knee game, that he would hide around the corner standing on a chair just to put it in you face.
It makes me wonder… how many more hand gestures are we going to have to eliminate from our casual conversations? What about this one? The old ‘thumb’s up.’ In my world it was a way to tell your boss that you were on board with the latest and greatest company policy change. Is that one still okay or does it have some antisemitism connotation? There is the ol’ ‘Up Your’s’ intention which could be tied to this one.
This one had a lot of play during the sixties. It is supposed to mean Peace, Man (said with that sleepy Cheech and Chong kind of feel). Could also mean, ‘I’m good with that.” Or it could just be a quick way to show the hotdog vendor at a sporting event how many you want, while everyone else is chanting something about Brandon.
These guys use a lot of hand signals. I’m not even sure what they all mean. You know I’ve watched a lot of football games during my lifetime. Could it be they are sending some hidden message to me in all those gestures?
Speaking of football or sports in general. This one clearly finds offense in anyone who happens to be on the opposite side of the Texas Longhorns. Many an Oklahoma fan gets twisted up when they see this. Perhaps there is something to this hand sign stuff.
Although I find it kind of silly, some folks are real attached to this one. For some reason they think using this symbol is going to change the course of fate, give them Good Luck, or ward off bad juju. Honestly, I think it just makes them feel better, but who am I to argue? If it makes you feel better, send that sign out there.
I know. I know. There are hand signals which are meant to be offensive. And sometimes those gestures are just a subversion of the same gestures used by everyday common place people. (And just a side note here – I don’t believe most white people are racists. I believe most white people, like most people of every race or ethnicity, just want to get along and live their lives in harmony with everyone else). I’m sure there are white supremacist who use these hand gestures, just as there are gangs which use signals, union organizers who use the power fist symbol, and any number of groups or individuals that try to adopt commonly used symbols for their own purpose. Intent has a lot to do with whether or not someone should be offended by hand gestures. Touching your index finger and thumb during conversation or when trying to make a point is not an automatic confirmation of bigotry. Pointing your finger at someone isn’t an intentional symbol of threat or hate. Placing a label on someone just because you don’t like them, don’t agree with them, don’t understand them, or because a hand gesture makes them an easy target is extreme. Honestly, unless someone is using American sign language to share their deeply held beliefs, there is only one symbol which is clearly meant to offend you, and it too is a fairly universal symbol.
