White power symbol

[TU 1978]

Or a tribute to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane? Inquiring minds want to know.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/dec/15/army-navy-game-white-power-hand-signs-prompt-inves/

 

[URedskin54]

Maybe the most embarrassing in a long line of embarrassing character assassination attempts by the media. The circle game, and doing it in random pictures/videos has been a military joke/tradition for decades now. But because some trolls on 4chan tricked the media into thinking it means white power, we now get fake outrages about it every other day. Here's one from 2013 btw

 

[TUMe]

This has to be the stupidest thing in a stupid world. Fortunately, I almost never us the okay sign. But in those rare times I have, it was agreeing in a quiet place or manner. I'm not an advocate of White Power, that said there is Black Power, gay power, steam power, horse power and nuclear power. People just look for something to get mad about. Maybe we need a symbol for Everyone Power.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

Wonder twins powers unite.(...or activate, or transform, or whatever it was)

 

[TU 1978]

It reminds me of how the swastika symbol was hijacked by the Nazis in Germany when it had been around in many other cultures since around 6,000 BCE.

 

[URedskin54]

If the Nazis had just been 3 incels in their mom’s basement then yes lol. I don’t plan on letting a few friendless virgins, who lash out because of their inability to get women, dictate what symbols I can and can’t use.

 

[Clong83a]

Yeah, it is all pretty dumb. And I think we can all forgive people generally speaking for using the "Okay" sign, especially if they are military personnel and it is consistent with "circle" game usage.

That said, I think this is kind of how hate symbols evolve. They take something not previously associated with being a hate symbol and just start using it. That way it is covert, and they can use it as a signal to each other without drawing attention.

Please don't misunderstand me though. I'm not saying that anyone using the "okay" sign in public is a racist. Far from it. Nor am I saying that if it is part of your common body language that you should stop using it. I think the whole thing is silly and it is hard/impossible to know what is in a random person's head when there is a flash of video or photo of them using it.

I don't know how often I use it, but I don't think it is very common. But supposing I flashed the okay sign across a room to a friend at a party or event, and the guy next to me took umbrage, I think I'd probably just ignore them and continue to use it for its obviously intended purpose. If we ever reach a tipping point where it becomes used primarily by racists, I will rethink that. In the meantime, I'll be content to call anyone who uses it as a hate symbol an *sshole, and anyone who chastises me for using it in an obviously non-racist way an idiot.

 

[lawpoke87]

The problem is the media who plaster the picture of these kids all over the country with the inference that they're using a racist symbol without first informing themselves of the history of that symbol in the military.

 

[Clong83a]

The problem is the media who plaster the picture of these kids all over the country with the inference that they're using a racist symbol without first informing themselves of the history of that symbol in the military.

Yeah, I have a problem with the implied assumption or suspicion that it is being used as a hate symbol when that is probably what it is used for the least. If the subjects have a bunch of matching facebook posts espousing white nationalist ideas or praise for David Duke, or if they have several complaints against them for racist behavior, then maybe you can assume that. But, if that is the case, then why did it take the "OK" symbol to generate the outrage?

 

[URedskin54]

Here's the thing: random idiots online have been declaring all kinds of symbols theirs for basically forever, but it's only when the media decides it's time to label someone racist that these things are even noticed by anyone. The media's decision to highlight it for no reason actually amplifies it and has the effect of making it a racist symbol. The Gadsden Flag is the same way. I don't give two craps if some 3 percenter racist militia group flies the Gadsden Flag. It's not theirs.

 

[TUMe]

Oklahoma's National Guard 45th Infantry Division had the swastika as it's symbol until the 1930's. It was to show Native American heritage. Hitler used the same symbol and whether he stole it or it existed in Germany I have no idea.

The 45th changed to the Thunderbird symbol and kicked some ass in WWII and Korea. You can make anything offensive. In one case the intent was good in the other it was horrible.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/45th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)

 

[URedskin54]

My God. The white supremacy is coming from inside the house

 

[Gmoney4WW]

Oklahoma's National Guard 45th Infantry Division had the swastika as it's symbol until the 1930's. It was to show Native American heritage. Hitler used the same symbol and whether he stole it or it existed in Germany I have no idea.

The 45th changed to the Thunderbird symbol and kicked some ass in WWII and Korea. You can make anything offensive. In one case the intent was good in the other it was horrible.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/45th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)

It was an acquired ancient religious symbol used though out Eurasia, like several thousand years ago. East Indians, Bhuddists, Greeks, Romans, Hindus, Egyptians, Byzantines, Christians, and just about everybody else used it long before hitler co-opted it. Later on it started to take on Aryan connotations, but that was not that long before the 1930's. It was European areas like the Nordic countries close to Germany that started to give it an Aryan connotation. It's very similar in structure and also meaning to the Greek key, which everybody in their gourd can lay claim to as well.

 

[TU_BLA]

Wonder twins powers unite.(...or activate, or transform, or whatever it was)

That was activate and it was a fist bump that activated it (sorry, child of the 80s here who loved the Super Friends cartoon show).

As for the "white power" symbol...I don't know where this one originated. Honestly, in the pic with the soldiers, it almost looks as though his friend is trying to flash the ASL sign for "asshole", sort of like the rabbit ears kids like to throw on their friends.

That said, I do think that symbol has taken on some white nationalist meaning depending on the context and timing in the last few years. I also understand that it is only deemed as such if given below the waist (so the "Reign Cane" and "ok" signs are still just that).

 

[astonmartin708]

Pretty sure we were playing the circle game back around 2001 or so in school. Had no connotations to Aryans for us. I specifically remember an Indian kid being very good at it lol.

 

[noble cane]

Im thinking that the "horns down" and "pistols firing" hand sign are symbols of racist hate and subversive criminal enterprises..

 

[TU_BLA]

Im thinking that the "horns down" and "pistols firing" hand sign are symbols of racist hate and subversive criminal enterprises..

That's OK, I'm offended by the term "Sooner" as it refers to a gang of thugs who intimidated others out of land during the land run and also cheated by starting before the starting time. Why do we celebrate criminals in this state?

 

[TUMe]

I think there should be an investigation into Rock, Paper, Scissors.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

That was activate and it was a fist bump that activated it (sorry, child of the 80s here who loved the Super Friends cartoon show).

As for the "white power" symbol...I don't know where this one originated. Honestly, in the pic with the soldiers, it almost looks as though his friend is trying to flash the ASL sign for "asshole", sort of like the rabbit ears kids like to throw on their friends.

That said, I do think that symbol has taken on some white nationalist meaning depending on the context and timing in the last few years. I also understand that it is only deemed as such if given below the waist (so the "Reign Cane" and "ok" signs are still just that).

Yeah I knew what it was. If I use three or four words and one of them is the exact right and unique word, then you can guess it was used for comic effect.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

I heard that holding a lighter up or saying freebird were becoming signs and symbols of white power.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

You'd think that seeing as how our guys usually do the symbol sideways people would differentiate.

Next thing you know Democrats will want us to put a small hurricane alert symbols right next to every hand in all the photos we release using the sign.

 

[TUMe]

I'm not much of a OU fan but holding land-run tactics against the original Sooners is a bit much since everyone was stealing land promised to the Indians. Let's just say they invented the False Start.

 

[aTUfan]

I feel left out, i'm white and i don;t know the secret hand shake.

 

[TUMe]

I feel left out, i'm white and i don;t know the secret hand shake.

Did you get Uninsured Motorist Insurance?

 

[noble cane]

I'm not much of a OU fan but holding land-run tactics against the original Sooners is a bit much since everyone was stealing land promised to the Indians. Let's just say they invented the False Start.

The indians didnt read the fine print on their lease.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

Did you get Uninsured Motorist Insurance?

Didn't you hear him, he doesn't know the secret handshake? They require that for hispanic uninsured motorist insurance.

 

[astonmartin708]

I'm not much of a OU fan but holding land-run tactics against the original Sooners is a bit much since everyone was stealing land promised to the Indians. Let's just say they invented the False Start.

To be fair, the Indians didn't really care who had been on that land previously either.

 

[TUMe]

To be fair, the Indians didn't really care who had been on that land previously either.

Some of them were escorted by the Army. They were just glad to finally stop somewhere.

 

[noble cane]

Anybody see schiff do "white power" during the impeachment yesterday?. i knew the true democrat klan would rise up...

 

[lawpoke87]

Chances the media reports this with the same gusto they did when they smeared this young men?

 

[URedskin54]

Chances the media reports this with the same gusto they did when they smeared this young men?

View embedded media

I think maybe the dumbest part of it all is that the Navy is still going to punish them for being "unprofessional." It's a football game. Cadets have always goofed around at this game and making a non-offensive gesture to a camera is about as mild as it gets.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

Chances the media reports this with the same gusto they did when they smeared this young men?

View embedded media

And the idiots in the media needed a cursory investigation to figure that out! The stupidity.

If it were ever really attacked by the media, I'd be happy for the Hurricane Sign. It would be outed in front of everyone as nothing but a Hurricane Sign/Circle Game.