Well I woke up this morning to hear the news. The service academies are under investigation! Apparently some cadets from those institutions were seen " flashing the sign. " It wasn't okay, it was white supremacy! That's right, they have it, right there on video tape, in front of the entire nation. I had to listen a couple times to understand what they were talking about. Now I'm informed. The Okay sign isn't okay anymore, it's white supremacy! Those cadets were flashing the sign!
I know I'm getting older, I'm not so hip anymore. I know I'm a boomer, just an old guy that lives in the past. How did I miss this one? Now I grew up with an understanding of free speech. I also grew up with an understanding of sign language. Well it wasn't sign language it was gestures. Certain gestures indicated certain things. Those gesture however were never investigated, they were understood fully and would be met with a counter gesture and often violence! Yes there were secret signs. Those gestures were shared among close friends, like a secret handshake. We learned that from the " black spot " in Treasure Island. Pirates and other unsavory characters used those secret signs. If those signs were flashed to the general public most wouldn't know what they meant. I certainly thought the gesture the cadets flashed was ok. I mean, it meant okay. If it was intended to convey white supremacy, just who were they conveying that message to? I'm guessing it was each other.
Well I want to know where the " handbook " for this is. How am I supposed to know the secret handshake? Maybe we could get a definitive list published, put it on Facebook for us old people to understand. If I wave hello to someone, am I waving hello or am I supporting something else? I don't know. What if I just keep my hands in my pockets, or behind my back, or something else. What am I supposed to do? I do know at least one gesture that is universally understood. Having been in the Navy and traveled the world I know for a fact it is understood everywhere. Fact is there are a few others that convey a message understood everywhere.
In baseball it is alternatively a good and bad thing to steal the signs. It just depends which team you are on when the signs are being stolen. That's why they are always changing the signs. Of course the catcher and pitcher coordinate their signs so they understand. Well that's how it is supposed to work anyway, that gets mixed up sometimes. My only point there being, someone has to tell the other about the sign. How am I supposed to know the secret sign? More importantly though, what makes the sign official? I mean where does the final authority lie for the meaning of a sign? Okay was always Okay but now it's not Okay it's white power and that's not Okay but I flash the Okay gesture to show you I'm Okay with that. It's all very confusing. So if you are investigating whether the cadets were flashing the Okay sign, they were we have video proof of that, what authority says that it means white power and not okay? Who's making the rules?
Well I think it is all silly. An investigation? Into what exactly? Yes cadets were making the okay sign. No need to investigate that, just look at the film. So are you saying you are going to investigate whether that gesture meant white power to them? Tell me a certain gesture is bad, it's unfavorable, I could face discipline for using that gesture. Now ask me if I was using that sign? What, you mean the okay sign? Yes I flashed the okay sign as a sign of approval. I saw a friend of mine and flashed okay to him/her. That's what I did, was that wrong? I didn't know that. I do remember when I was in basic training, many years ago now, I was marching with my company when I spotted my best friend marching with his. You can't speak, you can't wave at one another, but I did make the Okay sign as my hand swung forward by my side. Maybe he saw it, maybe he didn't, eyes front you know. I wasn't making a racial or political statement, I was saying, I'm okay.
Not sure when it started but we all know the high five. In the movies you did that when meeting Indians; HOW. LOL. They didn't high five you back exactly, they just didn't try to kill you. Now I'm wondering if that sign is offensive to native Americans today. Apparently the tomahawk chop was supposed to be at one time anyway. I've seen a lot of complicated handshakes involving multiple gestures. There was a time when I remembered all the hand gestures you flashed to a crane operator, some would get me investigated today. It's a strange world we live in. Now the young men and woman that are being trained to lead the nations armed forces are being investigated over a gesture. Strangely, if certain minority groups use gestures we are supposed to respect that, be inclusive and empathize with whatever sentiment they are trying to express. It will be shouted from the rooftops, it's their constitutional right! But if you flash the okay sign, you will be investigated! Confusing to say the least. I have to say I watched the game, I watched all the pageantry and never once did I notice anyone flashing the okay sign. I guess it s a lack of " awareness " on my part. Awareness is important these days you know. You have to be aware. In short you had best be paranoid about everything you say or do lest you find yourself being investigated! Awareness, it isn't something I have a problem with. If you talk to me you will be aware of exactly what I'm saying. As a rule I'm aware of what others are saying, unless they start using secret signs. In that situation I simply ask, what? Or I will say, is that Okay? If you can't hear me or I can't shout loud enough I'll just flash the sign. I don't mean white power though, I mean Okay, Okay.
Maybe we just need to change all that. Do you remember watching quick draw McGraw? He had his sidekick, Bobbalouy. At the end of the cartoon quick draw would be driving the stage coach. Bobbalouy was riding in a suitcase strapped to the back, his head would pop out and answer when Quick draw asked S'right he said S'right. No flashing hand signs, no confusion. Sign, sign, everywhere a sign, do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign? I can sign up, but I can't sign down. I can sign in followed by signing out. I can see the sign, I can't always read the sign. So what does the sign mean? Depends on who wrote it I suppose. Then there is always the question, what's your sign? It's all just silly if you ask me.
I know I'm getting older, I'm not so hip anymore. I know I'm a boomer, just an old guy that lives in the past. How did I miss this one? Now I grew up with an understanding of free speech. I also grew up with an understanding of sign language. Well it wasn't sign language it was gestures. Certain gestures indicated certain things. Those gesture however were never investigated, they were understood fully and would be met with a counter gesture and often violence! Yes there were secret signs. Those gestures were shared among close friends, like a secret handshake. We learned that from the " black spot " in Treasure Island. Pirates and other unsavory characters used those secret signs. If those signs were flashed to the general public most wouldn't know what they meant. I certainly thought the gesture the cadets flashed was ok. I mean, it meant okay. If it was intended to convey white supremacy, just who were they conveying that message to? I'm guessing it was each other.
Well I want to know where the " handbook " for this is. How am I supposed to know the secret handshake? Maybe we could get a definitive list published, put it on Facebook for us old people to understand. If I wave hello to someone, am I waving hello or am I supporting something else? I don't know. What if I just keep my hands in my pockets, or behind my back, or something else. What am I supposed to do? I do know at least one gesture that is universally understood. Having been in the Navy and traveled the world I know for a fact it is understood everywhere. Fact is there are a few others that convey a message understood everywhere.
In baseball it is alternatively a good and bad thing to steal the signs. It just depends which team you are on when the signs are being stolen. That's why they are always changing the signs. Of course the catcher and pitcher coordinate their signs so they understand. Well that's how it is supposed to work anyway, that gets mixed up sometimes. My only point there being, someone has to tell the other about the sign. How am I supposed to know the secret sign? More importantly though, what makes the sign official? I mean where does the final authority lie for the meaning of a sign? Okay was always Okay but now it's not Okay it's white power and that's not Okay but I flash the Okay gesture to show you I'm Okay with that. It's all very confusing. So if you are investigating whether the cadets were flashing the Okay sign, they were we have video proof of that, what authority says that it means white power and not okay? Who's making the rules?
Well I think it is all silly. An investigation? Into what exactly? Yes cadets were making the okay sign. No need to investigate that, just look at the film. So are you saying you are going to investigate whether that gesture meant white power to them? Tell me a certain gesture is bad, it's unfavorable, I could face discipline for using that gesture. Now ask me if I was using that sign? What, you mean the okay sign? Yes I flashed the okay sign as a sign of approval. I saw a friend of mine and flashed okay to him/her. That's what I did, was that wrong? I didn't know that. I do remember when I was in basic training, many years ago now, I was marching with my company when I spotted my best friend marching with his. You can't speak, you can't wave at one another, but I did make the Okay sign as my hand swung forward by my side. Maybe he saw it, maybe he didn't, eyes front you know. I wasn't making a racial or political statement, I was saying, I'm okay.
Not sure when it started but we all know the high five. In the movies you did that when meeting Indians; HOW. LOL. They didn't high five you back exactly, they just didn't try to kill you. Now I'm wondering if that sign is offensive to native Americans today. Apparently the tomahawk chop was supposed to be at one time anyway. I've seen a lot of complicated handshakes involving multiple gestures. There was a time when I remembered all the hand gestures you flashed to a crane operator, some would get me investigated today. It's a strange world we live in. Now the young men and woman that are being trained to lead the nations armed forces are being investigated over a gesture. Strangely, if certain minority groups use gestures we are supposed to respect that, be inclusive and empathize with whatever sentiment they are trying to express. It will be shouted from the rooftops, it's their constitutional right! But if you flash the okay sign, you will be investigated! Confusing to say the least. I have to say I watched the game, I watched all the pageantry and never once did I notice anyone flashing the okay sign. I guess it s a lack of " awareness " on my part. Awareness is important these days you know. You have to be aware. In short you had best be paranoid about everything you say or do lest you find yourself being investigated! Awareness, it isn't something I have a problem with. If you talk to me you will be aware of exactly what I'm saying. As a rule I'm aware of what others are saying, unless they start using secret signs. In that situation I simply ask, what? Or I will say, is that Okay? If you can't hear me or I can't shout loud enough I'll just flash the sign. I don't mean white power though, I mean Okay, Okay.
Maybe we just need to change all that. Do you remember watching quick draw McGraw? He had his sidekick, Bobbalouy. At the end of the cartoon quick draw would be driving the stage coach. Bobbalouy was riding in a suitcase strapped to the back, his head would pop out and answer when Quick draw asked S'right he said S'right. No flashing hand signs, no confusion. Sign, sign, everywhere a sign, do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign? I can sign up, but I can't sign down. I can sign in followed by signing out. I can see the sign, I can't always read the sign. So what does the sign mean? Depends on who wrote it I suppose. Then there is always the question, what's your sign? It's all just silly if you ask me.
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