Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

How the Bowl Cut Became a White Supremacist Symbol
Rolling Stone ^ | September 26, 2019 | EJ DICKSON

Posted on 09/26/2019 6:42:02 PM PDT by EdnaMode

As recently as a few years ago, the bowl cut was primarily known as an unfashionable hairstyle popular among toddlers whose parents cut their hair, and 1990s child stars. Over the past few years, however, the bowl cut has gone from shorthand for male uncoolness to a chilling symbol of racism and extremist violence, according to a recent report from the Anti-Defamation League.

On Thursday morning, the ADL released its additions to its hate symbols database, a library of more than 200 symbols used by hate groups. In addition to entries such as the Happy Merchant, a meme of an anti-Semitic caricature gleefully rubbing his hands together; and the “OK” hand emoji, which actually originated as a 4chan and an 8chan hoax before being adopted by the white supremacist movement as an actual hate symbol, the database now contains the bowl cut, a reference to the hairstyle sported by Dylann Roof, the white supremacist behind the 2015 mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, which killed nine people. (Roof pleaded guilty to state murder charges in 2017 and is currently serving nine consecutive life sentences without parole.)

On white supremacist chat forums on platforms like Gab and Discord, the bowl cut takes a few different forms. Images of Roof’s hair are often photoshopped on other people in various white supremacist memes (one popular meme features Roof’s bowl cut superimposed on an SS military shield); some white supremacists will also Photoshop a halo or a glowing effect around Roof’s head for emphasis. The bowl cut is also used as verbal shorthand within fringe groups, with white supremacists referring to themselves as “the bowl gang” or inserting “bowl” into other words, such as swapping out “brother” for “bowlther.”

(Excerpt) Read more at rollingstone.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Society
KEYWORDS: adl; alwaysthevictim; antidefamationleague; bowlcut; dylannroof; ok; oyvey; rollingstone; the2percenters; whitesupremacist; whitesupremacy
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-70 last
To: FormerFRLurker

I used to see an Arab street kid in Hebron who had a bowl cut. Don’t think he ever went to school. Is he a white supremacist, too?


61 posted on 09/27/2019 2:51:06 AM PDT by Eleutheria5 (If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: The_Media_never_lie
Guy Gardner, one of the Green Lanterns, also had a bowl cut. But he was a regular butthead to everyone, regardless of race, color or creed.

I don't wanna be no white supremacist. I'm a me supremacist. So I'm switchin' to a crew cut, like Curly had.
62 posted on 09/27/2019 2:56:16 AM PDT by Eleutheria5 (If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: damper99

Beat me to it!


63 posted on 09/27/2019 7:54:57 AM PDT by Wiser now (Socialism does not eliminate poverty, it guarantees it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: RummyChick

The Amish use gas for a number of things from their gasoline powered wringer washers to the generators they use to charge the automobile batteries they use to run the lights on their buggies. Of course, it all depends on their individual church district. The rules vary widely. Some groups allow gas powered lawn mowers and some don’t.


64 posted on 09/27/2019 7:58:19 AM PDT by Wiser now (Socialism does not eliminate poverty, it guarantees it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Wiser now

These guys were definitely some kind of group.

Father had a beard and hat. Suspenders where light colored homemade looking cloth. The pants were like a big square flap buttoned on both sides.

maybe Mennonites. Didn’t really want to stare them but the haircuts were very noticeable.


65 posted on 09/27/2019 8:04:14 AM PDT by RummyChick ("Pills, money .. this city is wicked. Your best friend will kill you here." Smoove about Baltimore)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: RummyChick

The clothing you describe is definitely Amish. Was there a buggy nearby?
They could have been traveling, and stopped at the station so their van driver could refuel and everyone could use the restroom and purchase snacks too. They hire vans to travel beyond the range of the horses which is usually about 6 miles.


66 posted on 09/27/2019 9:10:38 AM PDT by Wiser now (Socialism does not eliminate poverty, it guarantees it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: Wiser now

No buggy . That is what threw me off. They all bought Mcdonalds.

I am sure they get a lot of stares .

They were blonde and I immediately thought of that serial killer hair cut. Then I felt bad.


67 posted on 09/27/2019 9:15:55 AM PDT by RummyChick ("Pills, money .. this city is wicked. Your best friend will kill you here." Smoove about Baltimore)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: TBP

thanks for the Ish Kabibble pic.. I kept thinking same while scrolling down the page until your post came up.


68 posted on 09/27/2019 10:42:22 AM PDT by urtax$@work (The only kind of memorial is a Burning memorial !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: urtax$@work

Thank you. the song I linked is fun, too. He did it with Kay Kyser and His Orchestra. Kyser was also the host of radio’s “Kay Kyser’s College of Musical Knowledge.”


69 posted on 09/27/2019 11:02:39 AM PDT by TBP (Progressives lack compassion and tolerance. Their self-aggrandizement is all that matters.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: RummyChick

LOL They were traveling then. If it was all men they were likely going to or coming from an auction or farm sale of some sort.
I’ve seen buggies in the drive through of the Sugarcreek OH McDonald’s.
Their lives aren’t as restricted as people think. I was talking to a woman who thought the Amish weren’t allowed to shop in a grocery store. But the very the best place to watch the Amish in Holmes county Ohio is the Walmart in Millersburg on a Friday night. That store has covered buggy parking for a dozen buggies.


70 posted on 09/27/2019 11:53:23 AM PDT by Wiser now (Socialism does not eliminate poverty, it guarantees it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-70 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson