Bush's Devil Hand Symbol Shocks European Viewers

Houston Chronicle ^ | 1/21/05 | Associated Press

[M 91 u2 K]

'Hook 'em, 'horns' gesture lost in translation Associated Press

OSLO, Norway — President Bush's "Hook 'em, 'horns" salute got lost in translation in Norway, where shocked people interpreted his hand gesture during his inauguration as a salute to Satan.

That's what it means in the Nordics when you throw up the right hand with the index and pinky fingers raised, a gesture popular among heavy metal groups and their fans in the region.

"Shock greeting from Bush daughter," a headline in the Norwegian Internet newspaper Nettavisen said above a photograph of Bush's daughter Jenna, smiling and showing the sign.

For Texans, the gesture is a sign of love for the University of Texas Longhorns, whose fans are known to shout out "Hook 'em, 'horns!" at sporting events.

Bush, a former Texas governor, and his family made the sign to greet the Longhorn marching band as it passed during the inaugural parade through Washington during Thursday's festivities, Norway's largest newspaper, Verdens Gang, explained to its readers.

[isthisnickcool]

Some people are so stupid. Everyone, I mean everyone, totally missed what Bush and his family where doing with their toes.

[fini]

I know it is asking too much, but you would think that people would realize that hand gestures mean different things around the world. For instance, in Greece waving your hand palm forward is a nasty gesture. Just as words can have two completely different meanings in different cultures, so can hand gestures.

If a reporter really desired to do an interesting article, then this would be a great topic. But I guess I'm asking too much.

[sam_paine]

In 50 years, when this handsign isn't associated with the Texas Longhorns anymore,...

Ha! In fifty years, UT will have about 250,000 students/semester and will have its own air force. The devil himself will perish before the University of Texas is no longer associated with Longhorns!

[NonValueAdded]

So you guys assume that people in Norway would know the sign of the Texas University Longhorns?

No, but why do the people in Norway (and Europe) assume that President Bush knows their hand signals? Is multiculturalism a one-way street? Haven't we learned that things need to be considered in the context of the locale in which they occur?

[Maria S]

Alex Jones is as squirrely as they come...and wouldn't you just know that he lives somewhere here in Texas. Or at least used to. He's not someone I give very much credibility.

[Nataku X]

5 years at RIT. You're a masochist.

[sam_paine]

Dude. Hang loose is thumb and pinky extended. Dude.

[Maria S]

"The Gator chop in Norway = I will crush your head in a vice. T he Seminole war chant in Norway = ahhahhahahahahhhhhh = I just but my tongue"


I wonder what they'd say about the Aggies' hand signal? But then again...who gives a flying flip?

[rabidralph]

Europeans are so backward and unsophisticated.

[MortMan]

I prefer to say I was institutionalized for 5 years - LOL. I graduated in '89 with a BS in Computer Engineering Technology.

[BulletBobCo]

Hey, you Nordic hippies, I have a sign for you!

[MinuteGal]

The Viking Kitties should slap every one of these Norse idjuts in the head with a herring.

Leni

[JustaCowgirl]

Don't the U of Wyoming Cowboys have any hand signals that VP Cheney could start flashing to get the Euroweenies all riled up?

I think they may do a 'guns up' at Wyoming. If not, he could just play the role of a Texas Tech fan for completeness and do a guns up when the President's family is doing all their hand signs.

[teezle]

Ok, than I am making the same mistake as as them... Is the gesture not an international sign for Satan? My fault!
I know it is in Holland, the UK, .. and Norway.

[Nataku X]

Institutionalized is right... ahhh, who wouldn't miss the elevator masturbator, grab-@@@ day, Socialist Club propaganda posters, regular fights breaking out in the lobby of TA, and forced to room with a kleptomaniac in the mental wards, errr, residence halls...

Congrats on making it through. You must have skin like an armored tank.

[hopespringseternal]

You know, there is just something about a bunch of European atheists getting upset about a "devil" sign, that, I don't know, just seems rather manufactured to me.

[MortMan]

Congrats on making it through. You must have skin like an armored tank.

My wife might say it was my SKULL that was thickly armored... LOL. You sound like you spent some time at the brickyard, as well. Did you?

[Hatteras]

Well, it's obvious what must be done. The University of Texas must ban this gesture so as not to upset the Norwegians. It's the right and politically correct thing to do. We don't want to alienate our European neighbors, do we?....... WELL?!

[cyncooper]

I have seen several different versions of this story and isn't it interesting how the headlines keeps saying how Bush displayed a "Satanic" or "devil" sign and then the article explains how it was no such thing.

Why (of course, I know why) isn't the headline "College sign confuses Europe" or some such? With the article explaining what the oh-so sophisticated and more learned than we Americans THOUGHT it meant?

And the media wonders why they are reviled.